Has the question“What is draft beer?” ever crossed your mind?

Were you ever curious about itsorigin story, the process, and the different kinds available?

Luckily, you’ve found theRIGHT ARTICLE! We’re giving you thefull scoop all about draught beer or draft beer.

Get your kegs and caskets ready because we’re going to fill your bucket with everything you need to know about draft beers!

History of Draft Beer

One of the EARLIEST accounts regarding thisbeer storage technique was in1691, in a London Gazette newspaper article describing a patent for “a very useful engine for starting of beer.”

Based on early references, the historical background of draft beer began when medieval monkswere one of the first groups tostore beer into barrels.

Beer was transported and even served directly from barrels until Joseph Braham invented thebeer engine in 1785.

20th Century

During the early 20th century, draft beer started to be served from pressurized containers.

In 1936,artificial carbonation was introduced in the UK.

From then on, this method hadmade its impact in Europe, where it quickly became the preferred method and spread to the rest of the world.

In modern times, the term “DRAUGHT BEER” is almost exclusively used for beer served from thepressurised containers instead of others who prefer traditional cask beer.

Overview of the Draft Beer

The term draft beer originates from the Old English term “dragan,” which means “to carry orpull.”

Dragan was the source of several different terms used in the U.K about pouring and serving beer, including:

1. Draw
2. Drag
3. Draught

The term draft or draught beer started to be utilizednot only for the process of serving the beer but for thetype of beer itself,drawn from akeg or cask.

Draft beer is simply beerserved straight from a keg or cask. It’s the kind that comes out of thepumps at a bar rather than in a can or bottle.

In short, draft beer is apressurized beer that goes through a carbonation method that isn’t served as bottled beer or canned beer.

Draught Beer vs. Draft Beer

There isno differencebetween draft beer and draught beer. 

In the early 1970s, the term ‘’draught beer’’ became almost only referred to asbeer served under pressure.

Draught beer generally TASTES BETTER than bottled beer because of the brewing process, storage, and dispensing factors.

Furthermore,draught beer is sometimes used forimported beersor the “beer on draught” at American, notably British establishments.

Nowadays, you will see draft beerspoured from tap to glassesserved straight from tap lines.

Why Is Draught Beer Better Than Bottled or Canned Beer?

Beer enthusiasts and experts note thatunpasteurized and unfiltered brews have more flavorthan canned or bottled beers.

Storing the beer in acask or keg made from steelkeeps the sunlight and carbon dioxidefrom ruining thebeer’s freshness.

Many variables could affect the taste and quality of draught or draft beer, such as:

• Not letting it rest after transport
• Not maintaining the tap lines
• Serving it at the wrong temperature

Is Draft Beer the Same as Real Ale?

There was a group called theCampaign for Real Ale, which was founded in 1971 toprotect traditional beer and brewing methods.

This group came up with the term ‘’real ale’’ to distinguish between cask-served beer and beer served under pressure.

• A cask or a keg can store draft beer.
• Real ale, on the other hand, comesspecifically from a cask.

The most important step is that the ale must beunpasteurized, unfiltered,and go into the caskwhile the yeast is still alive.

• While it’s there, it continues asecondary fermentation.
• Enthusiasts say thiscreates smooth beerand gives their preferred beverage a deeper flavor.

Unlike unpressurized beer stored in a cask or keg, no oxygen is addedto real ale. The beer isless fizzythan what you’ll get from a keg but shouldn’t be completely flat.

What Is Keg Beer?

You may also be familiar with the term “keg beer.” This beer comes specifically from apressurized keg.

REMEMBER: All keg beer is draft beer, but not all draft beer is keg beer.

Kegs became so popular in Europe and the UK that it replaced traditional cask beer because it required less handling care.

Keg beer is different from a cask.A keg only has one openinglocated where the flow pipe is connected.

Once fermentation is finished, kegs are also artificially pressurized with carbon dioxide or both carbon dioxide and nitrogen gas.

Additional Information

Nitrogen is used under high pressure when dispensing dry stout and other creamy beers. It replaces the CO2 to create arich, thick head and a less carbonated taste.

The bottled gas for creamy beer is premixed and is usually around75% nitrogen and 25% CO2.But this premixed bottled gas only works for creamy beers and is referred to as ‘’Beer gas’’.

If this beer gas is used to other beer styles, the last 5% to 10% of the beer keg will taste flat and lifeless!

At home, keg beer is stored in aKegerator for easy access.

Keg vs. Cask Beer

Do you know what’s surprisingly funny? These two are brewed theEXACT SAME WAY.

The difference is thatcask beer is only partially ready before it gets in the casket.

Like other beers, it will go through thesecond fermentation, which happens when it goes into the casket, and a small amount of sugar is added.

Keg beer is more like a GIANT CAN of beer, and the beer isfiltered and generally sterilizedbefore going into the keg, so it becomes drinking beer.

Cask beers tend to be less fizzyand are served at around 11°C. Keg beer is usuallyfizzier and served at acooler temperature. Casket beers should be stored at a temperature of 10°C-14°C.

Beer Keg Sizes

There arecommercially-sized beer kegs that are available from20L to 50L.These are ideal forbig crowded eventsor if you have anenormous draft beer storage forgiant-sized kegs.

There are also smaller mini-kegsperfect for smaller groups of individuals. A mini-keg usually comes in a 5L size, containing about10 pints. These are typically refered to aspressurized growlers.

How Is Draft Beer Made?

Believe it or not, draft beer ismade the same as bottled beer!

The only difference is that you fill the beer in a BOTTLE instead ofa keg or a cask.

Some beers go through acold filtering system,while there are some basic steps that some bottle beers go through in the brewing process.

Here is the full beer-making basic step process:

1. Themalted grains are crushed to expose theirSTARCH inside.
2. Hot water is addedto the crushed malt grains afterward, which becomes MASH.
3. After the conversion, thesugar comes out of the grains by rinsing again with water.
4. After sparging and collectingwort (the liquid extracted from mashing), thewort is boiledin a kettle.
5. The boiling is important because thehops add flavor and bitterness.
6. The wort is cooled downto around fermentation temperature and istransferred into a fermentation vessel.
7. The yeast fermentation goes under active fermentation and maturation.

Draft Beer Storage and Temperature

Draft beer in traditional kegs should bestored and served at a cellar temperature of 12°C (54°F).

If they become TOO COLD, theywill taste bland,but dispensing willcreate too much foam. On the other hand, serving it TOO HOT will alsoaffect the taste and appearance of the beer.

Beer companies suggest thatflavored varieties should be served warm to fully absorb the flavors.

Does Draft Beer Have a Stronger Taste?

Many people say thatdraft beer is strongerthan craft beer and bottled beer. To find out how much of a strong taste your brew has is to check its alcohol content.

Certified brew lovers will be able to tell the difference when it comes to the taste of:

• Tap beer
• Bottle beer
• Craft Beer
• Different kinds of alcohol

However, it’snot just thealcohol contentthat will determine how brew affects you. Another key factor isHOW QUICKLY you drink it.

Draft beer needs to go through the tap lines and into the glass. It makes the brewslightly less fizzy and smoother.On the other hand, you canbe drunk fasterwhen you drink 2 beer bottles!

Overall, draft beers are not stronger than other kinds,but it is less expensive.

How Does Draft Beer Taste Different From Varieties in Bottles?

Aside from the fact that it comes with a different mouth feel than when they drink it in a can, what else makes draft beer taste different?

It Has Fresher Taste

You’ll get a glimpse offruits and vegetables when you drink draft brew!

Once a bar taps a keg, it willremain fresh for around two days. The bar must order more of them frequently.

The draft tap options should be fresher than the can or bottle options if you drink at a quality bar.

Nonetheless, thisdoes not mean that others don’t stand up as a good beer!

They Protect Against Light and Temperature

Draft brews and kegs must bestored in a dark roomandaway from sun leakage.

Kegs aresuperior transportation devices when moving beer. They prevent all exposure to sunlight, whichextends the overall shelf lifeof the product.

More Consistent Pressure

Different kinds of brews and even those in bottles have theirideal temperature and pressure pointfor serving.

Taps allow the bar owners to customize the amount of pressureplaced oneach different keg. Doing so changes the overallmouthfeel, texture, thickness, and the number of bubbles.

Summary

• Draft beer, also known as draught beer, has its origins in medieval times with monks storing beer in barrels. The beer was served directly from these barrels until the invention of the beer engine in 1785.
• The term “draft beer” comes from the Old English term “dragan,” which means “to carry or pull.” Draft beer is served directly from a keg or cask rather than in a bottle or can.
• There is no significant difference between draft and draught beer; they refer to the same type of beer.
• Draught beer often tastes better than bottled beer due to the brewing process, storage, and dispensing factors.
• Draft beer and real ale are different; real ale is unpasteurized, unfiltered, and undergoes secondary fermentation in the cask, while draft beer can be served from a cask or a keg.
• Keg beer is a specific type of draft beer that comes from a pressurized keg. Kegs are popular because they require less handling care.
• Draft beer is created similarly to bottled beer, with the primary difference being the storage method (keg or cask instead of a bottle).
• Storing and serving draft beer at the correct temperature (around 12°C or 54°F) is essential to maintain its taste and quality.
• Many beer enthusiasts argue that draft beer has a fresher and stronger taste compared to bottled beer, largely because of how it is stored and served

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are the most frequently asked questions about the topic! If you think the article did NOT answer ALL of your questions and concerns, we hope this section will!

Is Draft Beer Pasteurized?

It is a type of beer thathas not undergone the pasteurization process. It should be KEPT COLD at a temperature between0°C and 2°C.

Since itdoes not go under sterilization, it retains the full flavor, nutrients, and natural beneficial bacteria. It alsokeeps the dirty draft lines from forming.

Do Kegs Have an Expiration Date?

For unpasteurized kegs, they can last for45-60 days. Pasteurized kegs can be kept from90 to 120 days.

However, it will be fresh for about8-12 hours if opened.

Is Draft Beer Carbonated?

It depends on the TAPPING SYSTEM.

Depending on which tapping system, the foam can grow thicker. A well-handled, fresh keg will likelyhave better carbonation and taste than the same brew in bottles.

What is the history of draft beer?

Draft beer has its origins in medieval times when monks stored beer in barrels. The beer was served directly from these barrels until the invention of the beer engine in 1785. In the early 20th century, draft beer started to be served from pressurized containers.

What is the difference between draft beer and draught beer?

There is no significant difference between draft and draught beer; they refer to the same type of beer. Draught beer often tastes better than bottled beer due to the brewing process, storage, and dispensing factors.

How is draft beer different from real ale?

Draft beer and real ale are different; real ale is unpasteurized, unfiltered, and undergoes secondary fermentation in the cask, while draft beer can be served from a cask or a keg.

How is draft beer made?

Draft beer is created similarly to bottled beer, with the primary difference being the storage method (keg or cask instead of a bottle).

Does draft beer have a stronger taste than bottled beer?

Many beer enthusiasts argue that draft beer has a fresher and stronger taste compared to bottled beer, largely because of how it is stored and served.

Final Verdict: Is Draft Beer Worth a Try?

YES!

If you have never experienced fresherbeer types and retained their full flavor, you are missing out!

The only thing left for you to do is to try it yourself!

We hope you enjoyed learning all there is to know about draft beer!Always remember todrink responsibly and moderate your alcohol consumption!

Karl S

Lead marketer, brewer, dad, and husband. Pretty much an all-round awesome guy. Self proclaimed coffee addict who’s been home brewing beer (among other things) for 25+ yrs. Also an aspiring pro-brewer and micro-brewery owner!