Why does the etching on the bottom of a Lager glass keep the bubbles going til the drink is finished/?

Question

Lager doesn't go flat as quickly as other beers, because of the etching on the bottom of the glass. Why?

Answer 1

It's called nucleated glassware. The rough surface of the etching allows the formation of bubbles which then fall away and rise to the surface. It was apparently discovered by a guy watching bubbles similarly form on a slice of lemon in a carbonated drink.

Answer 2

The cooler the temperature of the lager the more gas it will hold. The gas wants to come out of the liquid and any nexus point such as the engraving will help this to happen. In a clean unetched glass the gas will start to form a bubble at a place at the side of the glass. The bubble will move upward and another bubble will start to form at the exact same spot. If this spot is examined under a microscope a blemish or point will be found. If salt or sugar is added to a fizzy liquid the gas will find a lot of nexus points on the edges of the grains and the liquid will foam out. You are a little incorrect to say the engraving stops the lager going flat. The engraving help the gas to come out.

Answer 3

The above answers are true but did you know that major breweries have spent millions of pounds on each etching and that the etching on the glass is designed for that beer for instance bud will not be as lively in a Carling glass! This my friends is fact!

Another thing to look out for is that larger is NOT meant to have a head clinging to the glass all the way down like bitter does. This is a sign of a dirty glass!

And you know when ya get a fresh pint and there are clusters of bubbles on the side of the glass that is grease deposits on the glass which are holding the bubbles there!

Next time you have a pint have a look at how clean your glass is!

Answer 4

Laser Etched Beer Glass

Answer 5

The etching acts as a series of nucleation centres, around which the bubbles form. The etching is created with a CO2 laser scanning through a galvo system. any text or image could be burnt into the glass surface.

Answer 6

Carling Glasses

Answer 7

I think if there's rough surface, at the bottom of a glass, when you pour it from a draft, the beer hits the surface, and creates more bubbles, and foam which contributes to "the head".

Answer 8

Because it traps the gas in the etching and holds on to it longer...thus a fizzy mouthful to the end!!!