Heated hop
Question: I was sitting with a group of friends in the pub last night and, as
we contemplated our pints of bitter, we wondered: why does beer go flat when it
gets warm? Not only that, but the effect seems to be more pronounced with lager
than with bitter.
Answer: The answer lies in the behaviour of gases, and their solubility in
water. Most beers are dilute solutions of sugars, gases, organic acids and other
complex compounds, and (hopefully) alcohols.
The gas which gives fizzy drinks their distinctive fizz is carbon dioxide. In
the case of British-style real…
