With increased knowledge among drinkers across the country, bars have expanded not only their beer lists but the delivery method of said beers.

Often a bar has a wide array of traditional CO2 taps. If you’re lucky, you will see an elaborate tap handle atop a stained wooden box and a long narrow spout. This is a hand pump; a device which is the key to any ale-nerd’s heart. What emerges from this magical box is a true “cask conditioned” ale.

Beers “on cask” are unfiltered, typically unpasteurized, unrefrigerated, and are naturally carbonated. The beer will take on drastically different characteristics than your standard CO2 draught. They may seem a little flat and warm to many, but this has been the delivery system of choice in English Pubs for hundreds of years.

More common than hand pumps, many bars have added “nitro” taps to their lines. These beers, similar to cask ales, have distinct differences to CO2 drafts. They are infused with nitrogen rather than CO2 to create a creamy texture and are served just as cold as your normal draught. If you have ever ordered a Guinness Draught, you’ve had a nitro beer.

Recently, I was lucky enough to stumble upon a stout served both on cask and on nitro. Iron Hill Brewery in Voorhees, New Jersey chose to serve their Oompa Loompa Chocolate Stout, brewed with Belgian bittersweet chocolate, aged on vanilla and cocoa nibs, both ways.

First up was the cask, a true picture of nectar. There was little to no head, and the aroma was definitely chocolate but roasty with hints of coffee. The texture was smooth and light for a stout. As far as flavor is concerned, the warmer serving temperatures left nothing to hide. Bitter chocolate and roasted malts stood out prominently, which was fine by me.

Next was the nitro. Instantly the difference was clear. A sturdy cream colored head sat perfectly atop the contrastingly dark beer. The flavors were the same but significantly muted. The beer was less bitter, and the aroma did not carry nearly as much roasted character as the cask conditioned version. Paired with the creamier texture, the beer evoked the best chocolate milkshake you could imagine.

Honestly, I could not tell you one was better than the other. I prefer the classic cask conditioned ale for the stronger depth of flavor, but that is not to say the nitro left me wanting. I am amazed at the amount of variation possible simply by changing the method of delivery. My recommendation is that you go out and try all styles. Whichever you chose, take care of your shoes.