Beer Me

Irish Scientists Make Guinness Greener

For research purposes only.
For research purposes only. Photo: John Lindie via Flickr

Scientists at Ireland’s University of Limerick are working on creating a greener Guinness, LiveScience reports. And no, we’re not talking about the addition of food coloring to make green beer for St. Patrick’s Day. Students and faculty at the university’s Mathematics Applications Consortium for Science and Industry carefully studied the dark stout and the tiny bubbles that give the brew its distinctive frothy head and creamy mouthfeel. Guinness currently uses what it calls a widget to recreate the draught experience in cans. The trouble is the tiny nitrogen-laden balls that erupt to produce a dense head are made of plastic and are not biodegradable. The university’s scientists discovered that microscopic plant fibers can achieve the same results, making Guinness more eco-friendly and cost effective. Still what’s amazed us most is that there are actually college students who will study beer rather than just drinking it. [LiveScience]

Irish Scientists Make Guinness Greener