A beer engine is a device for pumping beer, originally manually operated and typically used to dispense beer from a cask or container in a pub's basement or cellar. For information on Wikipedia project-related discussions see WikipediaVillage pump. Beer is the world's oldest and most widely consumed Alcoholic beverage and the third most popular drink overall after water and tea A barrel or cask is a hollow cylindrical container traditionally made of Wood Staves and bound with Iron Hoops The It was invented by the locksmith and hydraulic engineer Joseph Bramah. Locksmithing began as the science and art of making and defeating locks For the mechanical technology see Hydraulic machinery and Hydraulic cylinder Hydraulics is a topic of science and Engineering Joseph Bramah ( 13 April 1748 – 9 December 1814) born Stainborough Lane Farm Wentworth, Yorkshire, England Strictly the term refers to the pump itself, which is normally manually operated, though electrically powered and gas powered [1] pumps are occasionally used; when manually powered, the term handpump is often used to refer to both the pump and the associated handle.
The visible handle activates a pump below the bar called a beer engine that pulls beer through a flexible tube to the spout, below which the glass is placed. Modern hand pumps may clamp onto the edge of the bar or be mounted in a more permanent fashion integrated with the top of the bar.
A pump clip is usually attached to the handle by a spring clip giving the name, and sometimes other details such as the brewer's name, beer type and alcoholic strength, of the beer being served through that handpump.
The handle of a handpump is often used as a symbol of cask ale, although this can also be served by electric pumps, air pressure pumps, or by gravity. Cask ale or cask-conditioned beer is the term for unfiltered and unpasteurised Beer which is conditioned (including Secondary fermentation By contrast, keg beer dispensers usually feature illuminated countertop fittings behind which a handle opens a valve that allows the gas pressure in the keg to force beer to the attached spout. Draught beer (also known as draft beer or tap beer) has several related though slightly different understandings
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Swan neck
A swan neck[2] is a curved spout. This is often used in conjunction with a sparkler[3] - a nozzle containing small holes - fitted to the spout to aerate the beer as it enters the glass, giving a frothier head; this presentation style is more popular in the North of England than in the South. The Foam on top of Beer is called a head. It is caused by bubbles of Carbon dioxide rising to the surface
Some beer drinkers, especially in the South of England, abhor swan necks: "the only swan neck I want in a pub is on a tenor saxophone" is one example of expressions deploring them. The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the Saxophone family a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s
Sparkler
A sparkler is a device that can be optionally attached to the nozzle of a beer engine[4]. Designed rather like a shower-head, when beer is dispensed through a sparkler, the beer becomes aerated and frothy which results in a beer that has a noticeable head on it. The Foam on top of Beer is called a head. It is caused by bubbles of Carbon dioxide rising to the surface Some CO2 is carried away into the head, resulting in a softer, sweeter flavour due to the loss of normal CO2 acidity [5]. Carbon dioxide ( Chemical formula:) is a Chemical compound composed of two Oxygen Atoms covalently bonded to a single
There is some dispute about the benefits of a sparkler. There is an argument that the sparkler can reduce the flavour and aroma, especially of the hops, in some beers [6]. Hops are the female Flower cones of the hop plant ( Humulus lupulus) The counter argument is that the sparkler takes away harshness [7].
Brewery preference
Breweries may state whether or not a sparkler is preferred when serving their beers. Generally, breweries in Northern England serve their beers with a sparkler attached and breweries in the South will serve them without, but this is by no means definitive. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland The Good Beer Guide indicates where a brewery has stated a preference that their beers should be served without sparklers[8]. The Good Beer Guide is a book published annually by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA listing Pubs in the United Kingdom that serve Cask ales
Pump clips
Pump clips are badges that are attached to handpumps in pubs to show which cask ales are available. George Gale & Co Ltd was an old brewery situated in Horndean, on the edge of Waterlooville, near Portsmouth in Hampshire, England Cask ale or cask-conditioned beer is the term for unfiltered and unpasteurised Beer which is conditioned (including Secondary fermentation In addition to the name of the beer served through the pump, they give other details such as the brewer's name and alcoholic strength of the beer.
They can be made of various materials. For beers that are brewed regularly by the big breweries, high quality plastic, metal or ceramic pump clips are used. A brewery is a dedicated building for the making of Beer, though beer can be made in the home and has been for much of beer's history Plastic is the general common term for a wide range of synthetic or semisynthetic organic solid materials suitable for the manufacture of industrial products The M acro E xpansion T emplate A ttribute L anguage complements TAL, providing macros which allow the reuse of code across The word ceramic is derived from the Greek word κεραμικός ( keramikos) Smaller breweries would use a printed plastic pump clip and for one-off beers laminated paper is used. A laminate is a material constructed by uniting two or more layers of material together There are exceptions on the material used, it all depends on how much the brewery wants to spend to advertise their beers at the point of sale. Pump clips have also been made of wood, slate, even stickers attached to compact discs. Wood is hard fibrous lignified structural tissue produced as secondary Xylem in the stems of Woody plants notably trees but also shrubs Slate is a fine-grained foliated homogeneous, Metamorphic rock derived from an original Shale -type Sedimentary rock composed of Clay A Compact Disc (also known as a CD) is an Optical disc used to store digital data, originally developed for storing digital audio Older pump clips were made of enamel. In a discussion of Material science, enamel (or vitreous enamel or porcelain enamel in U
The term "pump clip" presumably originates from the clip that attaches it to the pump handle. These could consist of a two-piece plastic ring which clamps to the handle with two screws. A screw is a shaft with a helical groove or thread formed on its surface and provision at one end to turn the screw Plastic and laminated paper pump clips usually have a white plastic clip fixed with a sticky double-sided pad that simply pushes onto the handle.
References
- ^ In the Pub - CAMRA
- ^ Wring the Swan's Neck
- ^ 20 What is the swan-necks and sparklers argument about?
- ^ Dictionary of Beer, Ed: A. Webb, ISBN 1-85249-158-2
- ^ Roosters brewery - Frequently asked questions
- ^ Cask conditioning - a DIY guide
- ^ Toon Ale Newcastle Beer: Beer Styles
- ^ Good Beer Guide, 2006, Ed: Roger Protz, ISBN 1-85249-211-2
External links
The Good Beer Guide is a book published annually by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA listing Pubs in the United Kingdom that serve Cask alesDapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic