Beer tap

[2][3] Originally the word referred to a solid wood stopper used to plug the hole in a barrel, so as to contain the contents.

Some view this system as disadvantageous as it produces a frothy head which must be left to subside before more beer can be added to the glass.

[citation needed] Some people, such as Germans and the Dutch prefer a rather large amount of head on their beers.

[citation needed] Sometimes, beer kegs designed to be connected to the above system are instead used on their own, perhaps at a party or outdoor event.

The taps used are the same, and in beer-line setups the first pint is often poured from the cask as for "gravity", for tasting, before the line is connected.

Cask beer taps can be brass (now discouraged for fear of lead contamination), stainless steel, plastic, and wood.

Some pubs still dispense cask beer using this method (although the water engine will invariably have been replaced by an electric compressor) but is increasingly rare due to the perception that hand-pumps are the correct means by which to serve real ale, and to the potential for confusion with keg ale, which is regarded as inferior by many beer drinkers.