Does wetting a beer glass change the foam characteristics?Oils from your face will make the foam from beer subside faster?Does beer kill brain cells?Is a “beer belly” caused by drinking beer?Was beer the most popular drink for breakfast before coffee became popular?Does canned beer taste better than bottled beer?Is beer safe after a nuclear eventDoes the hops in beer cause sleepiness?Do transparent beer bottles allow UV rays oxidise the beer faster?Does non alcoholic beer have roughly the same alcohol as orange juice or a ripe banana contain at .5% alcohol?
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Does wetting a beer glass change the foam characteristics?
Oils from your face will make the foam from beer subside faster?Does beer kill brain cells?Is a “beer belly” caused by drinking beer?Was beer the most popular drink for breakfast before coffee became popular?Does canned beer taste better than bottled beer?Is beer safe after a nuclear eventDoes the hops in beer cause sleepiness?Do transparent beer bottles allow UV rays oxidise the beer faster?Does non alcoholic beer have roughly the same alcohol as orange juice or a ripe banana contain at .5% alcohol?
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Many bars rinse a beer glass immediately before serving. I've consulted with bartenders and Google, and there's some confusion about it. Some sites claim it reduces foaming.
Another perk is that beer pours better onto a wet surface than a dry one as the friction of a dry glass can cause CO2 to come out of solution and create foam. source
Some seem to say it increases foaming.
When you rinse a beer glass, it becomes more slippery, and there’s less friction when beer fills it. This allows a more even, clean pour and a substantial, fragrant head. source
I'm skeptical of both claims. If water on a glass affects foaming, one might reasonably expect that the first drops of beer on the glass would have the same effect.
This smells like an urban legend to me. Is there any science that a wet beer glass has any effect on foaming?
physics beer
add a comment
|
Many bars rinse a beer glass immediately before serving. I've consulted with bartenders and Google, and there's some confusion about it. Some sites claim it reduces foaming.
Another perk is that beer pours better onto a wet surface than a dry one as the friction of a dry glass can cause CO2 to come out of solution and create foam. source
Some seem to say it increases foaming.
When you rinse a beer glass, it becomes more slippery, and there’s less friction when beer fills it. This allows a more even, clean pour and a substantial, fragrant head. source
I'm skeptical of both claims. If water on a glass affects foaming, one might reasonably expect that the first drops of beer on the glass would have the same effect.
This smells like an urban legend to me. Is there any science that a wet beer glass has any effect on foaming?
physics beer
Where does the second source say that there is more foam?
– FooBar
9 hours ago
It claims that with a wet glass you get "a substantial, fragrant head", which implies that without a wet glass, you don't--or to a lesser extent. If it's not clear, head means foam.
– Flimzy
8 hours ago
3
I think you misinterpreted the second quote. It argues that wet glass = less friction = finer bubbles, which would create a head with a firmer consistency and make it more "substantial". It doesn't claim anything about the amount of foam, only it's consistency. The first source claims that dry glass = more friction = more foam, which in turn would give the foam a fragile consistency due to bigger air pockets (bubbles).
– Elmy
8 hours ago
I rinse my glasses for everything, because dust and filth are gross.
– fredsbend
7 hours ago
add a comment
|
Many bars rinse a beer glass immediately before serving. I've consulted with bartenders and Google, and there's some confusion about it. Some sites claim it reduces foaming.
Another perk is that beer pours better onto a wet surface than a dry one as the friction of a dry glass can cause CO2 to come out of solution and create foam. source
Some seem to say it increases foaming.
When you rinse a beer glass, it becomes more slippery, and there’s less friction when beer fills it. This allows a more even, clean pour and a substantial, fragrant head. source
I'm skeptical of both claims. If water on a glass affects foaming, one might reasonably expect that the first drops of beer on the glass would have the same effect.
This smells like an urban legend to me. Is there any science that a wet beer glass has any effect on foaming?
physics beer
Many bars rinse a beer glass immediately before serving. I've consulted with bartenders and Google, and there's some confusion about it. Some sites claim it reduces foaming.
Another perk is that beer pours better onto a wet surface than a dry one as the friction of a dry glass can cause CO2 to come out of solution and create foam. source
Some seem to say it increases foaming.
When you rinse a beer glass, it becomes more slippery, and there’s less friction when beer fills it. This allows a more even, clean pour and a substantial, fragrant head. source
I'm skeptical of both claims. If water on a glass affects foaming, one might reasonably expect that the first drops of beer on the glass would have the same effect.
This smells like an urban legend to me. Is there any science that a wet beer glass has any effect on foaming?
physics beer
physics beer
edited 9 hours ago
Flimzy
asked 9 hours ago
FlimzyFlimzy
9,83711 gold badges53 silver badges122 bronze badges
9,83711 gold badges53 silver badges122 bronze badges
Where does the second source say that there is more foam?
– FooBar
9 hours ago
It claims that with a wet glass you get "a substantial, fragrant head", which implies that without a wet glass, you don't--or to a lesser extent. If it's not clear, head means foam.
– Flimzy
8 hours ago
3
I think you misinterpreted the second quote. It argues that wet glass = less friction = finer bubbles, which would create a head with a firmer consistency and make it more "substantial". It doesn't claim anything about the amount of foam, only it's consistency. The first source claims that dry glass = more friction = more foam, which in turn would give the foam a fragile consistency due to bigger air pockets (bubbles).
– Elmy
8 hours ago
I rinse my glasses for everything, because dust and filth are gross.
– fredsbend
7 hours ago
add a comment
|
Where does the second source say that there is more foam?
– FooBar
9 hours ago
It claims that with a wet glass you get "a substantial, fragrant head", which implies that without a wet glass, you don't--or to a lesser extent. If it's not clear, head means foam.
– Flimzy
8 hours ago
3
I think you misinterpreted the second quote. It argues that wet glass = less friction = finer bubbles, which would create a head with a firmer consistency and make it more "substantial". It doesn't claim anything about the amount of foam, only it's consistency. The first source claims that dry glass = more friction = more foam, which in turn would give the foam a fragile consistency due to bigger air pockets (bubbles).
– Elmy
8 hours ago
I rinse my glasses for everything, because dust and filth are gross.
– fredsbend
7 hours ago
Where does the second source say that there is more foam?
– FooBar
9 hours ago
Where does the second source say that there is more foam?
– FooBar
9 hours ago
It claims that with a wet glass you get "a substantial, fragrant head", which implies that without a wet glass, you don't--or to a lesser extent. If it's not clear, head means foam.
– Flimzy
8 hours ago
It claims that with a wet glass you get "a substantial, fragrant head", which implies that without a wet glass, you don't--or to a lesser extent. If it's not clear, head means foam.
– Flimzy
8 hours ago
3
3
I think you misinterpreted the second quote. It argues that wet glass = less friction = finer bubbles, which would create a head with a firmer consistency and make it more "substantial". It doesn't claim anything about the amount of foam, only it's consistency. The first source claims that dry glass = more friction = more foam, which in turn would give the foam a fragile consistency due to bigger air pockets (bubbles).
– Elmy
8 hours ago
I think you misinterpreted the second quote. It argues that wet glass = less friction = finer bubbles, which would create a head with a firmer consistency and make it more "substantial". It doesn't claim anything about the amount of foam, only it's consistency. The first source claims that dry glass = more friction = more foam, which in turn would give the foam a fragile consistency due to bigger air pockets (bubbles).
– Elmy
8 hours ago
I rinse my glasses for everything, because dust and filth are gross.
– fredsbend
7 hours ago
I rinse my glasses for everything, because dust and filth are gross.
– fredsbend
7 hours ago
add a comment
|
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
In 1953, a paper looking at some of the factors involved in beer foam answered this question almost as an incidental aside.
- Jackson, S. (1953). FACTORS AFFECTING BEER FOAM I. CARBON DIOXIDE EVOLUTION. Journal of the Institute of Brewing, 59(4), 317–322. doi:10.1002/j.2050-0416.1953.tb02723.x
The main experiments described monitoring the CO2 emissions of beers and carbonated water over time, and the effect of bubbling CO2 through the liquid.
However, in the discussion section, the author slips in a description of another experiment.
Practical considerations in the serving of
beer—effect of drying the glass.—The presence
of bubble nuclei in glass of beer depends,
as has been described, on the glass being
imperfectly wetted. The wettability can be
reduced by coating the glass surface with
hydrophobic substances, such as silica or
paraffin wax, but this is obviously not
practical possibility in serving beer. An
important practical consideration is, however, that the glass should be dried, because
it is then less completely wetted than glass
still damp from rinsing, and the evolution of
carbon dioxide after pouring is correspondingly more brisk. In an experiment carried
out to demonstrate this, two half-pint glasses,
one wet, the other dry, were filled from the
same bottle of pale ale. The concentration of
carbon dioxide in both glasses immediately
after pouring was 0.30%. After 30 min.
there was no detectable loss of carbon dioxide
from the wet glass, but the concentration in
the dried glass had fallen to 0.24%. This
was sufficient to maintain slight head,
whereas there was no head on the beer in the
wet glass.
Summary
[...]
3. The rate at which carbon dioxide is
lost depends on the extent of bubble
formation; this depends on imperfect wetting
of the glass surface and it is therefore
important that glasses in which beer is to be
served should be dried.
Whether you agree with the tastes of the author in how much head is desirable on a beer, their experiment confirms that wetting a beer glass does change the foam characteristics.
Interestingly, it seems that neither the dry glass or wet glass have an effect on the CO2 immediately after pouring, but the wet glass does not lose as much CO2 over time, which counterintuitively means it loses its head over that time span, whereas the dry glass maintains it. Unfortunately, they don't seem to describe what the head is like immediately after pouring, at least in the quote you provided.
– called2voyage
3 hours ago
2
But anyone who left the beer in the glass for 30 minutes wasn't interested in the head, anyway.
– Ring
2 hours ago
This is interesting, thanks for posting! However, I don't know if I can fully trust this source - will have to test it myself. ...and of course, being a good scientist it may require multiple trials and various beer types for controls.
– BruceWayne
33 mins ago
add a comment
|
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
In 1953, a paper looking at some of the factors involved in beer foam answered this question almost as an incidental aside.
- Jackson, S. (1953). FACTORS AFFECTING BEER FOAM I. CARBON DIOXIDE EVOLUTION. Journal of the Institute of Brewing, 59(4), 317–322. doi:10.1002/j.2050-0416.1953.tb02723.x
The main experiments described monitoring the CO2 emissions of beers and carbonated water over time, and the effect of bubbling CO2 through the liquid.
However, in the discussion section, the author slips in a description of another experiment.
Practical considerations in the serving of
beer—effect of drying the glass.—The presence
of bubble nuclei in glass of beer depends,
as has been described, on the glass being
imperfectly wetted. The wettability can be
reduced by coating the glass surface with
hydrophobic substances, such as silica or
paraffin wax, but this is obviously not
practical possibility in serving beer. An
important practical consideration is, however, that the glass should be dried, because
it is then less completely wetted than glass
still damp from rinsing, and the evolution of
carbon dioxide after pouring is correspondingly more brisk. In an experiment carried
out to demonstrate this, two half-pint glasses,
one wet, the other dry, were filled from the
same bottle of pale ale. The concentration of
carbon dioxide in both glasses immediately
after pouring was 0.30%. After 30 min.
there was no detectable loss of carbon dioxide
from the wet glass, but the concentration in
the dried glass had fallen to 0.24%. This
was sufficient to maintain slight head,
whereas there was no head on the beer in the
wet glass.
Summary
[...]
3. The rate at which carbon dioxide is
lost depends on the extent of bubble
formation; this depends on imperfect wetting
of the glass surface and it is therefore
important that glasses in which beer is to be
served should be dried.
Whether you agree with the tastes of the author in how much head is desirable on a beer, their experiment confirms that wetting a beer glass does change the foam characteristics.
Interestingly, it seems that neither the dry glass or wet glass have an effect on the CO2 immediately after pouring, but the wet glass does not lose as much CO2 over time, which counterintuitively means it loses its head over that time span, whereas the dry glass maintains it. Unfortunately, they don't seem to describe what the head is like immediately after pouring, at least in the quote you provided.
– called2voyage
3 hours ago
2
But anyone who left the beer in the glass for 30 minutes wasn't interested in the head, anyway.
– Ring
2 hours ago
This is interesting, thanks for posting! However, I don't know if I can fully trust this source - will have to test it myself. ...and of course, being a good scientist it may require multiple trials and various beer types for controls.
– BruceWayne
33 mins ago
add a comment
|
In 1953, a paper looking at some of the factors involved in beer foam answered this question almost as an incidental aside.
- Jackson, S. (1953). FACTORS AFFECTING BEER FOAM I. CARBON DIOXIDE EVOLUTION. Journal of the Institute of Brewing, 59(4), 317–322. doi:10.1002/j.2050-0416.1953.tb02723.x
The main experiments described monitoring the CO2 emissions of beers and carbonated water over time, and the effect of bubbling CO2 through the liquid.
However, in the discussion section, the author slips in a description of another experiment.
Practical considerations in the serving of
beer—effect of drying the glass.—The presence
of bubble nuclei in glass of beer depends,
as has been described, on the glass being
imperfectly wetted. The wettability can be
reduced by coating the glass surface with
hydrophobic substances, such as silica or
paraffin wax, but this is obviously not
practical possibility in serving beer. An
important practical consideration is, however, that the glass should be dried, because
it is then less completely wetted than glass
still damp from rinsing, and the evolution of
carbon dioxide after pouring is correspondingly more brisk. In an experiment carried
out to demonstrate this, two half-pint glasses,
one wet, the other dry, were filled from the
same bottle of pale ale. The concentration of
carbon dioxide in both glasses immediately
after pouring was 0.30%. After 30 min.
there was no detectable loss of carbon dioxide
from the wet glass, but the concentration in
the dried glass had fallen to 0.24%. This
was sufficient to maintain slight head,
whereas there was no head on the beer in the
wet glass.
Summary
[...]
3. The rate at which carbon dioxide is
lost depends on the extent of bubble
formation; this depends on imperfect wetting
of the glass surface and it is therefore
important that glasses in which beer is to be
served should be dried.
Whether you agree with the tastes of the author in how much head is desirable on a beer, their experiment confirms that wetting a beer glass does change the foam characteristics.
Interestingly, it seems that neither the dry glass or wet glass have an effect on the CO2 immediately after pouring, but the wet glass does not lose as much CO2 over time, which counterintuitively means it loses its head over that time span, whereas the dry glass maintains it. Unfortunately, they don't seem to describe what the head is like immediately after pouring, at least in the quote you provided.
– called2voyage
3 hours ago
2
But anyone who left the beer in the glass for 30 minutes wasn't interested in the head, anyway.
– Ring
2 hours ago
This is interesting, thanks for posting! However, I don't know if I can fully trust this source - will have to test it myself. ...and of course, being a good scientist it may require multiple trials and various beer types for controls.
– BruceWayne
33 mins ago
add a comment
|
In 1953, a paper looking at some of the factors involved in beer foam answered this question almost as an incidental aside.
- Jackson, S. (1953). FACTORS AFFECTING BEER FOAM I. CARBON DIOXIDE EVOLUTION. Journal of the Institute of Brewing, 59(4), 317–322. doi:10.1002/j.2050-0416.1953.tb02723.x
The main experiments described monitoring the CO2 emissions of beers and carbonated water over time, and the effect of bubbling CO2 through the liquid.
However, in the discussion section, the author slips in a description of another experiment.
Practical considerations in the serving of
beer—effect of drying the glass.—The presence
of bubble nuclei in glass of beer depends,
as has been described, on the glass being
imperfectly wetted. The wettability can be
reduced by coating the glass surface with
hydrophobic substances, such as silica or
paraffin wax, but this is obviously not
practical possibility in serving beer. An
important practical consideration is, however, that the glass should be dried, because
it is then less completely wetted than glass
still damp from rinsing, and the evolution of
carbon dioxide after pouring is correspondingly more brisk. In an experiment carried
out to demonstrate this, two half-pint glasses,
one wet, the other dry, were filled from the
same bottle of pale ale. The concentration of
carbon dioxide in both glasses immediately
after pouring was 0.30%. After 30 min.
there was no detectable loss of carbon dioxide
from the wet glass, but the concentration in
the dried glass had fallen to 0.24%. This
was sufficient to maintain slight head,
whereas there was no head on the beer in the
wet glass.
Summary
[...]
3. The rate at which carbon dioxide is
lost depends on the extent of bubble
formation; this depends on imperfect wetting
of the glass surface and it is therefore
important that glasses in which beer is to be
served should be dried.
Whether you agree with the tastes of the author in how much head is desirable on a beer, their experiment confirms that wetting a beer glass does change the foam characteristics.
In 1953, a paper looking at some of the factors involved in beer foam answered this question almost as an incidental aside.
- Jackson, S. (1953). FACTORS AFFECTING BEER FOAM I. CARBON DIOXIDE EVOLUTION. Journal of the Institute of Brewing, 59(4), 317–322. doi:10.1002/j.2050-0416.1953.tb02723.x
The main experiments described monitoring the CO2 emissions of beers and carbonated water over time, and the effect of bubbling CO2 through the liquid.
However, in the discussion section, the author slips in a description of another experiment.
Practical considerations in the serving of
beer—effect of drying the glass.—The presence
of bubble nuclei in glass of beer depends,
as has been described, on the glass being
imperfectly wetted. The wettability can be
reduced by coating the glass surface with
hydrophobic substances, such as silica or
paraffin wax, but this is obviously not
practical possibility in serving beer. An
important practical consideration is, however, that the glass should be dried, because
it is then less completely wetted than glass
still damp from rinsing, and the evolution of
carbon dioxide after pouring is correspondingly more brisk. In an experiment carried
out to demonstrate this, two half-pint glasses,
one wet, the other dry, were filled from the
same bottle of pale ale. The concentration of
carbon dioxide in both glasses immediately
after pouring was 0.30%. After 30 min.
there was no detectable loss of carbon dioxide
from the wet glass, but the concentration in
the dried glass had fallen to 0.24%. This
was sufficient to maintain slight head,
whereas there was no head on the beer in the
wet glass.
Summary
[...]
3. The rate at which carbon dioxide is
lost depends on the extent of bubble
formation; this depends on imperfect wetting
of the glass surface and it is therefore
important that glasses in which beer is to be
served should be dried.
Whether you agree with the tastes of the author in how much head is desirable on a beer, their experiment confirms that wetting a beer glass does change the foam characteristics.
answered 7 hours ago
Oddthinking♦Oddthinking
105k34 gold badges437 silver badges543 bronze badges
105k34 gold badges437 silver badges543 bronze badges
Interestingly, it seems that neither the dry glass or wet glass have an effect on the CO2 immediately after pouring, but the wet glass does not lose as much CO2 over time, which counterintuitively means it loses its head over that time span, whereas the dry glass maintains it. Unfortunately, they don't seem to describe what the head is like immediately after pouring, at least in the quote you provided.
– called2voyage
3 hours ago
2
But anyone who left the beer in the glass for 30 minutes wasn't interested in the head, anyway.
– Ring
2 hours ago
This is interesting, thanks for posting! However, I don't know if I can fully trust this source - will have to test it myself. ...and of course, being a good scientist it may require multiple trials and various beer types for controls.
– BruceWayne
33 mins ago
add a comment
|
Interestingly, it seems that neither the dry glass or wet glass have an effect on the CO2 immediately after pouring, but the wet glass does not lose as much CO2 over time, which counterintuitively means it loses its head over that time span, whereas the dry glass maintains it. Unfortunately, they don't seem to describe what the head is like immediately after pouring, at least in the quote you provided.
– called2voyage
3 hours ago
2
But anyone who left the beer in the glass for 30 minutes wasn't interested in the head, anyway.
– Ring
2 hours ago
This is interesting, thanks for posting! However, I don't know if I can fully trust this source - will have to test it myself. ...and of course, being a good scientist it may require multiple trials and various beer types for controls.
– BruceWayne
33 mins ago
Interestingly, it seems that neither the dry glass or wet glass have an effect on the CO2 immediately after pouring, but the wet glass does not lose as much CO2 over time, which counterintuitively means it loses its head over that time span, whereas the dry glass maintains it. Unfortunately, they don't seem to describe what the head is like immediately after pouring, at least in the quote you provided.
– called2voyage
3 hours ago
Interestingly, it seems that neither the dry glass or wet glass have an effect on the CO2 immediately after pouring, but the wet glass does not lose as much CO2 over time, which counterintuitively means it loses its head over that time span, whereas the dry glass maintains it. Unfortunately, they don't seem to describe what the head is like immediately after pouring, at least in the quote you provided.
– called2voyage
3 hours ago
2
2
But anyone who left the beer in the glass for 30 minutes wasn't interested in the head, anyway.
– Ring
2 hours ago
But anyone who left the beer in the glass for 30 minutes wasn't interested in the head, anyway.
– Ring
2 hours ago
This is interesting, thanks for posting! However, I don't know if I can fully trust this source - will have to test it myself. ...and of course, being a good scientist it may require multiple trials and various beer types for controls.
– BruceWayne
33 mins ago
This is interesting, thanks for posting! However, I don't know if I can fully trust this source - will have to test it myself. ...and of course, being a good scientist it may require multiple trials and various beer types for controls.
– BruceWayne
33 mins ago
add a comment
|
Where does the second source say that there is more foam?
– FooBar
9 hours ago
It claims that with a wet glass you get "a substantial, fragrant head", which implies that without a wet glass, you don't--or to a lesser extent. If it's not clear, head means foam.
– Flimzy
8 hours ago
3
I think you misinterpreted the second quote. It argues that wet glass = less friction = finer bubbles, which would create a head with a firmer consistency and make it more "substantial". It doesn't claim anything about the amount of foam, only it's consistency. The first source claims that dry glass = more friction = more foam, which in turn would give the foam a fragile consistency due to bigger air pockets (bubbles).
– Elmy
8 hours ago
I rinse my glasses for everything, because dust and filth are gross.
– fredsbend
7 hours ago