One of the presentations that will be at the first Southern Kentucky Science Fest is a Science of Beer presentation at a local business. This morning I happened to get an email asking about experiments that can be done with beer for kids. (I remembered we also have 6 cans left in our fridge from a party 3 years ago that will never be used!)

Making clouds in a Glass of Beer:
When you sprinkle salt in beer a cloud of bubbles forms!  When created beer is supersaturated with CO2 and then sealed.  The bubbles are formed as the salt which is pitted causes the beer to release the CO2.  You can try dropping other things in the beer also to see how many bubbles form.  This is the same type of chemical reaction as dropping Mentos in soda.
Making Clouds in a regular glass:
Set some ice on a small metal dish. Warm a glass by pouring a bit of hot water over it. Allow the metal dish to get really cold. Set the cold dish on top of the glass and watch as a cloud forms along the top. Water droplets should soon form, showing how hot and cold air create condensation, just like rain.

I did some searching and happened to find this book. I don’t have it, so I can’t offer a yeah or nay on the book.

 

The Science of Beer will be held May 1 at Liquor Barn in Bowling Green KY for the SoKY Science Fest.