Save this article
Use this article for free on your own website
Republish this article for free on your own website or blog. Or search or browse for more articles that your audience will appreciate. Huge choice available. Ideal for finding quality, free content. Read our publishers guide.
Why Keg Beer Is Better For You
Beer in all its various forms has been around for centuries. Whether it's called beer, ale, stout, porter, amber or any other beer style, beer has a long and storied history. Traditionally, beer has been available in kegs, and not until the 20th century did bottling and canning come into prominence.
Beer in all its various forms has been around for centuries. Whether it’s called beer, ale, stout, porter, amber or any other beer style, beer has a long and storied history. Traditionally, beer has been available in kegs, and not until the 20th century did bottling and canning come into prominence.
Regardless of style, beer is brewed essentially the same. There are subtle differences of course, but all beer has a mix of ingredients mixed and fermented by brewing experts with the help of technology. Technology has revolutionized the beer industry, not so much through brewing techniques, but packaging and transportation methods.
Bottled and Canned Vs. Kegs
For hundreds of years, beer was available only in kegs. That changed in the early-mid 20th century, when bottling and canning came into prominence. With the advent of bottling and canning, brewers were able to distribute their beer to more markets with greater efficiency.
With the consolidation in the beer industry, small local breweries began to close, and with it went the concept of fresh, local beer. It is fair to say that most consumers now drink beer just as they buy it, directly from the bottle or can. We are a society of convenience, and it’s convenient to consume beer directly from the packaging. However, beer wasn’t meant to be consumed this way.
Beer is a perishable food product, and like any food product, beer doesn’t improve with age. Bottled beer and canned beer are pasteurized and added carbonation is injected to ensure a long shelf life without need for refrigeration. While there’s nothing wrong with this process as it allows product availability to a wider spectrum of consumers, it is not beer in its natural state.
Have you ever been on a brewery tour? Notice how you’re served your samples at the end of the tour. The brewery wants to put its best foot forward - they want to serve you their best and give you the best impression. As a result, you’re served beer directly from the keg, not from a bottle or can. That’s beer in its natural state - fresh from the tap.
In fact, here’s something to try. Next time out at a bar or restaurant, enjoy your beer only from a bottle or can. Now, the following time out, consume it from the keg, on tap, in a glass. Take special care to note which gives you more stomach gas (burp!). Because keg beer has no additional carbonation added and the beer is allowed to breathe, the end result is a smoother, better tasting experience.
Beer is arguably the world’s best loved beverage. Enjoying beer as it was meant to be enjoyed - from the keg - will enhance your experience, not to mention easing your digestive process.