On Draught

So the question is, “why does my beer taste different when I order it in a restaurant on draught than it does when I drink it at home from a bottle?” Believe it or not, there are several factors at work that contribute to the “different” experiences the drinker gets when drinking draught beer. Some of these factors are positives and lend to a better overall pint of brew, while some are definitely not welcome. Let’s explore.

Trying to ruin my beer Mr. Sun?
I'm on to your little game.

The first factor that makes the difference between kegged beer and bottled beer is light. As you know, because you are an avid reader of this illustrious blog, sun light and UV light are responsible for “skunking” your beer. Most brewers today package their beer in brown bottles, which does mitigate this threat to a degree, but some light still gets through. Kegs do not allow any light in at all. Period. So from the exposure to light factor, the kegs have it. So do the cans (see my previous posts on canning).

Another contributing factor is oxygen. Brewer’s note: beer hates oxygen, as oxygen reacts with several of the ingredients in beer, such as carbohydrates, hops, and alcohol, and corrupts the fresh flavors and aromas. When you look at a bottle of beer, there is an inch to inch and a half void between the top of the beer and the cap. They do this because the beer is not carbonated when they put it in there, but rather builds its carbonation off of the pressure inside the sealed bottle. This would be disastrous if they didn’t leave a little wiggle room in the bottle, so you’re left with that gap of air that, over time, degrades from the final product. Obviously, beer for sale in bottles tends to sit on the grocer’s shelves a lot longer than beer in kegs (which are usually ordered by demand) does. Not to mention that kegs are “forced carbonated” with CO2, so there is no need to have as much of a gap of air between the top of the beer and the roof of the keg or barrel. So once again, the kegs have the advantage.

Is there really such a thing as too many kegs?

Time also plays a factor in draught beer. As, I mentioned above, kegs are usually ordered by those who intend to sell the beer contained in them based on demand. It does nobody any good for kegs of beer to sit around unsold because you ordered too many, and you certainly don’t want to run out either. Because of this, most bar and restaurant owners spend countless hours calculating exactly how many kegs to order. As a result, the beer you get on tap is generally fresher (newer) than the bottles you bought at the store that may have been sitting there for months.

There is also the pour. I know it’s hard to fathom, but even in this day and age, when blogs like this one are available to educate the thirsty masses, most people still don’t know how to properly serve beer. First of all, if you’re drinking beer straight from a bottle or can, you’re doing yourself and your beer a gross disservice. Beer needs to breath, and needs to be poured into a vessel (glass) in order to properly release all of the aromas and flavors. You simply can’t accomplish that by drinking out of a can or bottle. Beer on tap is always poured, unless you’re in one of those pubs where they let you drink straight out of the keg. So logically, if every draught beer is poured, and pouring releases all of the flavors and aromas the beer has to offer, than draught beer is always going to taste as good as the beer can taste (SOILER ALERT: This is not always true, as you’ll find out if you keep reading – I’m merely making a point).

Like a sweet little stout-flavored cloud.

While we’re on the topic of the pour, and the physical serving of beer from a tap, we have to discuss nitrogen taps. Chances are, if you are a stout-hound and have wondered why your pint of Guinness sometimes tastes creamier on draught, the answer is that your barkeep served you beer out of a nitrogen tap. Nitrogen taps carbonate beer with a nearly 50/50 blend of carbon dioxide and nitrogen (called beer gas) which creates smaller bubbles than taps that are just CO2. The result for the drinker is a beer with a milky or creamy mouth feel; perfect for stouts. On a side note, if your stout is a milk stout, meaning that it has lactose in it, the nitro tap will create a heavenly drink that feels like you’re drinking a beer-flavored cloud.

So, at this point, it seems like draught beer has all of the advantages and should be the go-to method for delivering malted-barley-based beverages to the consumer. Many beer experts and super-fans would have you believe exactly that. There are, however, some things to keep in mind before jumping to rash decisions. Some beers are meant to be bottled, simply because they are to be aged. Obviously, you can age in a barrel, but kegs are not going to allow the necessary infusion of pressure and time that are required to properly age a beer. For the most part, beers with higher alcohol percentages (ABV) or higher hop values (IBU) can be aged and, therefore, should be bottled.

Hopefully, the tap master cares as much about these
brews as the brewer and drinker do

There is one major detractor from draught beer that, unfortunately, is a fact of life that we have to live with: dirty lines. In order for beer to get from the keg or barrel to the tap, it is pumped through lines that have to be properly maintained and cleaned. Many beer purveyors, particularly ones who are just running a bar and have no understanding or passion for the beer they are selling, do not properly clean out the lines. The result is unfresh, skunky tasting versions of the beer you know and love.

So as you can now see, there are several contributing factors that play a role in creating a different experience for the beer drinker when drinking draught beer from a tap. Some might say that draught beer is better, but that is probably up to the individual drinker him or herself. If you are now convinced, and simply must have draught beer at home, go get a kegerator (though it is still difficult to find kegs of craft beer for home use in today’s day and age). The other thing you can do is always drink your bottled and canned beer from a glass. For a standard sized glass, sneak the beer down the side of the glass until about two thirds full and then pour straight down the center to release the head. If you want to try an experiment, get a glass that is over sized and pour the beer straight down the center for the entire beer, and then let the head settle (it might take a few minutes). This will give you as close to a fresh, perfect draught quality as you can get without the tap.

Beautiful bar-served brews, just like Sam used to pour for Norm and Cliff

Here’s to craft-brewed happiness… Cheers!