Beers better on tap than bottle

If a bar has good clean, maintained tap lines, I like just about any porter or stout better on tap then out of the bottle. Deschutes Black Butte Porter is one example of a porter I will always take on tap when I see it.

 

I agree stouts are much better on tap.

 

founders breakfast stout was much better on tap to me

 

As long as these conditions are met and the keg hasn't been sitting around for months, I'd say I enjoy most beers off tap more than from a can or bottle.

 

For me, in general, tap is usually better, but that’s related to the fact that for me fresher is usually better.

In most all of the places where I am likely to be found drinking beer they typically pay careful attention to the factors mentioned by @thedumbphase so its not easy to find bottled versions of the beer that is fresher than what's on tap.

Basically a bottled/canned beer is a compromise where convenience and availability on demand are traded off for freshness. Without that freshness from the keg there's little point in paying extra.

 

Enjoy By. Each time on tap it was glorious.

 

The only beer I ever had on tap that was not at least as good was Chimay Red. Did not even taste like the same beer.

 

I happened to be in NYC for Craft Beer Week (lucky me) and had Abraxas on tap along with the Perennial base stout and both were incredible, better than bottled if that's possible. On the other hand, I had a Mo Shuggie on cask that did not hit the mark. More that it didn't really lend itself to the cask delivery format than anything else I think (warmer and less carbo), since I had the Shuggie on tap later and it was delicious.

 

This is why I converted the fridge in my laundry room into a kegerator. Regardless of style in my opinion fresh keg beer beats bottles and cans every time.

 

And cask buries keg , fills up the hole and pats the ground down flat.

 

I wasn't a fan of FBS until I had it on tap, at the brewery. Out of the bottle I don't get much chocolate, usually just coffee,oats,and hops.

 

I wonder how much of this is placebo effect, and how much is actuality? Anybody do a side by side?

 

HopSlam, literally thought the opposite last year.

 

Left Hand Nitro Milk Stout

 

The first Maine Lunch I had was in a bottle and I remember thinking to myself, what the heck is the fuss about with this beer. Then I tried it on tap and I was blown away. It's the biggest discrepancy I've found between bottle and on tap.

 

As most people have mentioned, tap is better than bottle when the lines are cleaned and the keg isn't stale. I prefer certain beers (Troegs NN) on tap because if I know its fresh I'm going to enjoy it. The only beers I'd prefer a bottle is something I'm aging or when the yeast is settled in the bottle as part of the conditioning\fermentation.

 

IPA, Pale Ales, DIPA better on tap.
saisons, Sours better in bottles.

 

As @drtth posted, freshness is key.

Now the ‘trick’ is finding bars that are very conscientious about serving fresh kegs and properly maintaining the beer lines. I am fortunate that I have a number of places like that near me. Having stated that, I have had more than a couple of draft beers that were not at the peak of freshness. I have ‘learned’ to request a taste (a very small pour) of certain beers prior to ordering a pint just to make sure it is fresh.

Cheers!