Cans v. Bottles

"In a sense a keg is just a very big bottle" <------ This is why I like kegs.

 

I've been noticing a huge difference recently between bottle and tap for saisons and sours. I think some of it has to do with the amount of dregs you are getting in a pour in a keg vs. bottle. I know some people try their hardest to leave everything at the bottom, but I think the sediment, especially in fruit beers, provides a lot of depth of flavor. This is especially apparent with West Ashley, which specifically states on the bottle to agitate the sediment into solution prior to opening.

 

On the other hand, I prefer IPA's on tap 9 times out of 10.

 

Founders Breakfast Stout. This is the second year in a row that I've noticed this, but even accounting for temperature, glassware, food pairing etc., the bottles always have much less coffee flavor than the kegged version. Does anyone have a theory why?

 

I find the mileage varies based on where you buy it too. Good craft bar, likely to focus on fresh product, clean lines while other places not so much.

 

Clean lines, freshness, serving ability, ambience...i guess everything counts. Some beers come great from the bottle; a good old Franziskaner is even better from the bottle if fresh than it is on tap, in my opinion. But then you have a Paulaner Salvator carefully served on tap, at Paulaner House, and the experience is a whole another dimension. I wouldn´t say big words about this matter.

Also, I differ with some of the comments here about Belgians always better from the bottle. The Affligem dubbel they serve on a near pub near is so smooth and fruity that i couldn´t help but cry when i bought a bottle the other day; Sour in a bad way, if not skunked, and not near as delicious. Not the first time with Affligem. I won´t forget Blanche de Bruxelles on tap in Amsterdam also, which opened my eyes to good beers some years ago. So fresh and tasty i couldn´t stop drinking all night. The scenery might help at ´t Smalle, but while wits are ok in bottle this was just great. Same for La Trappe Isid-Or and other Belgians that i find unbeatable on tap. No pun intended!

 

Might the adage have started with the concept that kegs were presumed to be fresher, as you would run through them at the bar, whereas the bottles on the shelf could be skunked. Bottle dating at this point would shift that mentality the other way.

That said, I enjoy beers on tap at a place I know rotates its taps often enough (or, more correctly, does enough business that the beer is fresh). As others have mentioned, I think this its the key. Each style definitely has its nuances, and I can see how some people prefer a certain style a certain way.

However, when trying to review a beer, I find it often difficult to rate/describe the nose at a restaurant (most places I am at are serving food with beer). Most of the other aspects I can pick out. I do re-review my beers occasionally, and I have in very few cases found a huge difference when the sources are different, and the differences I have found could definitely be accounted for by other factors (different year's batch, age, etc).

 

I was at the brewery last February and had the same experience. I was expecting Sucks to be that much better on tap straight from the source no less, but it was a big disappointment. It's one of my favorite IPA's in the bottle but it was average on tap. I chalked it up to the fact that I had just been to Russsian River drinking Pliny and sours earlier that day and maybe my palate was off. It's the only beer I've had as well that didn't come close to the bottle.

 

I had kern double citra on tap and it was pretty good but, out of the bottle was unreal! It tasted like a way better beer

 

This is recognised by some brewers whose bottled version is strengthened to compensate for the flavour loss. For example London Pride in can/bottle is 4.7% ABV, the cask version is 4.1%
Although this brings up the flavour level it doesn't restore the layers of complexity and nuances found in cask Pride.

 

everyone has a valid point. but as it was stated that some beers just age a bit better in the bottle. most sours are better comming from bottle IMO. stouts are a hit or miss. ipa i believe better on tap. unless you drink them from bottling date. again IMO.

 

Agree that the draft was "off" last year; the two times (different paces) I had it, it tasted oxidized.

 

It depends where you are drinking it. In a good brewery I think that 70% of tap beer is better than the bottled ones. But in a restaurant or in a coffee place etc. it is the bottle that wins.

 

For me, tap is always better. Not sure what it is but if given the choice between tap or bottle, its always tap.

 

Bottles tend to be more consistent. Tap can be good, but it depends on a lot of factors as others have mentioned already.

 

Without talking about dirty beer lines, it's the same.

I bet no one here would be able to taste the difference between the same beer coming from the same batch poured from a keg or can or bottle...

 

If its barrel aged...then 100% bottle

 

There are some beers that are better on-tap than in bottles. One example would be Goose Island Honkers Ale. This is a great beer on-tap, its good out of the bottle too but it just doesn't have the "ummph" that the on-tap offering seems to have.

 

Need to try this on tap then

 

I was wonder which beers people have noticed to have the most significant difference in taste between the bottle, the can, and on draught, for better or worse, in these events, which method of delivery did you preferr.