Beer Drinks & Taps : How Does a Beer Tap Work?

A beer tap works by using air pressure to force the beer out of the keg, through the tube and into the glass, and the air pressure can either come from CO2 tanks or a manual pump. Understand how beer taps work with information from a professional bartender in this free video on beer.

Expert: Louis Motamedi
Bio: Louis Motamedi is a professional bartender and has been bartending and managing at McFaddens Pub.
Filmmaker: David Pakman

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• beer
• drinks
• black and tan
• mixed beer drinks
• beer taps
• beer kegs

[chavesmarcus]

hey buddy, thats a nice video, but hou does it make the creamy head when you push faucet handle forward, what is the secret about it? thanks!

[buttaflutta]

You can carbonate in the fermenter, however, if you use an appropriate container. This is actually an efficient method of carbonating in one step. The fermenter is left to release CO2 though until midway through the fermentation when the container is sealed and CO2 levels allowed to rise. Hope this answers your question!

[buttaflutta]

@bubble36 What happens is that when you create CO2 during fermentation you have to release it or else you'll slow down fermentation as well as carbonate the beer too early. If the CO2 had no where to go, pressure would build in the fermenter, CO2 levels would rise in the fermenting beer and the yeast would stop being able to do their job.

Once you have the beer fermented, you can then worry about bringing CO2 levels up via carbonation. Oxygen isn't used due to it's reactive nature. CO2 is inert.

[pylehill]

when homebrewing you use CO2 to force carbonate your brew, and the pressure also dispenses.



[bubble36]

Why are you pumping CO2? why not pure oxygen or another chemical. Does using CO2 have a specific purpose? I know that when the yeast reacts with the sugar, CO2 is given off as a by product and you use an air or fermenter device to remove the CO2. So, you remove the CO2 first, then you use a CO2 pump that pumps CO2 back into the keg?? I'm a little confused. Could you clarify, I would greatly appreciate it.

[W0WKing]

thanks man thats what i needed to know :D