How to make beer flat? (+3 ways to utilize)
In this brief guide, we are going to answer the question “How to make beer flat?”, discuss answers to other related questions like does flat beer lose its alcohol content, and can flat beer make you sick.
How to make beer flat?
To make beer flat, you need to decarbonate it. For this, you can leave the open can of the beer in the refrigerator for some days and let it be flat over time. But if you want to have the flat beer in no time, then you will need to get the carbonation out of the beer a little faster.
To make the beer flat faster you need to take the beer out of the refrigerator and let it warm to approximately room temperature. Once warmed, pour the beer into a large bowl. The size of the bowl depends on the amount of beer that you are going to use. But you can use a large mixing bowl if you are having a can of beer or more. If you are having beer less than a can, a large cereal bowl can be used to serve the purpose.
Once you have poured the beer into the bowl, whisk it for about 5 to 10 minutes to help it remove the carbonation. Let it sit for five minutes, and the flat beer is ready to be used.
Alternative techniques to make beer flat
Beer can be shaken in a flask until gas no longer escapes. This procedure can efficiently remove carbonation but has the potential to result in lowered alcohol levels.
For good alcohol retention, the beer can be decarbonated in an ultrasonic bath but with residual carbonation sufficient to affect pH and real extract.
You can also use gas purging, mechanical shakers, and a gas-permeable membrane to remove carbon dioxide from the beer. These methods are considered to be superior to bath ultrasonication.
Does flat beer lose its alcohol content?
Beer, once packaged, continues to age. It does not become unsafe to drink as it matures but it will begin to taste flat. This is because, when the beer ages, the proteins responsible for its distinct taste will start to breakdown. But one thing that you need to keep in mind is that the alcohol concentration does not change over time. Because during fermentation, yeast converts sugar into carbon dioxide and alcohol. During this process, the alcohol eventually overwhelms the yeast and kills it. When the yeast dies, it can not produce more alcohol, and its concentration remains constant.
To read more about it, click here.
Can flat beer make you sick?
Flat beer can not make you sick but it may upset your stomach. But if you overindulge in flat beer, it may lead to unpleasant side effects such as headache, nausea, and liver damage over the long term. The liver damage due to the consumption of alcoholic products is known as alcoholic hepatitis which is marked by inflammation, swelling, and destruction of liver cells. The symptoms of alcoholic hepatitis may range from mild to severe and include fever, jaundice, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and tenderness.
Other FAQs about Beer which you may be interested in.
How long can beer stay in the freezer?
How to clean beer bottles for homebrew?
4 ways to utilize the flat beer
Flat beer has a surprising number of uses, such as an ingredient in bread and frying batter, removing stains, and getting slugs and snails out of your garden. A brief overview of these uses is given below:
Remove stains
Flat beer can be used to remove the coffee stain on your rug. Just pout the flat beer over the stain and blot with a clean towel.
Restore woods
Flat beer can be used to restore the woods. If your coffee table has lost its shine, dip a clean cloth in the flat beer and restore the luster of your woody furniture by gently applying a coating of flat beer with a clean towel to it.
Add shine to hairs
Beer contains vitamin B and natural sugars, so if it is flat, you can use it to add shine to your dull hairs. For this, you need to dump the flat beer over your hairs, let it stay for a few minutes, and then rinse it out with cold water.
Ward off bugs
Flat beer can also be used to ward off bugs. For this, you need to pour flat beer in buckets and place them in the corners of your backyard. It turns out, small flies and mosquitos are a fan of a cold lager, too. Meaning they will be busy imbibing, and not nibbling on you.
Conclusion:
In this brief guide, we answered the question “How to make beer flat?”, discussed answers to other related questions like does flat beer lose its alcohol content, and can flat beer make you sick.
References:
- How to Make Beer Flat (leaf.tv)
- Alternative Techniques for Beer Decarbonation: Journal of the American Society of Brewing Chemists: Vol 51, No 1 (tandfonline.com)
- Does Alcohol Expire? The Lowdown on Liquor, Beer, and Wine (healthline.com)
- 4 useful things you can do with stale beer (nbcnews.com)
