Why does draft beer taste better...and why Trailkeg?

We all know beer tastes superior in a pub – the same beer on draft from a keg always seems to, well, just be better than from can or bottle…so why is this?

Several reasons actually…let’s look at the sciency bit!

A beer’s flavour is affected by a number of elements; light, heat, oxygen and time.                   

• Light – kegs and cans block out light, a bottle will block some but not all light rays. 

• Heat – bottles and cans are frequently stored long-term at ambient temperatures (in a warehouse throughout summer for example!) and only chilled for serving – kegs, meanwhile, are almost always kept cool. 
• Oxygen – kegs and cans very much limit the beer’s contact with oxygen until it is poured, but the capping process during bottling allows a small amount of oxygen in. 
• Time – Kegged beer is usually pretty fresh, the kegs are filled and sent out reasonably quickly to the pub, taproom or restaurant where they are well looked after. Stock is rotated and lines are kept clean – whereas bottles and cans can sit in storage for years even. Hoppier beers really benefit from being drunk when fresh – the hop oils can start to degrade over time impairing the flavour. 

So what else makes draft taste so good?

Carbonation is a big factor – we know some beers are livelier than others and the balance of carbonation affects the mouth feel and aroma of a beer as well as flavour.

So we know draft wins on all fronts – where does Trailkeg come in??

With a Trailkeg you are drinking as close to a draft beer as you can get! The protected environment with serving pressure and carbonation combine to make the ideal pint. Even better; they’re portable – a portable pub, now we like the idea of that!

See more about Trailkeg and how to use it in our previous Blog Post "WHAT IS A TRAILKEG AND HOW DO I USE IT?"