The Ball Inside the Guinness Can

What's that ball doing in your can of Guinness? Well, Tory of Hobson's Choice blog found out the answer:

Basically, the small plastic ball is called a widget. The purpose of the widget is to release CO2 from some of the beer in the can to create the head. It is meant to mimic the texture and head of Guinness on tap.

Mystery solved! http://www.toryhobson.com/new/entries/not-your-macs-widget/ | Longer explanation at How Stuff Works - Thanks Tory!


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According to the link. Its the CO2 dissolved in the ale that makes the head. Not Nitrogen. The Nitrogen dissipates as the can is pressurized during the filling process. The ale rushing thru the tiny hole in the sphere when the can is opened release the dissolved CO2.
The cans and bottles still don't compare to the draft form.

"When you open the can, the pressure inside immediately drops, the compressed gas inside the sphere quickly forces the beer out through the tiny hole into the can. As the beer rushes through the tiny hole, this agitation causes the CO2 that is dissolved in the beer to form tiny bubbles that rise to the surface of the beer. These bubbles help form the head."
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I want some of those! anywhere I can buy them? lmfao. I can't buy Guinness straight up for another year. but these are the sort of random ass things I like to keep laying around
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