# How does imported draft beer work? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 4, 2004, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-imported-draft-beer-work/253551 "2004-07-04T22:24:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2004, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-imported-draft-beer-work/253551/1 "2004-07-04T22:24:26Z")
AFAIK, kegs used for draft beer are unpasteurized, unlike bottles or cans. Apparently, most of the quality improvement is due to this. But because they’re unpasteurized, they have to be kept refrigerated and used rather quickly. So how does this work for something imported like Guiness? Is it flown over or something? ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2004, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-imported-draft-beer-work/253551/2 "2004-07-04T22:56:35Z")
Are you sure about draft kegs being unpasturized? I though typical “draft” beer was simply keg beer (same stuff as in the bottle) delivered via dispenser. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2004, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-imported-draft-beer-work/253551/3 "2004-07-04T23:04:02Z")
Imported Guinness **is** pasteurized. ---
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2004, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-imported-draft-beer-work/253551/4 "2004-07-05T01:51:49Z")
Well, you see, they have this _real-ll-ll-ll-ly_ long tube… :smack: ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2004, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-imported-draft-beer-work/253551/5 "2004-07-05T02:32:56Z")
It’s been a while since I was in the industry, but I seem to remember kegged beer being good for up to about six weeks when stored under cool conditions. Under _cold_ conditions, it may well be more. ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2004, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-imported-draft-beer-work/253551/6 "2004-07-05T02:52:17Z")
According to [this](http://www.thebeerstore.ca/ultimate/beer-pouring.html), it’s only three weeks, but I’m sure it cam be longer. I suspect that is the optimum timeframe, as that link is a beer lovers’ site, and not a brewery wholesale trade one… After all, the British used to make their _India Pale Ale_ at home, and send it unrefrigerated to India under _sail_! Admittedly, it was given a higher alcohol content than most beers as alcohol is a preservative. I’m sure it was kegged and not bottled too, because the army officers were instructed to water it down to normal pub beer alcohol levels prior to distribution to the troops (of course the officers were supposed to water their own down too, but sometimes they forgot…). Given refrigeration, and modern ship speeds, a typical kegged brew should have no problem making an Atlantic crossing. I’ve enjoyed draught British beer on tap here in Sydney. ---
**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2004, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-imported-draft-beer-work/253551/7 "2004-07-05T03:16:35Z")
> [@TheLoadedDog](#): > > After all, the British used to make their _India Pale Ale_ at home, and send it unrefrigerated to India under _sail_! Admittedly, it was given a higher alcohol content than most beers as alcohol is a preservative. I’m sure it was kegged and not bottled too, because the army officers were IIRC, it was also loaded with hops, as hops also serve as a perservative. Goose Island IPA tastes like a pine cone. ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2004, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-imported-draft-beer-work/253551/8 "2004-07-05T04:08:23Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Imported Guinness **is** pasteurized. I guess that solves **that** problem. It seems like it would be quite different tasting locally in Ireland though. ---
**Author:** ![kferr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/71e660/32.png) [@kferr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kferr)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2004, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-imported-draft-beer-work/253551/9 "2004-07-05T12:15:21Z")
In the UK we make the distinction between keg beer and cask beer. Keg beer (like Guinness, Tetleys smooth, and most lagers) are pasturized and served via gas pressure. These types of beer travel fairly well. Cask beer, or what we tend to call ‘Real Ale’ comes from the brewery with living yeast still in the cask. After it has settled and is tapped, the yeast continues to work as the beer is drawn off and fresh air goes in. Real ale needs to be consumed within about 72 hours of tapping, and they don’t travel very well. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2004, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-imported-draft-beer-work/253551/10 "2004-07-05T12:33:35Z")
> [@](#): > > ndia Pale **Ale** at home, and send it unrefrigerated to India under sail! A bit of my homebrewing might be of help. Ale and Lagar use 2 different types of yeast. The Ale brews require tempatures of over (IIRC) 63 F for the yeast not to go dormant. So if kept below this temp a ale should stay fresh for quite a while. Lagar yeast (again IIRC) works at much lower temp, almost up to the freezing point. So those little buggers are going to continue working till consumed no matter what temp. I don’t know if this is truly a factor, just putting things together that seem to make sense. ---
**Author:** ![Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laughing_Lagomorph)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2004, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-imported-draft-beer-work/253551/11 "2004-07-05T12:57:52Z")
> [@SmackFu](#): > > I guess that solves **that** problem. It seems like it would be quite different tasting locally in Ireland though. By all accounts the Guiness in Ireland does taste quite different from what you get here for this and other reasons.