The was is the reusable container which makes it possible to transport the Bière in great quantity since the brewery until the bar, where it will be " percé" i.e. connected on a " pompe" , makes of it a simple valve connected to gas, in order to serve beer under good conditions. The vocabulary to put a barrel in borer is inherited the history or one bored truly a wine barrel to taste it. The pump with beer kept the name of an old apparatus which made it possible to extract beer, before the use of a gas under pressure. This technique spread the use in the bars of the expression " half pression".
The gas used is CO₂, completely inert, and thus does not present any danger of explosion. Only the abrupt risk of decompression of gas contained in the bottle is to be taken into account during the handling of such devices.
The barrels used in general present a capacity of 30 or 50 Liter S, the small ones being rather used for special beers. Indeed, shelf life of beer in the barrel, once this one " percé" , is limited and an exaggerated capacity would result in wasting the beer which could not have been consumed in time.

There exist from now on mini-barrels of 5 liters approximately of single use which make it possible to enjoy a draft beer between friends in residence.

See too

• Barrel (container)