Beer Tap

A beer tap is a valved device that controls the release of beer from a keg through a faucet system, allowing bartenders to dispense draft beer on demand. The term ‘tap’ is universal in the beer industry, though the same devices are sometimes called faucets, valves, or spigots in other contexts. When a restaurant or bar advertises beer ‘on tap,’ they’re offering draft beer dispensed directly from a keg through a tap system, typically stored in a refrigerated unit.

How Beer Tap Systems Work

A complete draft system includes seven essential components working together: the keg itself, a pressurized gas tank (CO2 or nitrogen), a keg coupler that connects the gas and beer lines, beer line tubing, a shank that mounts through the bar surface, the faucet or tap, a decorative tap handle, and a drip tray to catch overflow. The gas pressure pushes beer from the keg through the lines and out the tap when the bartender pulls the handle forward.

Beer must be kept at optimal temperature—typically 38°F—from keg to tap for proper dispensing. Temperature affects both pour quality and foam levels. Modern systems often integrate with POS systems to automatically track draft beer inventory and sales by the ounce.

Types of Draft Systems

Three standard draft beer systems serve different operational needs. Direct draw systems work for short distances, typically found in kegerators where the keg sits directly below the tap—common in small bars and gastropubs. Long draw glycol-cooled systems handle distances of 25 feet or more, using a glycol cooling trunk line to maintain temperature as beer travels from a walk-in cooler to the bar. Long draw air-cooled systems use fans to cool the beer lines, less expensive but also less effective for longer runs.

Cask beer taps are simpler devices—basic on-off valves hammered into the wooden end of a cask, made from brass, stainless steel, plastic, or wood. These traditional English-style taps don’t use gas pressure; instead, gravity or a hand pump pulls the beer.

Equipment Specifications

Standard North American shanks are ⅞-inch x 14 straight pipe thread and work with all North American faucets, making replacement parts interchangeable across brands. Forward-sealing faucets (Perlick is the leading brand) offer superior sanitation because they prevent beer from being trapped in the faucet body between pours. Traditional rear-sealing faucets leave beer exposed to oxygen and warmth inside the tap, creating potential for bacterial growth and off-flavors.

The shank—the metal tube connecting the faucet to the beer line—typically extends 3 to 4 inches through the bar surface or draft tower. Drip trays sit below the taps at bar level, catching overflow and drips. A bar mat often sits under the drip tray for additional protection.

Draft Beer vs. Packaged Beer

Draft beer served from taps is often fresher than bottled or canned beer because it’s stored in kegs and dispensed directly without additional packaging or pasteurization. The keg itself provides protection from light and oxygen—two factors that degrade beer quality. Most craft breweries fill kegs more frequently than they package bottles, meaning draft beer at your local taproom may be days old rather than weeks or months.

Bars serving draft beer alongside food often use cold cups and lids for to-go beer orders where permitted by local laws. The speed rail organizing liquor bottles sits parallel to tap systems in most bar setups, with a bar caddy holding garnishes and tools, and an ice well for chilling glassware nearby.