What is the plastic thing in bottles of Guinness Beer & what is it for.?

Answer 1

The "floating widget" found in cans of beer is a hollow sphere, 3 cm in diameter. The can is pressurised by adding liquid nitrogen, which vaporises and expands in volume after the can is sealed, forcing gas and beer into the widget's hollow interior through a tiny hole. When the can is opened, the pressure in the can drops, causing the pressurised gas and beer inside the widget to jet out from the hole. This agitation on the surrounding beer releases carbon dioxide that is dissolved in the beer, creating a creamy head inside the can. This imitates the foamy head created when pouring draught beer. The original widget was patented in the UK by Guinness.


Unlike carbon dioxide, nitrogen does not dissolve in water, which allows the beer to be put under high pressure without making it fizzy. The high pressure is required to force the draught beer through fine holes in a plate in the tap, which causes the characteristic "surge" (the widget in cans and bottles achieves the same effect). The perceived smoothness of draught Guinness is due to the low acidity and the creaminess of the head caused by the nitrogen. "Original Extra Stout" tastes quite different; it contains only carbon dioxide, causing a more acidic taste.

Answer 2

This is a TRUE story....my neighbor shook a can of Murphy's that I shared w/him once. I asked what is he doing and he replied that he was mixing the beer....isn't that what the tumbler is for in the can? I told him NO DUMB ***! ITS NOT A CAN OF PAINT!!

Answer 3

It's for when you get lost on the way home. You just shake the can until someone comes and gets you.

Answer 4

It's a refresher tab so that the beer is properly carbonated

Answer 5

It's called a widget, and it's what makes the foam at the top of the can when you open it.