Keeping it cool could also save you from a serious eye injury. Researchers from the Champagne region of France have discovered that the warmer a bottle of bubbles, the faster its cork travels when its popped.

This can range from 25mph when the bottle is kept at 4°C up to 34mph when its temperature reaches 18°C.

Champagne does taste different depending on the glass you drink it out of, say scientists – and long, tall flutes are the best way to enjoy fizz. Bubbly poured into a long narrow flute provides more of a nose-tingle than when served in a wide and shallow ‘coupe’, thanks to high levels of carbon dioxide at the top of the glass. Scientists used sophisticated gas-analysis technology to test the effect of either pouring champagne into a flute or a coupe.  The reason is that much higher levels of carbon dioxide, released by bubbles in the glass, collect at the top of a flute. The study claims this is caused by gases inside the bubbles moving faster at warmer temperatures, which increases the velocity of the cork.

A bottle of champagne contains around 10 million bubbles, on average, so any increase in energy can cause a build-up pressure. In some cases, this build up can even cause the cork to pop on its own. Only 5 per cent of the energy created by these gases causes the movement of the cork, while the rest is released by the bang.  The researchers from the University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne studied corks from different temperature champagne bottles popping in slow motion using an infrared camera.

The shape of a glass, can also have an impact on the bubbles once the cork has been popped. Gas chromatography found that a larger glass loses carbon dioxide at least a third faster than a flute, or tall glass, pictured. This drop in carbon dioxide causes the bubbles to pop quicker and the drink becomes flatter, sooner. They discovered that champagne bottles contain pressure as high at 90lbs per square inch, which is more than the pressure found inside a car tyre.

Temperature, as well as the shape of a glass, can also have an impact on the bubbles once the cork has been popped.  This drop in carbon dioxide causes the bubbles to pop quicker and the drink becomes flatter, quicker.  Similarly, drinking champagne from a plastic cup can change the taste because the sides are hydrophobic, or liquid repelling. The bubbles stick to the sides through capillary action and inflate into the size of tiny balls. This theory also applies to other sparkling wines, beers and soft drinks.

Chilled champagne retains its bubbles for longer, and its these bubbles that give the drink its taste. Vintage and high-quality champagne and sparkling wines are said to have smaller, yet more frequent bubbles.

 

 

 

Source Daily Mail

 

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