What types of taps are there for dispensing beer?

“It’s not the arrow, it’s the Indian who shoots it.” This popular saying is used to explain that the result often depends less on the tool than on the skill of the person using it. That said, sometimes it really is the arrow. Just ask footballers about the difference between shooting with proper boots or with house slippers. The same goes for beer: the server’s technique matters, but the tool also plays a role—in this case, the tap.

You might say, what difference does it make if all taps are the same? Well, you’d be wrong, my friend—the finishing touch to our beer can take many forms. The most basic are direct-flow taps, with no ability to regulate the beverage flow. Everything depends on the pressure in the keg. There are only two positions: open or closed. A simple model, but one that offers little flexibility or solutions.

The next level up in complexity are the taps that do include a flow compensator. The mechanism is similar to the tap in your kitchen or the hose in your shower, where in both cases you can control how forcefully the water comes out. In short, it gives you greater control, which is very useful when it comes to managing foam, for example.

If we look at geographical variants, U.S. breweries tend to favor wide‑mouth, non‑compensated taps. These two features allow beer to be poured much faster at the expense of control, which is not entirely desirable for some styles.

By contrast, if we move to the British Isles, we find the traditional hand pumps. In many cases, they are lavishly decorated with eye-catching tap handles. This is what English speakers call “branding”: brand designs that set them apart from other companies and catch our attention. These hand pumps were originally created to dispense cask ale, but today they can be used for most formats. Interestingly, they allow the addition of a sparkler that creates foam in low-carbonation beers such as the aforementioned real ales or some high-ABV stouts.

We also find some modifications such as taps with a side-cut handle for greater control, or ball taps, which reduce the nooks where drink residues or microorganisms can settle and are the best taps in terms of service control and hygiene. There are even taps specifically designed for filling growlers.

These are, broadly speaking, the most striking features we can observe in taps suitable for dispensing beer or other beverages such as wine, mead, cider, or kombucha. Now all that’s left is for you to head to your favorite bar and identify which dispensing taps they’re using.