Have you ever noticed that a draft beer tastes better than beer in a bottle? No, it’s not just a trick of the imagination or a product of being in a bar or restaurant you love. There is a science behind crisper taste and richer texture of a draft beer.
Some of this has to do with temperature and sunlight. Draft beers are protected from sun exposure and kept at a steady temperature, preventing that dreaded skunky taste.
Most of it, however, has to do with beer taps. Read on to discover how to find beer taps that will attract restaurant patrons and turn them into regulars.
Types of Beer Tap Faucets
When it comes to beer taps, the faucet is going to make the biggest difference to your customer base. The type of faucet you use will impact the pour and foaminess of the beer.
For decades, restaurant owners only had one faucet to rely on. The standard draft beer faucet is great if you’re only serving a handful of domestic ales and lagers. It’s relatively cheap and it’s so common that getting replacement parts for it is a breeze.
If you’re trying to provide a wider variety of brews, you’ll also want to consider investing in:
- Nitrogen stout faucets: long, narrow faucets that infuse the beer with nitrogen or mixed gas to produce a creamy texture and thick head
- Extended spout faucets: long, narrow faucets that reduce the space between the flow of beer and the glass, reducing oxygen exposure and foam
- Czech side pull faucets: faucets with several micro-filters designed to produce the sweet foam associated with Czech pilsners
Now, you can buy most of these types of faucets with flow-control faucets and self-closing features. These features tend to cost more but can make life easier for your bartenders and produce more consistent pulls for your customers.
Basics of Beer Tap Materials
There are two main materials used to make beer tap faucets: brass and stainless steel. Both have their advantages and disadvantages.
Brass faucets are relatively inexpensive, whether you opt for a polished brass or a chrome-plated finish. They look great, but they’re not built to last forever.
Brass faucets will eventually show signs of tarnishing and pitting. Not only does this diminish the visual quality of your tap tower, but it can also lay the groundwork for bacterial growth and unpleasant tastes.
If you’re willing to splurge for longer-lasting quality, go with stainless steel. You can get stainless steel faucets with a polished, brass, or gold finish, making them easy to match to your existing equipment. They’re not going to tarnish or pit and they’re a must of you’re putting anything with high acidity, like wine or cider, on your tap tower.
Finding the Right Topper for Your Beer Taps
In addition to faucets, you’re going to need to find to add toppers to your beer tap handles. These toppers serve a few purposes, from telling patrons what beer you have on tap to giving your tap tower a polished look. Here are some options to consider.
Distributor Models
If you’re sticking to beers produced by the biggest beer companies (think Budweiser, Yuengling, Heineken, and so on), you can easily get branded toppers from your distributors.
While sticking with the heavy hitters is a good way to keep costs low (distributors tend to offer deals on popular brews), it doesn’t make for a very interesting tower. Still, at least a few of these sprinkled in will satisfy the patrons who know exactly what they like and don’t want to try something new.
Brewery Branding
Maybe your restaurant partners with a few local breweries. If so, find out if those breweries have any toppers they can loan or sell you.
Using brewery branding on your beer tower is a win-win. It helps breweries build a reputation in your community. It also shows your patrons that you’re committed to supporting smaller breweries and bringing patrons regional flavors.
In-House Style
If you’re constantly changing the beer list at your restaurant, you may need some versatile choices. Not all smaller breweries will have toppers they can offer. Your staff may get tired of constantly changing the toppers every time they tap another keg.
If you decide to design your own toppers, we have two key suggestions. The first is to come up with eye-catching, colorful designs that will make patrons excited about your beer list. The second is to make sure your toppers mesh well with your branding or in-house style.
Does Your Draft Beer System Impact Your Choices?
There are three main types of draft beer systems for restaurants to choose from. These include:
- Glycol-cooled remote beer systems (aka long draws)
- Air-cooled beer systems
- Direct-draw beer systems
The nicest of the three is, of course, the glycol-cooled remote beer system. It gives you more leeway with space and guarantees consistent temperatures. However, the other two systems are perfectly fine if you’re working with a limited budget or limited space.
Generally speaking, you shouldn’t discover that your faucet choices are limited based on the draft beer system you use. That said, incompatibility can occur from brand to brand, so do your research before committing to equipment.
Maintaining Your Beer Taps
No matter what kind of beer taps your restaurant’s offering, you need to invest in maintenance. From a sanitation standpoint, regular cleaning can prevent bacterial growth and the spread of germs. From a taste standpoint, cleaning your faucets and lines between kegs will ensure that every brew tastes as it should.
We always recommend outsourcing this process. Hiring a professional beer line cleaner will save you a lot of hassle and guarantee that you’re using tried and true methods to keep your draft beer system sanitary.
Create a Unique Selling Point With Better Beer Taps
It’s true what they say: beer on tap tastes better than bottled beer. With this guide, you can find the best beer taps for your restaurant and turn visitors into loyal customers.
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