The Guinness widget/ball is a lot more important than you think
You know the rattling noise that your Guinness can makes? That.
You know the unusual, slightly unsettling rattling noise that your Guinness can makes? Yes, that’s the Guinness widget, a little plastic ball that’s a lot more useful and advanced than you think.
Some believe Guinness put it there to make the beer more fizzy but in reality, it nitrogenates the beer and gives it a more creamy texture. Unlike lager, which is heavily carbonated in its own right, Guinness combines nitrogen gas and carbon dioxide to form a 'perfectly balanced' stout. That’s what the widget is for: to help smaller nitrogen bubbles go to the bottom while the carbon dioxide bubbles go to the top to form the head, which is what would normally happen in a pint.
It was invented in 1991 and can still be found in every Guinness can today. The company explains: "What's the secret to making a beer that's rich and creamy with a smooth, velvety texture? The answer is nitrogenisation; Guinness' skilful pairing of nitrogen gas and carbon dioxide to create a perfectly balanced stout. In fact the result is so good we even use this on our latest beers like Nitro IPA.“
The nitrogen-filled capsule surges with bubbles when the ring pull is opened - replicating the draught experience in a can.
It sounds simple but the widget was actually awarded the Queen's Award for Technological Achievement back in the '90s, and it was actually by Britons as the best invention of the previous 40 years. Even more important than the internet. That’s relatable.
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