Why does rootbeer and cream soda foam?

[sao123]

All the ingredients look pretty much the same, but something has to cause the difference.

 

[tw1164]

Its from the Soda Jerks.....

 

[Jzero]

I don't know for sure, but if I had to guess, I'd say the answer has something to do with nitrogen.

 

[Nikamichi]

I added my own special ingredients when no one was looking.

 

[sao123]

Originally posted by: Jzero
I don't know for sure, but if I had to guess, I'd say the answer has something to do with nitrogen.

Carbonated Water
high fructose Corn syrup
sugar
natural & artificial flavors
sodium benzoate (preservative)
vanilla extract
citirc acid
carmel color


no nitrogen here.

 

[DrPizza]

That's actually a pretty good question/observation.

 

[Jzero]

Originally posted by: sao123

Originally posted by: Jzero
I don't know for sure, but if I had to guess, I'd say the answer has something to do with nitrogen.

Carbonated Water
high fructose Corn syrup
sugar
natural & artificial flavors
sodium benzoate (preservative)
vanilla extract
citirc acid
carmel color


no nitrogen here.

The water is carbonated, but the can/bottle may be pressurized with nitrogen. At least, this is how I do it when I make root/birch beer. Force-carbonate with normal CO2 and then I pressurize the draft bottle with both nitrous and CO2, which makes it creamier and allows you to have a foamy head.

But I honestly have no idea how it's done in mass-production...just a half-assed educated guess.

 

[sao123]

Originally posted by: Jzero

Originally posted by: sao123

Originally posted by: Jzero
I don't know for sure, but if I had to guess, I'd say the answer has something to do with nitrogen.

Carbonated Water
high fructose Corn syrup
sugar
natural & artificial flavors
sodium benzoate (preservative)
vanilla extract
citirc acid
carmel color


no nitrogen here.

The water is carbonated, but the can/bottle may be pressurized with nitrogen. At least, this is how I do it when I make root/birch beer. Force-carbonate with normal CO2 and then I pressurize the draft bottle with both nitrous and CO2, which makes it creamier and allows you to have a foamy head.

But I honestly have no idea how it's done in mass-production...just a half-assed educated guess.

I'm not saying your wrong... my general thinking is that if it was present, doesnt it lawfully have to be in the ingredient list?

 

[SZLiao214]

Bah! I have no idea but now i really want to know/

 

[DrPizza]

I'm going to guess the head comes from some of the "natural flavors"

 

[MrPickins]

IIRC, some of the natural flavorings in root beer contain surfacant molecules that help promote the foam by lowering the solution's suface tension.

The foaminess also varies from brand to brand, probably because of different amounts of the ingredients containing surfacants. For example: Barq's has verry little foam (for root beer), while IBC has a nice head. (IBC FTW 😉 )

Edit: I ken spel.

 

[sao123]

Originally posted by: MrPickins
IIRC, some of the natural flavorings in root beer contain surfacant molecules that help promote the foam by lowering the solutions suface tension.

The foaminess also varies from barnd to brand, probably because of different amounts of the ingredients containig surfacants. For example: Barq's has verry little foam (for root beer), while IBC has a nice head. (IBC FTW 😉 )

yea I noticed that too...

A&W seems to have the thickest foam, while mug is about half foam, half bubbly fizz.

 

[Beattie]

Originally posted by: sao123

Originally posted by: Jzero

Originally posted by: sao123

Originally posted by: Jzero
I don't know for sure, but if I had to guess, I'd say the answer has something to do with nitrogen.

Carbonated Water
high fructose Corn syrup
sugar
natural & artificial flavors
sodium benzoate (preservative)
vanilla extract
citirc acid
carmel color


no nitrogen here.

The water is carbonated, but the can/bottle may be pressurized with nitrogen. At least, this is how I do it when I make root/birch beer. Force-carbonate with normal CO2 and then I pressurize the draft bottle with both nitrous and CO2, which makes it creamier and allows you to have a foamy head.

But I honestly have no idea how it's done in mass-production...just a half-assed educated guess.

I'm not saying your wrong... my general thinking is that if it was present, doesnt it lawfully have to be in the ingredient list?

Is air/carbon dioxide listed as an ingredient in bread? it is fluffy after all, right?

 

[Howard]

Originally posted by: MrPickins
contain surfactant

That's my guess.

 

[Demo24]

coke foams

 

[MrPickins]

Originally posted by: DEMO24
coke foams

For maybe a few seconds, but root beer should have a head for several minutes.

 

[pontifex]

uh, i'm pretty sure all soda foams, you just have to pour it fast enough.

 

[Wheezer]

It depends on the brand, most soda has an anti-foam agent in it. Some has none, or some more than others.

Some has more carbination than others, for instance Barq's is made by Coke, it has more C02 in it than say Mug which is produced by Pepsi. I know I worked for Pepsi and Pepsi used to make Barqs before Coke bought the rights.

The amount of the various ingredients and how they react with one another also plays a role.

 

[Jeff7]

Why does water have strong surface tension but rubbing alcohol, another clear liquid, not?
Just something about root beer or cream soda's molecular structure lets it form longer-lasting bubbles. Cola has medium-lived bubbles, and orange soda's bubbles pop almost immediately. Just the way it is. Maybe a chemist would know the specific molecular components responsible.