Bar Draft System Planner
Bar Draft System Parts List Planner
Building a draft beer system from scratch? It's easy to forget a fitting, coupler, or regulator. Enter your setup below and this planner generates a complete parts list — so you order everything you need the first time, not in three separate panic orders.
Your System Details
How to Plan a Draft Beer System
A draft beer system is a chain of parts, and the whole thing only works if every link is right. Whether you are building a two-tap kegerator behind a small bar or a sixteen-tap long-draw setup for a new taproom, the same five building blocks apply. Plan all five together and you avoid the classic mistake: opening day arrives and a $4 check valve or the wrong coupler is holding up the entire bar.
1. Cooling
Beer has to stay cold from keg to glass — ideally 36–38°F. A direct-draw kegerator or back-bar cooler keeps the kegs and the short run of line cold on their own. A long-draw system, where beer travels 25 feet or more to the bar, needs a glycol chiller and an insulated trunk line to hold temperature the whole way. Get the cooling right first; nearly every foam problem traces back to temperature or balance.
2. Gas
CO2 pushes the beer and keeps it carbonated. You need a CO2 tank, a primary regulator to step the pressure down to serving pressure, and a manifold or secondary regulators if you are running more than one or two taps at different pressures. Browse CO2 and mixed-gas regulators to match your tap count. Nitro and stout systems add a blended-gas regulator or blender.
3. Couplers
The coupler is what connects your gas and beer lines to the keg. The catch is that different breweries use different coupler types — most US beer uses Type D (Sankey), European imports use Type S, German beers use Type A, and Guinness uses its own. Order one coupler per keg you plan to tap, matched to the beer. Shop keg couplers by type and keep a spare of your most-used type on hand.
4. Lines & Fittings
Beer line carries beer from coupler to faucet, and its diameter and length are what balance the system — too little restriction and you get foam, too much and the pour is slow. Direct-draw runs use short 3/16" vinyl line; long-draw runs use barrier line inside a trunk. You will also need barb fittings, hose clamps, and check valves. Everything is in draft beer parts, tools & accessories.
5. Dispense
This is the part the customer sees: the tower or wall shanks, the faucets, the handles, and the drip tray. Forward-sealing faucets are worth it in a busy bar — they resist sticking and stay cleaner. Add faucet plugs so you can pull a faucet for cleaning without losing the tap.
Sizing by tap count
- 1–2 taps: direct draw, single regulator, 5–10 lb CO2.
- 3–6 taps: direct draw or short long-draw, CO2 manifold or secondary regulators, 10–20 lb CO2.
- 7+ taps: long draw with a glycol chiller, a secondary regulator panel, and a 20–50 lb CO2 tank or bulk gas.
Frequently Asked Questions
What parts do I need for a draft beer system?
Every draft system needs five things: a cooling source (kegerator or walk-in cooler), a gas supply (CO2 tank plus a primary regulator), keg couplers matched to the beers you pour, beer line and fittings to carry beer from keg to faucet, and the dispense hardware (tower or shanks, faucets, and a drip tray). Long-draw systems add a glycol chiller and an insulated trunk line. Use the planner above to generate the full list for your tap count.
How many keg couplers do I need for my bar?
You need one coupler per keg you tap, matched to that beer's coupler type. Most US bars run mostly Type D (Sankey) couplers with a few Type S (European) and Type A (German) for imports. A good rule is one coupler per tap, plus a spare or two of your most-used type so a worn coupler never takes a line out of service. Shop keg couplers.
What is the difference between direct draw and long draw?
Direct draw means the kegs sit directly below or beside the faucets (a kegerator or short tower) with beer lines under about 8 feet. Long draw runs beer 25 to 100+ feet from a cooler to the bar through an insulated, glycol-cooled trunk line, and requires a glycol chiller and higher, balanced serving pressure. Direct draw is simpler and cheaper; long draw is what most multi-tap bars need.
What size CO2 tank do I need for a draft system?
For a small 1-2 tap bar, a 5 or 10 lb CO2 tank is fine. Busy multi-tap bars typically run a 20 or 50 lb tank to cut down on refills. The larger the tank, the fewer trips to swap it. Many bars also add an automatic changeover so a backup cylinder takes over the moment the primary runs empty. Pair the tank with the right primary regulator.
What is the most common mistake when building a draft system?
Forgetting a part and under-balancing the lines. People order taps, kegs, and a regulator but miss check valves, the right coupler types, O-ring repair kits, or enough beer line to balance the system. The result is a delayed opening or a foamy system. This planner exists to make sure you order everything in one shot.
Once you've got your list, we can help you fill it. We've supplied bars, breweries, and draft installers across the northeast for nearly 20 years — if you're not sure on a part or a quantity, just ask.
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