SSS 2011-12-09

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Now, according to an article in the December issue of Physics World, mixologists—the folks behind the bar—are getting into the act. They're borrowing tools from the labs to create wild new libations. 

 

Here's one example. Alcohol is better than water at delivering flavors and aromas³, since many of those molecules⁴ aren't water-soluble.

 

Plant material is fermented⁵ and then heated to extract the alcohol that contains those flavors—that's distillation⁶. But the heat can destroy some aroma² molecules.

 

Enter the scientists' rotary⁷ evaporator. The fermented liquid goes in a rotating container. The pressure is lowered, so volatile⁹ components¹⁰ evaporate. Then a cool coil condenses the vapor⁸ back into liquid.

 

One mixologist in London used this technique to make a mild habañero liqueur. The spicy¹¹ capsaicin isn't volatile—so it gets left behind. The final product has the fruity and floral flavors of chili¹² peppers with none of the searing heat.

 

For more proof, go to the article "Cocktail¹³ Physics," at physicsworld.com

 

Thanks for the minute. For Scientific American's 60-Second Science, I'm Cynthia Graber.

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