I am considering getting a sixtel of nice beer from the local shop for a party in September. However, my experiences with kegs many years ago were not so good. Going back 20+ years it was not uncommon to get cups full of foam, poor dispensing from the nozzle, etc. Have things improved over the years, or should I expect similar problems? I am not set up for a CO2 system and refrigerator. I was thinking along the lines of a garbage pail with ice. I was hoping the "technology" had improved over the years from the hand pump scenario. Do any of you know much about how these work these days?
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Yes I have experience just recently. No it hasn't improved much. Yes you will still get cups of foam, at least for the first couple of pulls. After that it is just about enjoying it so who cares? Especially if they didn't buy the keg they can STFU!
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It's 90% user error. If people would learn not to pump the tap BEFORE filling their cup there wouldn't be as many problems. I find myself seeing that all the time - people walk up to a keg and before they do anything they start pumping it. :-) Then they are all surprised they get a cup full of foam. Fill first, then if needed (and ONLY if needed) give it a pump or two.

Geez, I was the only one paying attention in college? :-) It's a bummer too because Keg beer tastes soooo good.
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Last time I was around a keg it had a mini CO2 rigged tap so there was no pumping and no foaming problems.
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:-)

:-):-): The man speaks the truth!
The keys are to pick the keg up from the store several hours before your guests arrive so the beer has time to settle before you tap it.
Then make sure people only pump it when needed. Not everytime they fill their cup. The reason you get so much foam is because people introduce too much oxygen from pumping it every time!
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or have your own gas system setup so nobody needs to be touchin or pumpin nuttin!@
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They are nice to have!:-)
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that's what I'm talking bout!
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Like mentioned, it is almost always user error. People pumping when it's not needed, then wondering why it's foam, then pumping some more like that will help. It's called physics. More pressure, more foam. Also, while tapping the keg, make sure the lever is UP, then put it on the keg, turn it until it won't turn anymore, THEN push the lever down. While untapping it, pull lever out and up, then turn. If you do it any other way you will get sprayed with beer. When you first tap it, if the tap/coupler has a pressure relief button or ring, use that to get rid of pressure from the keg. Then pump a few times until you get enough pressure to dispense. If that is not an option the first few cups will probably be foam due to high pressure of dispensing. Only pump to get the beer flowing if it is not. That's it. CO2 is always nice, but costs money (tank, coupler, lines). If using for more than a few days, you will want to go CO2. A day or 2, hand pump works fine. Anymore and you will lose carbonation and the taste will go downhill fast. You are oxygenating the beer and introducing bacteria. That is why old keg beer from a handpump smells awful. Is dispensed by CO2 it will last a long time.
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