To learn more about this new tap system, go to www.facebook.com/draftmark.
I can’t be the only one who has ever gazed fondly upon their SodaStream and thought, “If only it would make beer.” Beer behemoth Anheuser-Busch has heard our desires (or has finally figured out that the at-home, do-it-yourself drink market is very lucrative) and created the Draftmark Tap System.
A mass-produced tap system, Draftmark is an appliance that resembles a little keg, complete with a tap, that you place on the shelf of your fridge, kind of like the Heineken mini-keg. Unlike the Heineken mini-keg, however, you use it again and again with a refill. As of now, you have Bass Pale Ale, Budweiser, Michelob AmberBock, Shock Top Belgian White, Goose Island Honker’s Ale and Goose Island IPA as your refill choices.
I found the set-up to be rather painless. You have to charge a mini-battery that carbonates the beer, so it’s not instantaneous gratification, but inserting and changing the “keg” (which kind of resembles a gallon of soda) is pretty painless. And I found that “tapping” it is much easier than anything I had to undertake at a keg party. So far, it’s produced a crisp, clean pint of beer night after night. Anheuser-Busch promises a fresh glass for 30 days.
The price point is right ($49.99 for the keg system itself and $13.99 and $15.99 for each one-gallon refill), the taste is bar-tap-quality perfect and it doesn’t take up too much room in your fridge. And I have to hand it to Draftmark: They really have thought of everything to make this appealing to lazy people. The battery pack activates a pressurized system, which removes the need for additional CO2 canisters, and each refill comes with its own spout, which eliminates any beer line cleaning.
And yet? I’m still nervous that the time will come when I can’t find the battery charger or I don’t remember to get refills and it will go into the great bin of unused kitchen appliances. And although the Draftmark is easy once you get set up, it’s not as easy as just opening a bottle of beer. And we beer drinkers? Well, we like being lazy sometimes. [realted tag:”Beer”]
