Keg Line Balancing Calculator — Perfect Draught Beer at Home
Use this free keg line balancing calculator to work out the correct beer line length for your home draught system — for a perfect, steady pour without excessive foam or flat beer.
How to use it
- Enter your serving pressure (from your regulator/keg carbonation calculator).
- Enter the height gain from keg to tap — use 0 if level.
- Choose your line type.
- Read off the recommended line length.
Why does beer line length matter?
Beer line length controls the resistance in your draught system. If your line is too short, CO₂ pressure pushes beer through too quickly — you get excessive foam and flat-tasting pints. If the line is too long, the pour is slow and sluggish. The correct line length creates just enough resistance to balance your serving pressure, giving you a smooth, steady pour with a proper head.
What pressure should I serve home brew beer at?
Most home brew ales and bitters are best served at 0.5–0.8 bar (7–12 psi). Lagers typically need slightly more — around 0.8–1.0 bar. Use our Keg Carbonation Calculator first to find your serving pressure.
How do I know if my line is the right length?
A well-balanced system pours at roughly 1 pint per 10 seconds — steady and smooth with a 1–2cm head. If beer foams immediately when you open the tap, your line is too short or pressure too high. If the pour dribbles or stops, the line is too long or pressure too low. Use this calculator as your starting point, then fine-tune by adjusting pressure by 0.1 bar at a time.
More free home brew calculators
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