Why are they called "sparklers"?

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

Maybe it makes clear ale "sparkle"?

 

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

 

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.

 

Sparklers are not required. The use of sparklers is popular in the North of England, but not the South. It depends on the beer, and if the customer accepts a little head or not.

http://caskaleathome.blogspot.com/p/word-on-sparklers.html

 

Similar info on the wiki:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beer_engine

I don't believe I've ever seen then not used before.


Including a picture in case anyone doesn't know what's being referred to here.

 

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.

 

Looks like a BEERSHOWER to me!

 

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

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.

 

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.

 

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

*See Hanglow's post above.

 

Sparkler sounds way better than shower head