cocktails on tap merge the realms of draft beer and cocktails—with the latter compiled in bulk and served at the pull of a handle or the push of a button. Also called kegged or draft cocktails, such mixtures enable bartenders to prepare large quantities of (sometimes complicated) cocktails, store them chilled in pressurized metal kegs, and serve them with great speed and in large numbers without loss of consistency. And as with beer or wine on tap, the preparation gives bartenders a way to let customers sample a cocktail before committing to a full serving. Spirit-forward drinks, such as Manhattans and Negronis, are best suited to the approach, eliminating the shelf-life and storage concerns that come with using citrus juice or other perishable ingredients, and highball-style drinks that benefit from carbonation also lend themselves to the tap approach (one of the most common cocktails served on tap is the Moscow Mule). Tap cocktails also present their own unique sets of challenges: unbalanced ratios, inaccurate levels of dilution, and a lack of cleanliness in the storage and serving system all pose peril to the practice. Tap cocktails began to spread into bars around 2010, led by bartenders such as Tad Carducci and Paul Tanguay via their Tippling Bros consultancy, with venues such as Marriott Hotels and larger restaurants and clubs utilizing the system. In addition, Road Soda—a New York–based company that serves drinks at large events such as parties, concerts, and festivals—utilizes a tap system to dispense cocktails en masse.
See also batching; Moscow Mule.
Smith, Erin Geiger. “Mixed Drinks on Tap.” Wall Street Journal, September 10, 2014. http://www.wsj.com/articles/mixed-drinks-on-tap-faster-manhattans-negronis-and-more-1410391659 (accessed February 25, 2021).
Van Buren, Alex. “Everything You Need to Know about Draft Cocktails.” Travel and Leisure, February 2, 2016. http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/draft-cocktails (accessed February 25, 2021).
By: Paul Clarke