A sixtel, or sixth barrel, is one sixth of a 31 gallon US beer barrel:
5.16 US gallons. It became the craft-beer standard because it is tall and
narrow enough for a home kegerator while still being a commercial keg with a
Sankey valve.
Quick answer
1 sixtel = 5.16 US gallons = 19.55 litres = 661 US fl oz, which pours about
41 pints (16 oz) or 55 bottles (12 oz).
The numbers
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| US gallons | 5.16 |
| Litres | 19.55 |
| US fl oz | 661 |
| 16 oz pints | 41 |
| 12 oz servings | 55 |
| Empty (tare) weight | 16.5 lb / 7.5 kg |
| Full weight | 58 lb / 26.3 kg |
| Height × diameter | 23.3 in × 9.25 in |
| Coupler | Sankey D |
Sixtel vs corny keg
| Sixtel | Cornelius (corny) | |
|---|---|---|
| Volume | 5.16 gal / 19.55 L | 5.0 gal / 18.93 L |
| Valve | Sankey D | Ball-lock or pin-lock posts |
| Refilled by | Breweries | Homebrewers |
| Diameter | 9.25 in | 8.5 in |
The 0.16 gallon difference is about 1.3 extra pints — negligible. The valve is
what matters: you cannot fill a Sankey sixtel at home without a spear tool.
Why two sixtels beat one quarter barrel
Both hold roughly the same beer (10.3 vs 7.75 gallons is not equal, but two
sixtels give you 10.3 gallons across two different beers), fit side by side
in one kegerator, and each weighs 58 lb instead of 87 lb.
Key takeaways
- 5.16 gallons = one sixth of a 31 gallon barrel, not "about 5 gallons".
- The best single keg for a home kegerator: tall, narrow, 58 lb full.
- Uses the same Sankey D coupler as a half barrel.
- Compare against every other size in the keg size chart.