Keg Tap and Keg Coupler Questions

The Kegerator Guy

The Kegerator Guy, Christian Lavender, is a kegerator expert and answers readers' questions about kegerators and draft beer issues. Ask a question Expert Corner Archives

Due to an overwhelming submission of kegerator related questions and issues sent into The Expert Corner, we will try and respond to more than just one question at a time. Also, if you have extensive knowledge on the subject of draft beer, beer systems or draft beer dispensing and want to become one of our experts, please email us.

Dear Kegerator Guy,
Can all kegs of beer use the same keg tap? -- Cary from Dallas

What is the difference between a picnic pump and a keg coupler? -- Tom from Santa Fe

What is a good way to troubleshoot your kegerator if no beer will come out? -- Brent

Dear Cary,
No. Depending on what kind of keg you have, you will need a keg tap that is designed to work specifically on that keg. Standard American kegs have different taps than European kegs, and Cornelius kegs (often used to keg home brew) also use two different systems, the ball-lock and the pin-lock. It is a good idea to start a collection of keg taps for your kegerator that will keep the beer flowing, no matter where it is from.

Dear Tom,
A picnic pump is an air pump style keg tap that is designed to pump regular air into the keg to pressurize the beer for serving purposes. The keg coupler is a keg tap that is mounted onto the keg and powered via a compressed gas line. The main difference is that the picnic pump is designed to serve beer at a function where the keg will be entirely consumed. The beer becomes contaminated with unfiltered, regular air, and will start to go bad after 8 hours usually, although it may last up to 72 hours without spoiling if you are lucky. The keg coupler allows you to serve a draft beer from your kegerator without contamination. A single keg of beer may last up to 6 months if served in this manner.

Dear Brent,
You need to isolate the problem. Start at the beginning of the pressure system. Make sure your CO2 tank has gas and is turned on. If you can't tell if its full or not, check like so: first, turn the gas off. Next, remove the gas line from the keg coupler. Now, slowly turn the pressure back on and feel if it is coming our of the gas line. If not, turn your pressure set screw clockwise. If you screw this set screw all the way in and no gas comes out, you are probably out of gas; take your tank to be re-filled. If gas does come out, re-secure your CO2 line to your keg coupler and take the keg coupler off of the keg. Manually trigger the ball lock to make sure that the gas is coming out of your coupler. If not, you may need to clean or replace the coupler. Next, check whether the beer is coming from the keg. If not, the keg may be faulty. Next, remove the beer line from the faucet shank. If the beer flows, then it is probably your faucet which needs to be replaced.

See related: Finding the Right Keg Tap, Keg Dispensing Facts, Using a Carbonation Table Pressure Chart

Christian Lavender is the CKO (Chief Kegerator Officer) for Kegerators.com in Austin, TX. Kegerators.com has been an online destination for draft beer related information since 1998.

The Kegerator Guy answers a question about a kegerator or draft beer issue from a Kegerators.com reader each week. Send your question to The Kegerator Guy.