Lager vs. Draught: Know the Differences

Lager and Draught are two common terms of the most ingested alcoholic drink in the world.

Don’t think that they refer to the same product. They are two different alcoholic beverages from the point of fermentation to the point of serving.

Lager is made by using a cold-fermentation technique, whereas the draught is made by using the warm-fermentation technique. Based on the ingredients used, lager beer also differs from draught beer.

There are also some other difference between lager and draught. Some individuals believe that draught beer is a unique variety of beer.

To clear up any misunderstandings in the minds of beer enthusiasts, this article will examine the two terms in greater detail.

What are Lager Beers

Bottom-fermented beverages include larger beers, in which the yeast settles to the bottom of the brewing vat rather than rising to the top during the fermentation process.

Lagers gained popularity in Germany in the 15th century and were only brewed then because of the risk of spoilage. Refrigeration technology allowed for year-round brewing and increased accessibility of the beverage.

Lager beer brands are brewed with fermented barley, gives lager its distinctive yellow-brown colour. Following fermentation, lager beers are filtered, bottled, and distributed to domestic or foreign markets.

Some of the most well-known companies that sell lagers are Coors Light, Budweiser, and Bud Light. Lagers are a favorite of all breweries due to their robust aromas and ease of consumption.

Lagers are bottom-fermented, meaning that the yeast settles at the bottom rather than floating to the top as it does in ales. This takes months to ferment and needs cold temperatures for the process.

A larger beer is created during this storage period. Being stored is referred to as lagern, a German word. There are some dark lager beers, but they are less common.

Lager beer is pale or golden in colour. Over 90% of the beer made worldwide is a lager beer.

The Style Characteristics of Draught

The term draught describes beer that is stored in huge containers termed casks having a capacity of at least five gallons. It refers to the practice of trying to pull a hand pump to distribute ale from huge casks.

People must go out to drink draft beer because it cannot be maintained at home and can only be enjoyed in particular places where it is stored and served.

The beer is cold-filtered rather than pasteurized at high temperatures before packaging, that is why some makers market their bottled beer as draft beer.

Since they could filter the beer rather than sterilize it at high temperatures before package design, some manufacturers market their bottled beer as draft beer.

Difference Between Lager and Draught

Lager drinks come in a variety of hues, including amber, dark, and pale. Globally, the pale lager is the most frequently consumed type of lager beer.

The bottom-fermenting yeast Saccharomyces pastorianus ferments at relatively low temperatures, which is a distinguishing characteristic of lager beer.

Before the 19th century, German brewers dig cellars for lagering and fill them with ice from nearby lakes and rivers. It helps cool the beer when summer arrives before refrigeration became commonplace.

They plant chestnut trees to protect cellars from the heat of the summer. Lager beer is made by brewers using cool fermentation, and the maturation process is then finished in cold storage.

Beer that is served directly from a cask or keg rather than a can or bottle is known as draught beer. A pressurized keg used to serve draught beer.

Draught beer is brewed traditionally, which is a key distinction between it and lager. It naturally ferments in a cask, and instead of being consumed from a can or bottle, it is consumed straight from the cask or keg.

In contrast to draught beer, which is pasteurized and kept for a very long time in a cask before being eventually bottled, lager beer is consumed on demand.

There is a style of draught beer known as canned draught that is served from a widget-equipped pressurized container.

Lager and draught are both types of beer even though there are some differences between them. Draught is simply beer that’s stored and continued to serve from sizable kegs, so it can be either a lager beverage or ale beer.

Lager Vs Draught Beer

Lager is accessible in bottles and may be consumed anywhere, whereas draft beer can only be enjoyed in bars and clubs and other locations where it is served, not even at home.

Some features that make them distinct from each other are:

  • Lager has bubbles much less than draught and lacks the flavour of draft beer.
  • Lager beer costs more than draft beer.
  • Lager is pasteurized before being bottled, but draft beer is not. Because draft beer has not been pasteurized, it must always be kept at cold temperatures.
  • Draft beer needs to be regularly kept at cooler temperatures because it hasn’t been sterilized.

Draft beer is not a type of beer, despite what many people believe. Some people mistakenly think that draught beer is a special kind of beer.

Some producers chill-filter their craft beer rather than pasteurize it at extreme temps before packaging, they advertise it as draft beer.

Conclusion

By the process of manufacture, lager and draught beer distinguish one from another. Yeast that ferments from the bottom up, is used to make lager. Whereas yeast ferments from the top down are used to make a draught.

Contrary to popular belief, draught does not fall into the category of beers. Some people have the misconception that draught beer is a unique variety of beer, but this is not true.

Beer that is consumed from a draft system is not pasteurized but lager is pasteurized and aged for a very long time in a cask before being bottled and consumed.

From some people’s point of view, draft beer tastes much better than lager. However, you can drink either lager beer or draught served from a tap, both of which are excellent choices.

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