A fine first draught

Sales of Lion's Tap King home draught beer dispenser got off to a roaring start. But in the long run will beer drinkers continue paying a premium for draught versions of existing packaged products?

At Dan Murphy's, for example, James Squire Golden Ale costs $7.97 a litre in Tap King 3.2 litre kegs - an 8 per cent premium over the $7.37-a-litre price of 345ml bottles.

The unit works well. In a recent test, a friend assembled the unit and poured the first beer within 90 seconds. We then compared draught and stubby versions, noting a better head and slightly fresher taste of the keg beer. Otherwise, the flavours were identical.

A former Vintage Cellars colleague believes Lion risks disaffection when users realise they're paying more for the same beer. Lion missed the opportunity to hang their hat on a better product, he says.

James Squire the Chancer Golden Ale, 345ml, 6-pack, $19

We recently compared Squire Gold Ale from stubby and the new 3.2 litre Tap King keg version. They're identical beers, but the keg version held a better and head and tasted slightly fresher. Amarillo hops adds apricot-like notes to the aroma and flavour of a lively beer designed for easy drinking.

Cascade Pale Ale, 375ml, 6-pack, $16

Cascade Pale really stands out among Australia's non-premium brews. First, it's an ale, not a lager. More importantly, the rich, smooth malt and lovely balance of delicate, herbal hops flavour and lingering, clean bitterness give real drinking satisfaction. To my taste, this rates well above many so-called premium beers.

Chris Shanahan