Why are they called "sparklers"?

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by BBThunderbolt, Nov 10, 2014.

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  1. BBThunderbolt

    BBThunderbolt Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,846) Sep 24, 2007 Kiribati
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    I was sitting at a local bar last night, right near their cask engine, and I asked why they didn't have the sparkler (the little cap with the holes that help spread out the beer as it's pumped) on the tap. The bartender didn't know it was supposed to be on, and once she put it on, the pours of cask improved. But it brought up the question, why are these doohickeys called "sparklers"? Any thoughts?
     
  2. joelwlcx

    joelwlcx Initiate (0) Apr 23, 2007 Minnesota

    Why is a water fountain called a bubbler?
    It just is, man.

    Maybe it makes clear ale "sparkle"?
     
  3. gopens44

    gopens44 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,560) Aug 9, 2010 Virginia
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Maybe it's compared to the pyrotechnic sparkler in the essence of it showering beer like a sparkler showers sparks? In any case, I liked your bomber avatar a touch better. I'd like to place a request for future avatar of an AC-130 going full sparkler with flares. Seems relevant to this thread somehow
     
  4. Hendrick24

    Hendrick24 Pooh-Bah (1,949) Sep 6, 2013 Wisconsin
    Pooh-Bah

    Actually that's because the Kohler company has/had a drinking fountain branded as Bubbler, and in the parts of WI an MN the name is used in place of drinking fountain kind of like saying Kleenex instead of tissue.

    Oh and I have no idea why it's called a sparkler haha. Looks like a shower head to me.
     
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  5. hopfenunmaltz

    hopfenunmaltz Pooh-Bah (2,647) Jun 8, 2005 Michigan
    Pooh-Bah

  6. FaradayUncaged

    FaradayUncaged Initiate (0) Oct 24, 2014 Michigan

  7. marquis

    marquis Pooh-Bah (2,313) Nov 20, 2005 England
    Pooh-Bah

    In some of the brewery entries in the Good Beer Guide are symbols for "tight sparkler acceptable" and "tight sparkler not acceptable" These relate to the brewers' opinions of course and many of them simply accept "customer preference" and don't use one of the symbols.

    Some drinkers make a point of having the sparkler removed before being served; some beers such as Pedigree benefit from this. Most drinkers though leave it to the bar staff.
     
    #7 marquis, Nov 10, 2014
    Last edited: Nov 10, 2014
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  8. AlpacaAlpaca

    AlpacaAlpaca Maven (1,384) Apr 2, 2014 New York
    Trader

    Looks like a BEERSHOWER to me!
     
  9. Hanglow

    Hanglow Pooh-Bah (2,051) Feb 18, 2012 Scotland
    Pooh-Bah

    The problem with them is that they knock out c02 from the beer, which isn't helpful for some beers. Others are ok, stouts and porters are fine for me to be served with a sparkler. Although ideally all cask should be served through an Aitken fount :grinning:

    Moor Beer Co make some great beers and are very against sparklers as they tend to have highly conditioned casks

    "We brew and prefer our cask beers to be served directly via gravity. If using a hand pump you should NOT use a sparkler. Sparklers will kill the flavour and you will likely get a glass of foam. "


    And while that pic is good for showing what a sparkler does, if anyone is serving you beer like that, punch them in the face.
     
    #9 Hanglow, Nov 10, 2014
    Last edited: Nov 10, 2014
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  10. BBThunderbolt

    BBThunderbolt Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,846) Sep 24, 2007 Kiribati
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    BTW, the beer that was on tap was from a Seattle brewery that only makes cask, English-style ales. I'll shoot them an email and see what their thoughts are. Learned a lot in this thread, still don't know why it's called a sparkler though.:grinning:
     
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  11. cavedave

    cavedave Grand Pooh-Bah (4,157) Mar 12, 2009 New York
    In Memoriam Pooh-Bah Trader

    It was named as part of a sketch in the 60's comedy TV show, Hee Haw, which used many words containing the "ark" syllable.
     
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  12. steveh

    steveh Grand Pooh-Bah (4,174) Oct 8, 2003 Illinois
    Society Pooh-Bah

    They're not used much at all in the U.K.* -- at least they weren't.

    *See Hanglow's post above.
     
  13. KendallKid

    KendallKid Initiate (0) Jun 9, 2014 New York

    Sparkler sounds way better than shower head
     
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