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Sankey Couplers

D, S, A, G, U, M couplers and which beers use which.

Sankey couplers are the connection between your kegerator and the keg, and they come in six common types: D, S, A, G, U, and M. Most American beer uses D. Most European beer uses S. The rest are edge cases (Guinness uses U; some German beers use A or M; British real ales use G). Getting the wrong coupler is a "your kegerator now won't tap that keg" problem, which sucks at 5pm on the day of a party.

Most home kegerators ship with a D coupler. If you're tapping anything imported, especially Heineken, Stella, Beck's, Carlsberg, Guinness, or Bass, check before you buy the keg. Adapters exist but they're rarely worth the hassle.

Below: every coupler explainer we've written, the cheat sheet for which beers use which, and where to buy the right coupler if your kegerator came with the wrong one.

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Frequently asked: sankey couplers

What coupler do I need for my keg?

D coupler for almost all American beer (Bud Light, Coors, Miller, Sam Adams, Sierra Nevada, most US craft). S coupler for European beer (Stella, Heineken, Beck's, Carlsberg, most German imports). U coupler for Guinness Draught and other Irish stouts. G coupler for British real ales. A or M for specific European beers (rare in the US market).

Can I use one coupler for multiple beer types?

Only within the same coupler family. A D coupler will tap any D-style keg regardless of the beer inside. But a D won't tap an S keg — the locking mechanism is physically different. If you regularly switch between American and European beer, you need both D and S couplers (about $30 each).

How do I change a coupler on my kegerator?

Disconnect the gas line and the beer line from the current coupler, swap in the new coupler, reconnect both lines (gas to the gas-in port, beer line to the beer-out port). Make sure the beer-out fitting matches your line type — most home kegerators use 1/4" barb fittings. The whole swap takes about 10 minutes.

Why won't my coupler tap the keg?

Most common cause: wrong coupler type for the keg. Second most common: the coupler handle isn't fully engaged (push down hard, then twist the lever to lock). Third: the keg valve is stuck (rare; some kegs sit unused long enough that the spring stiffens — gentle pressure usually frees it).

Are coupler adapters worth using?

Rarely. D-to-S adapters exist, but they add a failure point, slow the pour rate, and sometimes leak gas. If you regularly switch between coupler types, buy the second coupler. If you tap a one-off keg with a different coupler, the adapter route is OK as a stopgap.

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