Straight answers to the questions bar and restaurant operators ask about draft beer and kegerators, from CO2 pressure and keg sizes to temperature, foam, line cleaning, and cost. Figures are given as ranges because equipment and beer styles vary. Confirm any plumbing, drainage, and electrical work against local code before you install a system.
A draft (or draught) beer system dispenses beer straight from a keg instead of bottles or cans. The basics are a refrigerated keg, a CO2 tank and regulator that push the beer, insulated beer lines, and a faucet or tap on a tower or wall. Small setups are a single-keg kegerator, while bars use larger direct-draw coolers or long-draw systems that run lines from a walk-in cooler to the bar. Keeping beer cold and at the right pressure is what delivers a clean pour.
Pressurized CO2 from a tank enters the top of the keg through a coupler and pushes beer up a dip tube, through the beer line, and out the faucet. A regulator sets the CO2 pressure, typically around 10 to 14 PSI for most ales and lagers, so the beer pours without over- or under-carbonating. The keg and lines stay refrigerated, usually near 38 degrees Fahrenheit, because warm beer foams. Balancing pressure, temperature, and line length produces a steady, low-foam pour.
There is no real difference; draft and tap describe the same thing, beer served from a keg through a faucet rather than from a bottle or can. On tap simply refers to the tap handle you pull. Some people use draft for the overall system and tap for the specific faucet, but customers use the terms interchangeably. What matters operationally is keeping the keg cold, the CO2 pressure balanced, and the lines clean so every pour tastes fresh.
A kegerator is a refrigerator built or converted to store and dispense a keg of beer. It holds the keg cold, houses a CO2 tank and regulator inside or alongside, and has a tap tower or faucet on top or through the door. Kegerators range from small single-keg home units to commercial models holding multiple kegs with several taps. They are common in bars, restaurants, breweries, and offices where you want draft beer without a full walk-in draft system.
A kegerator keeps a keg chilled, usually around 36 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit, while CO2 from a small tank pressurizes the keg to push beer out the tap. You connect a coupler to the keg, set the regulator to roughly 10 to 12 PSI, and the beer flows up through the line to the faucet when you pull the handle. The refrigeration and steady CO2 pressure keep the beer carbonated and fresh for weeks, far longer than an untapped keg sitting in ice.
Yes, for ongoing use. CO2 both pushes the beer out and keeps it carbonated; without it, a tapped keg quickly goes flat and stops pouring once the initial pressure is gone. A picnic or party pump uses air instead, which works for a single event but oxidizes the beer and ruins it within a day or two. For a kegerator you keep tapped for days or weeks, a refrigerated CO2 tank and regulator are essential.
Most beer pours best at about 36 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit, with 38 a common target. Beer that is too warm foams heavily and pours short, while beer that is too cold can pour flat or cloudy. Because the beer line and faucet warm up between pours, keep the whole cabinet cold rather than just the keg. If you serve several styles, pick a temperature that suits the majority, since one kegerator holds all kegs at the same temperature.
Most ales and lagers dispense well at roughly 10 to 12 PSI when the beer is around 38 degrees Fahrenheit. Highly carbonated styles or long, tall lines may need a bit more, while nitro beers use a separate blend and higher pressure. Setting PSI too high over-carbonates and causes foaming; too low leaves the beer flat and slow. Pressure and temperature work together, so adjust both and give changes time to settle before judging the pour.
It depends on the cabinet and keg size. A standard home kegerator holds one half-barrel full-size keg, or two to three of the smaller sixth-barrel or Cornelius kegs. Compact units may only fit a quarter-barrel or a slim sixth-barrel. Commercial kegerators and two-tap or four-tap models are larger and can hold multiple kegs. Always check the interior dimensions against the specific keg you plan to use, since taps and CO2 tanks take up space too.
In the US, the most common sizes are the half-barrel full keg at 15.5 gallons, the quarter-barrel at 7.75 gallons, and the sixth-barrel sixtel at about 5.16 gallons. A half-barrel yields roughly 124 pints or 165 twelve-ounce servings. The full-size keg stands about 23 inches tall and 16 inches in diameter. Homebrew often uses 5-gallon Cornelius corny kegs. Sizes vary slightly by brewer, so confirm dimensions when matching a keg to a kegerator.
A properly refrigerated keg dispensed with CO2, not a party pump, generally stays fresh for about 6 to 8 weeks for most ales and lagers, and longer for some pasteurized beers. Non-pasteurized craft beer is closer to 45 to 60 days. If you use a hand pump that pushes air into the keg, the beer oxidizes and goes flat within 12 to 24 hours. Keeping the keg cold and the lines clean is what preserves flavor over those weeks.
An unopened, refrigerated keg lasts far longer than a tapped one because no air or CO2 has been introduced. Non-pasteurized craft beer typically holds quality for about 2 to 3 months cold, while pasteurized domestic beer can last 6 to 9 months or more. Warm storage shortens that significantly. Check the born-on or best-by date from the brewer, keep the keg refrigerated and upright, and tap it before that window closes for the best flavor.
Home and light-commercial single-tap kegerators commonly run about $400 to $1,200. Larger commercial multi-tap units, or outdoor-rated models, range from roughly $1,500 to $4,000 or more. Conversion kits that turn a compatible refrigerator into a kegerator cost about $100 to $250, plus the CO2 tank. Ongoing costs include CO2 refills, replacement lines, and cleaning supplies. For a bar, a built-in direct-draw cooler with several taps costs more but is built for continuous service.
A simple direct-draw setup, a kegerator or under-bar cooler, is mostly the cost of the equipment, a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. A long-draw system that runs glycol-cooled lines from a walk-in cooler to the bar is a bigger project, often $3,000 to $10,000 or more depending on the number of taps, line length, and the glycol chiller. Costs rise with tap count and distance. Get a quote from a draft specialist for your layout.
Excess foam usually comes from beer that is too warm, CO2 pressure set too high, or dirty or kinked lines. First, make sure the whole cabinet, not just the keg, is around 38 degrees Fahrenheit and has been cold for several hours. Set the regulator near 10 to 12 PSI and let it settle. Check for warm spots on the tower, twisted lines, and buildup in the faucet. Clean the lines regularly, and pour into a tilted glass at first.
Brewer guidance is to clean beer lines with a caustic line-cleaning solution about every two weeks, and to clean faucets and couplers regularly as well. Some operators do a deeper cleaning monthly plus a caustic flush every two weeks. Skipping cleaning lets yeast, bacteria, and beer stone build up, which causes off-flavors and foaming. Many bars hire a line-cleaning service on a set schedule. Consistent cleaning is the single biggest factor in draft beer quality.
You circulate a beer-line cleaning solution, usually a caustic cleaner, through the lines using a pump or pressurized cleaning bottle, let it dwell, then rinse thoroughly with clean water until no cleaner remains. Disassemble and soak the faucet and coupler, scrub with a brush, and reassemble. Always follow the cleaner's dilution and contact-time instructions and wear gloves and eye protection, since caustic chemicals are hazardous. Rinsing completely is critical so no cleaner ends up in the beer.
A basic kegerator does not require a plumbed drain; the drip tray under the faucet catches spills and is emptied by hand. Larger commercial draft towers and under-bar systems often have a drip tray plumbed to a drain for convenience and sanitation. If you plumb any drip tray or bar sink to the waste line, it typically must drain indirectly through an air gap. Check your local plumbing code for what your jurisdiction requires.
Yes. With the right Cornelius corny keg and connectors, a kegerator can dispense soda, sparkling water, cold brew coffee, kombucha, or even wine. Carbonated drinks use CO2 like beer, while nitro coffee uses a nitrogen or nitrogen blend and a special faucet. Keep separate, clean lines for non-beer products to avoid flavor transfer, and match the gas and pressure to the beverage. Many cafes and bars run soda or cold brew on tap alongside beer this way.
Most kegerators run on a standard 120-volt outlet and draw only a few amps, similar to a compact refrigerator, roughly 1 to 2 amps while the compressor runs and less otherwise. Annual energy use is modest, comparable to a small fridge. Larger multi-tap commercial units and glycol-cooled draft systems draw more. Give the unit its own outlet if possible, and check the nameplate for exact amperage and voltage before installation.
Plan on about 12 to 24 hours. Let a new or moved kegerator sit upright and run empty for several hours first, then add the keg, which itself needs time to chill through. Beer poured before the keg is fully cold will foam badly. If the keg was warm when loaded, allow a full day at around 38 degrees Fahrenheit before serving. Chilling the keg in a cold room beforehand speeds things up considerably.
Only if it is rated for outdoor use. Standard indoor kegerators are not built to handle heat, humidity, rain, or temperature swings, which can overwork the compressor and void the warranty. Outdoor-rated kegerators use weather-resistant cabinets, stainless components, and compressors sized for high ambient heat. If you want draft beer on a patio or in a garage that gets hot or cold, buy a model specifically labeled outdoor-rated and protect it from direct rain and sun.
A 5-pound CO2 tank is the common choice for a home or single-keg kegerator and dispenses several half-barrels before needing a refill. A 10- or 20-pound tank lasts longer and suits bars or multi-tap setups. Tank life depends on pressure, number of pours, and leaks. Larger tanks cost a little more but reduce refill trips. Keep the tank secured upright, and have a spare or a nearby refill source so you never run out mid-service.
A draft beer dispenser is the equipment that pours beer from a keg: at minimum a coupler on the keg, a CO2 source to pressurize it, a beer line, and a faucet. In a kegerator the whole chilled cabinet is the dispenser; at a bar it is the tap tower and faucets fed from kegs in a cooler. The dispenser's job is to move beer from keg to glass while keeping it cold and correctly carbonated. Clean lines and balanced pressure keep the pour good.
The keg is refrigerated, and in longer systems the beer lines are kept cold too so the beer doesn't warm between the keg and the faucet. Short direct-draw setups like a kegerator keep everything in one chilled cabinet. Long-draw bar systems run a glycol line alongside the beer lines in an insulated trunk bundle to hold the beer near 38 degrees Fahrenheit the whole way. Warm spots, especially at the tower, cause foaming, so the goal is consistent cold from keg to tap.
Yes, for quality and shelf life. Beer is perishable, and warm storage speeds staling and can cause foaming when you pour. A tapped keg should stay cold, around 38 degrees Fahrenheit, the entire time it is in service, which is why kegerators and draft coolers are refrigerated. An untapped keg also lasts far longer refrigerated than warm. Short-term icing works for an event, but for ongoing service, steady refrigeration is essential to keep the beer fresh and pouring well.
At minimum you need the refrigerated kegerator cabinet, a keg, a CO2 tank with a regulator, a keg coupler that matches your keg type, beer line, and a faucet, most of which come with a complete unit. Add a drip tray, a line-cleaning kit, and a spare CO2 supply. If you convert a fridge, you also need a conversion kit and a way to route the tower or faucet. Match the coupler and keg size to the beer you plan to serve.
A kegerator uses electricity similar to a compact refrigerator, often roughly $50 to $120 a year depending on size, efficiency, and your rate, plus the cost of CO2 refills, replacement lines, and cleaning supplies. The bigger economics are in the beer: a half-barrel keg is usually cheaper per ounce than cans or bottles, so draft can lower beverage cost over time. Keeping the unit well-sealed, cold, and clean holds both energy use and beer waste down.
Let the unit sit upright and run several hours to get cold. Secure the CO2 tank, attach the regulator, and connect it to the keg coupler, then run the beer line from the coupler to the faucet. Tap the keg, set the regulator to about 10 to 12 PSI, and let the beer settle cold before pouring. Check connections for leaks with soapy water. Pour a test glass, adjust pressure and temperature for foam, and clean the lines before first use.
A conversion kit is the hardware needed to turn a compatible refrigerator or freezer into a kegerator: typically a CO2 regulator, a keg coupler, beer and gas lines, a faucet, and a tower or through-door tap with mounting parts. You supply the fridge and the CO2 tank. Kits are an inexpensive way to build a kegerator, but you need room for the keg and must mount the tower without damaging cooling lines. Match the coupler to the keg type you will use.
The tap itself is a faucet, and the handle you pull is the tap handle. The whole setup is generally called a draft or draught beer system, or a direct-draw system for short runs and a long-draw system when lines travel from a walk-in cooler to a remote bar. The part that connects to the keg is the coupler. Bars sometimes call the wall- or bar-mounted assembly a draft tower or beer tower.
Balancing means matching CO2 pressure to the resistance of your beer line so beer pours at a good rate without foaming or going flat. You account for the beer's carbonation level, the temperature, the vertical rise to the faucet, and the line's inner diameter and length. Longer or narrower lines add resistance, letting you run higher pressure. The goal is a pour of about one gallon every 30 to 60 seconds with minimal foam. A draft technician can dial this in.