Lager vs. Draught Beer: Know the Differences

One of the major classifications of beer is lager and draught. Some people refer to draught beer as a draft, but it’s essentially the same type of beer coming from a keg.

Lager is a well-known blonde beer of an average ABV, and you can find it almost anywhere in the world.

According to the various beer hops that exist inside the beer barrels, lager beer gets its final taste.

Draught beer, on the other side, could be any type of beer that may enter and get marketed as sold and served from a keg.

It’s the type of beer that most restaurants and bars favorite to ensure they have the best beer quality for their customers.

Today we will elaborate more about the lager and draught beers.

Finding their similarities and differences is our biggest goal to ensure we know more about beer next time we order a pint.

What Beer Classifies As a Lager?

Lager beer is the one that ferments with bottom yeast and has A rich blonde color and fresh taste.

The whole fermentation and bottling process comes true in a low-temperature environment.

Lager is the german word for storage since German brewers used to keep the beer barrels in cold and humid basements for maturing months after the fermentation process.

Most of the lager beers use Saccharomyces as the main yeast fungus for fermentation, which is also known to work in low temperatures and give the best results we all know in terms of flavors and aromas.

Which Are the Common Features of Draught Beer?

Draught beer, on the other hand, comes in metallic kegs.

Most of these kegs are highly pressurized with carbon dioxide to ensure a crisp taste for beer when it’s finally served.

It’s good to know that all draught beer types are filtered and pasteurized.

That process protects the consumer from drinking a contaminated beer and experiencing food poisoning.

Adding the draught beer in a keg can make the yeast inactive.

So there is absolutely no chance for draught beer to mature in the kegs no matter how long you leave it there.

Major Differences Between Lager and Draught Beer?

Even though you can have lager beer and draught beer and like them both, there are some differences between the two beer types.

Here is a short list of the major difference between lager and draught beer:

  • Pasteurization: It’s necessary for draught beer to get under pasteurization processes. However, that is not necessary for lager beer, and you could find several lager beer types that are not pasteurized in the market.
  • Draught beer needs lower temperatures
  • Taste: Some draught beer tastes a lot better than lagers, and that’s a general rule applying to all.
  • Draught Beer is Only Available in Restaurants: It’s a cruel reality, but you can’t have a draught beer keg in your living room. Lager beers come in bottles and cans, and you can enjoy them everywhere.

Can a Draught Beer Be a Lager at the Same Time?

Indeed you can have draught beer that is lager at the same time.

However, lager beers usually get bottled or canned, and draught beer is more complex, like stouts and darker ales.

There is the chance that you can have an expensive lager beer in a keg and serve it as a draught beer.

It’s the rule in the American market where Miller and Coors are served in kegs even though they qualify for lager beers.

Why is Lager Beer Better When Bottled?

Leger beer is a lot better when bottled since there is no reaction with aluminum.

Bottles are made of glass, and this material is non-reactive with the beer mix.

Moreover, lager beers have a pure blonde color that will get preserved better in glass bottles.

You will find more lager beers bottled than any other beer type since you can chill them easier and faster.

These lager beers remain state of the art for many breweries that want to conquer both the liquor store markets and the bars markets.

Is Draught Beer More Affordable than Lager?

In general, draught beer is a lot more affordable than lager.

That happens because of the economies of scale made possible when you use a returnable metallic keg to serve the beer instead of the expensive aluminum cans or the fragile glass bottles.

The same type of beer could cost a lot more when you buy it in a bottle than when you drink it from a keg as a draught beer.

Even though the price differences are not that great, you will have a better price for these beers when you consume them from the keg for simple packaging and delivery reasons.

How Do Lager Beer Lovers Compare with Draught Beer Ones?

Most beer lovers like to have beer from a keg dispenser.

That is obvious when you visit your local bar or restaurant, where more people prefer to get draught beer directly from the keg.

However, there are still beer lovers who will always prefer enjoying their lager beer from the bottle.

Both communities are right for their respective reasons.

Lager beer consumers are the ones that take their beer home and enjoy it privately.

Draught beer lovers are usually more numerous and are party animals who love to drink their beer socially with friends and peers.

These two beer-lover races exist and compete with each other for the best possible beer type, either lager or draught.

Final Words

Even though most of the beer consumed in the world is draught beer, you can find lager beer in supermarkets and liquor stores across the world.

People who love to chill and drink their beer at home will possibly become lager lovers that usually come in a bottle or can.

However, if you like draught beer and be an outgoing person, you will prefer to drink your beer in bars and pubs.

That is the population segment that will opt for the draught beer and be more satisfied when consuming it.

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