Have you ever decided to sip on a draft beer, only to take a sip and be taken aback by its flavor that seemed more robust and enjoyable than your last can of brew?
As it turns out, there’s a lot that goes into why draft beer even tastes better than its canned or bottled counterparts.
To give you the inside scoop on draft beer and why it’s preferred among beer lovers, we’re about to get the lowdown on why draft beers taste better.
Get your glasses ready for this interesting exploration of this beloved beverage!
The Basics of Draft Beer
Have you ever wondered why draft beer tastes so much better than its bottled and canned counterparts?
You’re not alone—it’s a common question among beer lovers and industry insiders alike.
The key to draft beer’s superior flavor lies in its simplicity.
Draft beer is created by taking fresh, unpasteurized beer from the brewery and transferring it to a keg.
The draft system keeps the beer chilled, preserving its rich flavor and aroma longer than bottled or canned versions, which typically come pasteurized.
When you order a pint of cold brew from your favorite bar, the craftsmanship of the brewmasters is at work.
A keg of draft beer can last up to six weeks without experiencing any off flavors—but the shorter it’s on tap, the better it will be when served up in a cool glass.
How Draft Beer Is Made
Now that you know why draft beer tastes better, let’s take a deeper dive into how it’s made.
Draft beer is brewed in large vats called fermenters, which are cooled and pump oxygenated water through the beer as it ferments—we’ll come back to this part in a moment.
The beer is then transferred to another container, usually, a specialized keg, where it is pressurized with nitrogen or carbon dioxide and chilled.
When the chilled draft beer is served at the tap, things get interesting: the same oxygenated water that was used during fermentation is pumped into the tap line and mixed with the pressurized gas inside the container.
Depending on your personal preference, you can adjust the ratio of gas to liquid by adjusting the pressure on your taps accordingly.
The result?
A perfectly balanced pour with smaller bubbles than your average bottle of beer—which helps develop an intensely aromatic head of foam and carries those wonderful flavors right to your taste buds!
It’s no wonder why so many people around the world love draft beer.
What Makes Draft Beer Taste Better
If you’ve followed the craft beer trend, you know that draft beer tastes better than canned or bottled beer.
But why?
The difference lies in the brewing process and how it affects the beer’s flavor.
It’s in the Brewing Process
Draft beer typically gets brewed and served with nitrogen instead of carbon dioxide.
Nitrogen bubbles are smaller and have a more velvety texture, which gives draft beer its signature smooth taste that you won’t get from canned or bottled varieties.
Nitrogen also creates a long-lasting head, which helps bring out the aroma of your favorite craft beer.
Another difference in the brewing process is that draft beer usually skips pasteurization, or heating up of the beer to kill microorganisms.
This means that draft beers are usually fresher than their canned and bottled counterparts because they don’t undergo pasteurization.
Hence why you’ll often find taprooms at local breweries where you can sample fresh drafts right from the source!
It’s All About Temperature
The last difference between draft beers and other varieties is temperature—draft beer is served at a lower temperature, anywhere between 36-38 Fahrenheit.
Not only does this help enhance the flavor of the hops, but it also keeps your drinks colder longer so that they don’t get warmer than you’d like while sipping away at your delicious brew!
Draft beers taste better because they’re brewed with nitrogen instead of carbon dioxide, and are typically served freshly unpasteurized and chilled to an optimal temperature—so next time you’re out trying different craft beers on tap, think about why they might taste especially great!
Attention to Detail in Craft Brewing
A huge reason why draft beer tastes better is that craft brewers pay more attention to detail in their products.
With a focus on quality and taste, craft brewers are more likely to spend time ensuring that all the elements of brewing are taken care of – from choosing the right hops to making sure the fermentation process is done correctly.
What Is the Difference Between a Keg and Cask Beer?
Have you ever been curious about what separates a keg from a cask beer?
Here’s the difference:
Kegs
Kegs, in particular, are the most commonly used type of draft beer.
A keg is filled with beer and sealed with a metal cap.
The metal pressure of the cap forces carbon dioxide into the product to dispense it.
Kegs come in a variety of sizes – ranging from 5 liters up to 50 liters.
Casks
Cask ales, on the other hand, are generally unpasteurized and unfiltered.
This means that they will go bad faster than kegs and need to be consumed within weeks instead of months.
In addition, they don’t use metal caps as kegs do; rather, they are sealed with wooden plugs or stoppers.
Cask beers are also unfiltered and unpasteurized, meaning that there may be sediment present in the beers.
When it comes to taste, cask beers tend to have more flavor complexity because of their natural co2 carbonation process as opposed to artificial CO2 injection in kegs.
Conclusion
In conclusion, draft beer certainly has its advantages over bottled beer.
From its smoother taste to its full-bodied flavor to its extended shelf life, it’s hard to beat.
Not only that, but craft breweries are able to continually experiment with ingredients to create a variety of different beer styles that expand far beyond the traditional lagers and ales.
Whether you’re a craft beer enthusiast or a casual beer drinker, draft beer is a great way to experience different beers and flavors.
If you’re already a fan of draft beer then you already know that it can definitely be worth the extra money for the freshness and taste.
So, why not give it a try and experience what a draft beer can do for you.
