What is draft beer?
In this brief guide, we’ll address the search query: “What is draft beer?” Also, we’ll explore how draft beer is made, what other types of beer there are, what the nutritional content of draft beer is, what the health benefits of drinking beer are, and what are the contraindications of drinking beer.
What is draft beer?
Draft beer, also spelled as draught, alludes to beer that is served from a keg or cask, rather than in individual containers such as bottles or cans.
In instances when it is served from a keg with a tap, it can also be referred to as keg beer.
The name draught beer refers to how beer used to be poured directly from a keg or barrel into pints or tankards and then carried to a customer at a bar or table. From the Old English word dragan (haul, carry, lug) came the word draught and drag.
By the end of the eighteenth century, beer engines were in use, and bartenders and pub workers could easily serve beer into glasses and tankards with the help of the ingenious flow system.
How is draft beer made?
Draft beer is made the same way other beer types are made, the only difference being that instead of being transferred to an individual such as a beer bottle or can, it is commercialized in a cask or pressurized keg.
The production of beer dates back at least four thousand years and can be summarized by using water to extract raw materials from grains (such as malt), boiling them with hops (or other ingredients, depending on what the recipe calls for), and fermenting the resulting product.
Beer production varies from region to region, and it can not only be done for commercial purposes but it can also be done artisanally. In many countries, brewing is a tradition, and this can reflect in the wide variety of flavors and beer types available to consumers.
Beer can be made from barley, wheat, corn, rice, and oats. Other more artisanal beers can be infused with flavors from fruits while using grains for the mash.
What other types of beer are there?
There are many types of beer available to our readers. While more artisanal kinds can be sourced in small batches, our readers can enjoy a variety of beers such as:
- Lager (such as Pilsner, Märzen, Helles, Dunkel, etc.)
- Ales (Old ale, pale ale, stout, wheat beer, bitter ale, amber ale, etc).
- Sour beer
- Light beer
- Low-alcohol beer
- Non-alcoholic beer
- Ice beer
- Hard soda
- Corn beer
- Etc.
What is the nutritional content of draft beer?
The exact nutritional content of draft beer will depend on the type of beer it is, and the ingredients used to brew it.
For reference, one glass of draft beer will supply:
- 180 calories
- 2 grams of protein
- 0 grams of fat
- 15 grams of carbohydrates
- 15 milligrams of sodium
Most of the calories are sourced from alcohol, with some sourced from the carbohydrate content.
What are the health benefits of drinking beer?
There are alleged health benefits to drinking beer. These include:
- Reducing the likelihood of heart disease
- Helping regulate blood sugar levels
- Helping bones maintain a healthy density
- And reducing the risk of dementia.
However, these benefits require more detailed and exhaustive studies, and most importantly, they are linked to moderate consumption of beer. Usually, this alludes to one or two beers per day, and no more.
What are the contraindications of drinking beer?
Drinking beer has several contraindications. Among them; it is strictly advised against for pregnant women, young children, the elderly, and those at risk, or with a history of alcohol addiction, to consume beer.
Beer is an alcoholic beverage, and the effects of copious consumption can be split into two groups: short-term effects, and long-term effects.
Short-term effects include inebriation, a loss of coordination, lapses in judgment, mood swings, and other symptoms that may vary between individuals.
Long-term effects of alcohol consumption include an increased risk of liver disease, heart disease, cancer, cognitive disorders, loss of the ability to carry out day-to-day tasks, and other conditions.
If you or someone you know is battling alcohol addiction, we encourage you to consult with local resources such as guidance counselors, support groups, and other outlets that can help you regain control.
Alcohol addiction is treatable with help, and if addressed in a timely manner, those suffering can prevent the onset of various problems associated with alcohol consumption.
Conclusion
In this brief guide, we’ve addressed the search query: “What is draft beer?” Also, we’ve explored how draft beer is made, what other types of beer there are, what the nutritional content of draft beer is, what the health benefits of drinking beer are, and what are the contraindications of drinking beer.
References
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/is-beer-good-for-you#downsides
https://www.carbmanager.com/food-detail/md:0d0f1ab67926a9fff33ff6b293ad22bf/beers-draft-glass
https://time.com/5218581/types-of-beer-guide/
