Draft beer is a popular way of serving beer, especially in bars, pubs, and restaurants. To offer high-quality draft beer, it’s essential to have the right equipment and conditions. Having the proper setup ensures that the beer stays fresh and is served at the ideal temperature.

To serve draft beer, you’ll need a kegerator, taps, CO2 system, keg couplers, and clean lines. These components work together to store, dispense, and maintain the quality of the beer.

For businesses looking to offer draft beer, setting up the system can be an investment. However, it can be well worth it for the right environment. Let’s dive deeper into some key aspects of draft beer systems.

Is draft beer profitable?

Draft beer is widely considered to be a profitable option for bars and restaurants, but there are several factors that determine how much money you can make from it.

Draft beer can be very profitable due to its lower cost per serving compared to bottled beer, but the profit margins depend on factors like pricing, volume, and maintenance costs.

Lower Cost Per Serving:

When it comes to cost, draft beer often offers a better profit margin than bottled beer. This is because the cost of packaging, labeling, and distribution for bottles is eliminated with draft beer. In fact, buying beer in bulk kegs reduces per-serving costs significantly.

Pricing Strategy:

Draft beer allows bars and restaurants to price beer competitively while still maintaining healthy profit margins. Since the cost per serving is lower, these establishments can pass some of the savings onto customers while still turning a good profit. Furthermore, draft beer is often marketed as a premium product, which can justify higher pricing.

Volume Sales:

In addition to the cost savings, selling draft beer in high volumes increases profitability. Bars that can serve large quantities of beer at a steady pace will benefit from economies of scale. High-volume beer sales also help justify the upfront costs of setting up a draft system.

Equipment Maintenance:

While the profit margins can be high, it’s important to consider the cost of maintenance for the draft system. Keeping kegs cold, cleaning lines, and replacing CO2 tanks can add ongoing expenses. However, for establishments with steady beer sales, these costs are generally outweighed by the higher profit margins.

Overall, draft beer is a profitable venture, especially for bars and restaurants that can sell it in large quantities. The lower cost per serving and the ability to charge premium prices make it an attractive option.

What is the best temperature for draft beer?

One of the most important factors in serving draft beer is the temperature at which it’s dispensed. Serving beer at the wrong temperature can impact its taste and overall quality.

The ideal temperature for draft beer is generally between 38°F and 42°F (3°C to 6°C), which helps preserve the beer’s flavor and carbonation.

Why Temperature Matters:

Serving beer at the right temperature preserves its carbonation, ensuring the beer maintains its effervescence. If beer is too warm, it may lose its crispness and become flat. On the other hand, serving beer too cold can result in a dull or muted flavor profile. Certain beer styles, like stouts and porters, may be best enjoyed slightly warmer, while lagers and pale ales typically taste better when colder.

Proper Temperature Control:

Using a keg cooler or kegerator that maintains a consistent temperature is essential for draft beer systems. Many bars and restaurants use walk-in coolers or refrigerated storage units to keep their kegs chilled. This setup helps maintain an even temperature, so customers can enjoy their beer at its best.

Impact on Beer Quality:

Serving beer at the ideal temperature enhances its flavors, aromas, and mouthfeel. It also ensures the beer maintains its carbonation level, which is important for both the appearance and the drinking experience. For example, beer served at the right temperature will have the perfect balance of foam and head retention.

To sum up, maintaining the right temperature is key to offering draft beer that tastes fresh, crisp, and delicious. A temperature range of 38°F to 42°F is ideal for most styles of beer.

What’s the difference between a keg and a draught?

Many people use the terms “keg” and “draught” interchangeably, but they refer to different aspects of the beer serving process. Understanding the difference is important when discussing the equipment needed to serve beer.

A keg is the container that holds the beer, while draught refers to the method of dispensing the beer from the keg into a glass.

Keg:

A keg is a large, pressurized container that stores beer in bulk. Kegs come in various sizes, from small quarter-barrel kegs (5 gallons) to full-size half-barrel kegs (15.5 gallons). Kegs are typically made of stainless steel to ensure the beer stays fresh for extended periods of time. Beer is stored in the keg and dispensed via a draft system that uses CO2 to push the beer out.

Draught:

Draught beer is the method of serving beer from a keg to a glass via a tap. This term is used to describe beer that’s dispensed from a tap, as opposed to bottled or canned beer. When you order a “draught” beer at a bar, you’re asking for beer that’s served directly from a keg.

Keg vs Draught:

The main difference is that a keg is a container that holds the beer, while draught refers to how that beer is served. When you go to a bar and order a pint of draft beer, the beer is being poured from a keg through a tap system. The quality of the beer is largely influenced by how well the keg is stored, how the lines are maintained, and how the beer is dispensed.

Understanding the distinction between these two terms helps clarify the beer dispensing process, especially when considering the equipment required for serving draft beer.

Why is beer better on draught?

Beer served on draught often tastes fresher and better than bottled or canned beer. There are several reasons why this is the case, and they all come down to the freshness and quality of the beer.

Beer on draught is often better because it’s stored in kegs, which help preserve its freshness and flavor, and because it’s dispensed from taps that don’t introduce additional air or light that can degrade the beer.

Freshness:

Draught beer is typically fresher than bottled or canned beer. Since it’s stored in a keg, there’s less exposure to light and air, which can cause beer to go stale. Kegs are also usually kept refrigerated, which helps preserve the beer’s taste. In contrast, bottled beer is often stored for longer periods before it reaches the consumer.

Tap Dispensing:

When beer is dispensed from a tap, it’s usually poured into a glass without any contact with air or light. This helps preserve its carbonation and prevents oxidation, which can lead to off-flavors. Additionally, serving beer directly from a tap means that it’s less likely to have the unpleasant metallic taste that sometimes develops in canned beer.

Beer Styles:

Certain beer styles, like IPAs, benefit from being served on draught. These beers have vibrant hop flavors and aromas that are best experienced when the beer is fresh and served from a tap. The draft system also helps maintain the right temperature and carbonation, enhancing the overall drinking experience.

Beer Quality:

The quality of beer on draught is typically higher because it’s stored and served in a way that maintains its optimal taste. The lack of preservatives and less exposure to light means that the beer retains more of its natural flavors.

For beer enthusiasts, drinking beer on draught offers a superior experience. The combination of freshness, proper storage, and tap dispensing all contribute to the rich and flavorful taste that makes draught beer the preferred choice for many.

Conclusion

When it comes to serving and enjoying beer, having the right equipment and understanding the factors that affect its quality are crucial. Draft beer offers a superior taste, better carbonation, and a more enjoyable drinking experience when served at the proper temperature and in the right conditions. The profit potential for establishments that serve draft beer can also be significant, making it an attractive option for businesses in the food and beverage industry.