Next time you’re enjoying a Pilsner Urquell at your nearest Tankovna bar or pub, lift a glass to the humble beer tap. This simple invention permanently changed the way we serve and drink beer.

In the old days beer was served directly from the cask. But in 1785, Joseph Bramah patented ‘the beer engine,’ a hand pump that carried beer from the keg to the glass. All early versions of taps used a pump to draw out the liquid, and it wasn’t until the early 20th century that beer started to be served from pressurised containers.

Pressurised kegs simplified pouring because the beer flows out of the open tap. No more pumping! Taps haven’t changed much since then, but there are several different types.

Maybe you’ve seen an interesting horizontal tap at your local Pilsner Urquell Tankovna bar. This side-pour tap is traditional in the best Czech pubs, where golden lager is the most popular beer. The side-pour tap is ideal for pouring lager because it ensures a thick head!

The side-pour tap brings out the creaminess and floral Saaz hop aromas of Pilsner Urquell’s dense, wet foam. Tapsters pour the wet foam first, then fill the glass with beer from the bottom. So when you see our special tap, order the original golden lager!