Investor · Omaha, NE · Member since 2017 · 87 posts · 81 votes
Has anyone put a kegerator in their Airbnb? Thinking that it may be a way to increase bookings and the price point...however am worried about potential liability issues with underage drinking, and also about the logistics. Do you supply the beer or do the guests? If you supply the beer how do you charge for it, how do you handle maintenance issues like changing/cleaning the keg, and what do you do with leftover beer?
Just wondering if anyone else has a kegerator in their STR and what systems they have in place!
Real Estate Professional · West Palm Beach, FL · Member since 2012 · 23k+ posts · 13k+ votes
8y
Oh hell no, too many reasons to list. Drunk college kids would not be the market I'd be going after. You supplying the beer opens up all kinds of liability issues
Real Estate Professional · West Palm Beach, FL · Member since 2012 · 23k+ posts · 13k+ votes
8y
Oh hell no, too many reasons to list. Drunk college kids would not be the market I'd be going after. You supplying the beer opens up all kinds of liability issues
Investor · The worst town to live in, KS · Member since 2016 · 4k+ posts · 4k+ votes
8y
I have 22 STRs in this town. They are not AirBnb, they are furnished houses for refinery contractors.
My biggest contractor house is a 3 story with 4 full baths and 9 beds in 6 sleeping areas. Jacuzzi on the 3rd floor and exercise equipment in the basement.
I charge $175 per week per person for the house. I rent it out to groups. I don't stick random people in there. The group of people come to me as a group and rent it. There might be 2 or 3 people initially renting the house but as the job at the refinery expands its scope more people move in.
If there are at least 6 people in the group that are paying rent and not tearing up the house, I buy the house a keg of their choice. A keg of premium beer is about $160 (Modelo, Dos Equis, Michelob, etc.). A keg of crap (Bud Light, Miller Light, Coors Light, etc.) is around $115.
I can get 8, 9 or 10 people in the house working full time. Full time is 12 hours a day, 13 days in a row, 1 day off, repeat. 84 hours/week. They say "could you substitute some home cooked meals instead of the keg? We don't have time to drink beer when working 12 hours a day".
I can get 3, 4 or 5 people in the house but they work part time. Part time is 8 to 10 hours a day, 6 or 7 days a week. 48-70 hours a week.
The people I rent to work in pressure vessels, on scaffolding, on towers, with cranes and other things generally associated in a refinery. If they are safe enough to work in a deadly work environment, they are ok with me to have a kegorator in their house.
But an AirBnb, just put one in there and let it be a selling point. Let the tenants be responsible for buying their own keg and returning it. I really doubt they will put forth the effort. If they leave the keg behind, you have free beer and probably a $50 deposit. You need to clean out the beer lines between each use. A 5 minute job.
Investor · Denver, CO · Member since 2016 · 736 posts · 582 votes
8y
My first thought is I would want to look at the liquor license/excise tax laws for the location where the rental is listed. That could be a big factor in your decision.
Investor · Orlando, FL · Member since 2016 · 152 posts · 86 votes
8y
Somewhere a few insurance agents and some lawyers smiled and they aren't sure why.
I get the intent but I wouldn't go down this particular path. As you mentioned, the liability for anything, not just underage drinking, is far too much to be worth it. If someone has too much from your kegerator and then gets in the car? No thanks.
Rental Property Investor · Littleton, CO · Member since 2015 · 252 posts · 164 votes
8y
I brew beer. I have a kegerator in my office. I just finished working the Great American Beer Festival in Denver this weekend I woulndn't put a kegerator in an STR. I like to 'tenant proof' my rentals. Not make more work for myself.
However, I do stock them with 4-6 bottles of wine. I tell the guests it's like 'Need a penny, take a penny, have a penny, leave a penny', but so much better. There is new wine all the time. Only once has housekeeping showed up and needed to replace a missing bottle.
Investor · Omaha, NE · Member since 2017 · 87 posts · 81 votes
8y
We also brew beer, and have a lot of great craft breweries in our area. I really like your idea of the wine - but maybe with some local beer bottles instead. My wife had her heart set on a kegerator in the Airbnb but it sounds like too much of a headache to be worth it!
Real Estate Investor · Tempe, AZ · Member since 2012 · 874 posts · 648 votes
8y
@Jenessa NeSmith save yourself the liability and simply introduce your guests to the various breweries in town. Write a series of expert reviews on a blog or in a nicely-done "catalogue" you leave in the home - you are brewer yourself and can promote yourself as an expert - and maybe leave clean, empty growlers in the cupboard to save your guests a few bucks if they wanted to stock up on the good stuff. If you wanted to get super-creative, I bet you could arrange for a discounted flight for your guests....but let the beer be sold by the licensed vendors. I don't know Nebraska law, but I think it's a fairly universal concept that whoever provided the alcohol is next in line of liability after the person who imbibed and later caused harm to someone or something.
Rental Property Investor · St. Augustine, FL · Member since 2017 · 189 posts · 127 votes
8y
We have several Air BnB's and we provide a bottle of red and white wine upon arrival. I go to Total Wine and get great bottles direct from wineries trying to get a foot hold in the store. The manager is awesome and always stashes ones he knows are great tasting and inexpensive. Typically $3 - $7 per bottle in a case.
Guests love the classy touch which brings me to my point that a keg is not a classy touch at all. You could go to one of the local brewers and tell them what you are looking to do and they will offer you a deal and an invite to your guests for a tour. You always want to be the best in class, and it's easily done inexpensively!
For a local opinion... I would pass on this like everyone else has said. We can buy liquor any time of the day and on sundays! So its never an issue to liquor, unless of course you are already drunk!
Rental Property Investor · Tennessee Florida · Member since 2016 · 4k+ posts · 5k+ votes
8y
@Jenessa NeSmith So you want to encourage people to get even more drunk they they normally do on vacation.... in YOUR house? This is a terrible idea. Go big red.
Investor · Narragansett, RI · Member since 2013 · 8k+ posts · 4k+ votes
8y
Figure out what is your tenant pool and what do they want? If they are beer drinkers including a 6 of a local beer as a welcome might be good. A kegarator may send the party house message costing you potential tenants too because they dont want to be the next guest after the party. This assumes a normal size house of course.