A beverage dispensing unit comprising: A base portion, comprising: (a) A support plate comprising a top surface and a bottom surface and an opening connecting said top and bottom surfaces, (b) A peripheral wall jutting out of the bottom surface of the support plate and extending along at least a portion of the perimeter of said support plate and thus defining with said bottom surface an inner volume of the base portion, the free edge of the peripheral wall being suitable for stably supporting the support plate at a distance from a planar surface said peripheral wall rests upon, said distance corresponding to the height of the peripheral wall; (c) A source of pressurized gas lodged in the inner volume of the base portion, and connecting means suitable for fluidly connecting said source of pressurized gas to the interior of a beverage container located outside the inner volume of the base portion; and An elongated tapping column extending substantially normal to the top surface of the base portion, an inlet end thereof being fixed to said top surface and comprising an elongated inner channel bringing in fluid communication via said opening, the inner volume of the base portion with a tapping valve head located at the opposite top, outlet end of the elongated tapping column, said channel and tapping valve head being suitable for receiving and for controlling the flow of liquid through a dispensing line connected to the interior of said beverage container, characterized in that the peripheral wall has a height comprised between 50 and 300 mm. A base portion, comprising: (a) A support plate comprising a top surface and a bottom surface and an opening connecting said top and bottom surfaces, (b) A peripheral wall jutting out of the bottom surface of the support plate and extending along at least a portion of the perimeter of said support plate and thus defining with said bottom surface an inner volume of the base portion, the free edge of the peripheral wall being suitable for stably supporting the support plate at a distance from a planar surface said peripheral wall rests upon, said distance corresponding to the height of the peripheral wall; (c) A source of pressurized gas lodged in the inner volume of the base portion, and connecting means suitable for fluidly connecting said source of pressurized gas to the interior of a beverage container located outside the inner volume of the base portion; and (a) A support plate comprising a top surface and a bottom surface and an opening connecting said top and bottom surfaces, (b) A peripheral wall jutting out of the bottom surface of the support plate and extending along at least a portion of the perimeter of said support plate and thus defining with said bottom surface an inner volume of the base portion, the free edge of the peripheral wall being suitable for stably supporting the support plate at a distance from a planar surface said peripheral wall rests upon, said distance corresponding to the height of the peripheral wall; (c) A source of pressurized gas lodged in the inner volume of the base portion, and connecting means suitable for fluidly connecting said source of pressurized gas to the interior of a beverage container located outside the inner volume of the base portion; and An elongated tapping column extending substantially normal to the top surface of the base portion, an inlet end thereof being fixed to said top surface and comprising an elongated inner channel bringing in fluid communication via said opening, the inner volume of the base portion with a tapping valve head located at the opposite top, outlet end of the elongated tapping column, said channel and tapping valve head being suitable for receiving and for controlling the flow of liquid through a dispensing line connected to the interior of said beverage container, characterized in that the peripheral wall has a height comprised between 50 and 300 mm.