Difference Between Draft Beer and Bottle Beer

The consumption and brewing of alcohol have become one of the main sources of income for many places across the world. This has become the main business magnet such that various methods for brewing and storage of these alcohols have come up in the past few years.

The most common alcoholic beverage being beer. Beer is one of the oldest alcoholic beverages to be found and is the third most consumed liquid after water and tea. There are many types of beer depending on the storage and two of these are draft beer and bottled beer.

Draft Beer vs Bottle Beer

The main difference between Draft Beer and Bottle Beer is that draft beers can store their aroma and enhance their flavour since sunlight cannot penetrate through the kegs whereas bottle beers lose their aroma since sunlight can easily penetrate through these bottles.

Draft beer or draught beer is the beer that is unpasteurized and unfiltered. They are stored in kegs and barrels and do not allow sunlight to penetrate through. This is the reason for their aroma.

Bottle beer as the name suggests is stored in bottles and need not be brewed in only breweries. They are stored in dark-coloured bottles to avoid the sunlight to penetrate to store their fragrance. The bottles usually use crown caps.

Comparison Table Between Draft Beer and Bottle Beer

Parameters of ComparisonDraft BeerBottle Beer
StorageThey are stored in kegs or barrels and served through a tapThey are stored in bottles and served normally from the bottle
SunlightDoes not allow light to penetrate through the barrels.They are prone to light penetration
FlavourAre rich in flavour and aromatic since it is stored in kegsThey are not very aromatic and not rich in flavour like draft beer
PortableThey are not portableThey are easily portable
SterilitySince the taps are open, they can be contaminated easilyThey are more sterile.
CarbonationThrough taps, the carbon dioxide is also poured out along with the beerThe carbon dioxide is released when the bottle is opened

What is Draft Beer?

Draft beer is also known as draught beer. The beers stored in kegs and barrels within a bar or brewery is called draft beer and are served through tap openings. They are aromatic and have a smooth texture.

Draft beers are also unfiltered and unpasteurized. The kegs do not allow sunlight to pass through. They do not allow air to penetrate either. If stored for long, the top layer of the beer forms a biofilm layer that enhances the taste and flavour of the beer.

Since they do not allow sunlight to penetrate, they store the aromatic essence of the beer along with the gases. But the carbon level of these beers can be changed and managed when they are being poured into glasses.

Sometimes, to further enhance the aroma and flavour of these beers, beer gas is also added. They have to be consumed within the premises because the kegs in which the draft beers are stored is not easily portable.

What is Bottle Beer?

Bottle beers are the beer that is stored in bottles. They do not need to be consumed within the bar or brewery and can be made in factories, unlike draft beers that have to be made within the breweries and bars.

They are easily portable and are available in groceries as well. The reason they are stored in different bottles and packed within containers is to avoid sunlight from penetrating the bottles.

But, it is relatively easier for sunlight to penetrate in these beer bottles. This is the reason they are not as aromatic or rich in flavour as draft beers. Especially if the bottles are light-coloured.

Bottled beers are sold with different kinds of bottle caps but the most common and often used one is the crown cap. This cap is also called as the crown seal. These caps cannot be opened normally as they require a bottle cap opener.

Main Differences Between Draft Beer and Bottle Beer

  • Draft beers are stored in kegs or barrels and served through tap openings whereas bottled beers, as the name suggests, are stored in bottles. Usually in dark-coloured bottles.
  • Since draft beers are stored in barrels, they do not allow sunlight or external gas to penetrate. On the other hand, bottles used for bottle beer, especially the light-coloured bottles, are very much prone to sunlight.
  • Draft beers do not allow sunlight to penetrate and therefore they store their flavour and are very aromatic. Whereas, due to the penetration of sunlight, the bottled beers tend to be less aromatic and flavour-rich when compared to draft beers.
  • The kegs used for draft beers are not portable and have to be consumed from the place they are brewed. But bottles being portable can even be brought from local groceries and bars and consumed at home.
  • The taps used for pouring draft beers are left open. Therefore, they can be easily contaminated. But bottle beer is always constantly sterilized to maintain the hygiene of the alcohol.
  • When the taps are opened for pouring draft beers, carbon dioxide also pours out. This carbonation of these bottles can be maintained and changed. But this cannot be controlled in bottle beer since as soon as the bottle is opened, the carbon dioxide stored inside the bottle is released.
  • Conclusion

    Beer is the oldest and the most consumed alcoholic beverage and the third most consumed liquid beverage around the world. They have different flavours and each beer types are stored differently.

    Draft beers are stored in kegs and they have a rich flavour as well as a smooth texture. They are served through tap openings and pipes that connect the beer and the tap. These taps can be controlled to maintain the level of carbon dioxide that pours out.

    Bottle beers are stored in dark-coloured bottles and can be found in many local groceries and bars. They are easily portable but are not as aromatic as draft beer. They are also sterilized since hygiene is important in alcohol consumption.

    Draft beer and bottle beer differ in their flavour and aroma due to sunlight and carbonation of these beers.

    References

  • http://en.cnki.com.cn/Article_en/CJFDTotal-NJKJ200405036.htm
  • https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0950329314002614
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