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For what it's worth...
Professor Frothinphome's description of the pub
draught process:
First, the conditioned beer is put into the container, along with the
Widget device. A small charge of liquid nitrogen in shot into the
container. Initially, some of the beer will ice around this charge of
nitrogen, insulating it (ever put dry ice in a bucket of water? Same
effect. The water ices around the dry ice, substantially slowing its rate
of sublimation ) and the container is sealed. As the beer warms on the
shelf and the ice capsule melts, the nitrogen becomes gaseous, greatly
increasing the pressure inside the container. EVERYTHING feels the
pressure--even the Widget. But its walls are are so thick that
equalization cannot be attained simply by compressing the widget--beer is
forced into the pinhole to equalize pressure with the can, and all is right
with the world. Until someone opens the container. Then all hell breaks
loose! The pressure in the container drops radically. Well, don't think
that Mr. Widget isn't going to follow along! He again sees the pressure
differential, and springs into corrective action, jetting gas and beer
through that pinhole, much as the infamous "Pocket Beer Engine"
does. The result? That wondrous, cascading Guinness head!
Bonus question: What purpose does the nitrogen serve in this process--or
any other Guinness pour, for that matter?
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