Microcarbon-nation
Our friends to the North seem to be pretty hip to the commercial trends, it seems. We already know that “nano” technology is all the rage in electronic equipment and medicine, but who knew the same concept could be applied to beer? Molson Coors, that’s who!
In a press release from Montreal, Quebec, we learn that the company is investing a healthy stock in a new process they dub “microcarbonation” that is set to take the Canadian market by a storm of tiny bubbles. The product is called Molson M. According to the release, microcarbonation involves a process by which “the beer is injected with CO2 through smaller, finer bubbles with a high level of precision and consistency.”
Hmmm.
Interesting statement, that. I’ve always assumed that the process of force carbonating beer involves injecting CO2 in its gaseous form into uncarbonated beer. There are no bubbles until that pressurized CO2 is released. The resulting release of CO2 gas results in the formation of carbonation “bubbles” we all know and love. In other words, I didn’t know you could actually inject carbonation bubbles much less that CO2 came in bubble form! Here I thought the bubbles were merely the by-product of a release of CO2 pressure.
I learn something new all the time.
Granted, the process could be describing the size of the opening of the instrument used to inject CO2 gas, but once again it would seem that the “size” of the CO2 injector would make absolutely no difference in the size of the resulting CO2 bubbles once a container is opened or a draught drawn … either the beer is carbonated to the proper volumes of CO2 or it’s not. Right?
All of this leads me to wonder whether this new process is really substantially new or innovative, or whether it’s closer to the mark to say that it is a brand spankin’ new marketing concept carefully devised to breath life into a mainstream brand of “premium” lager? Judging by a couple of statements in the release, I suspect the latter.
“To stay on top of our game, we have to be innovative in how we build brands ...” says Ian Freedman, Molson Coors’ Senior Vice-President & GM for Quebec. “…we are introducing a liquid that will reinvigorate a beer market that has long been looking for excitement and something new.“
Certainly this is indeed a new marketing concept, but I would contend that a CO2 bubble is a CO2 bubble is a CO2 bubble. I’m not convinced that controlling the size of the “bubble” going in makes any difference in the size of the bubble coming out. Maybe this microcarbonation process was used to initially carbonate the beer – that I can buy – but once the beer is in the hands of the consumer I can’t help but think that the Molson M bubble will be burst.
Perhaps the more carbonation-savvy readers can disavow me of this notion if I’m wrong, from a technical perspective, but save for the tighter, thicker carbonation you get through the use of nitrogen-infusion, a CO2 bubble by any other name …
Saw your post. Thanks for the discussion on microcarbonation.
There’s a number of impacts on drinkability. Here’s one…
Why injecting smaller bubbles is better: Because it’s so gentle, we retain all the goodness of the hops, and the subtle flavours created by our yeast during fermentation. You wouldn’t shake a bottle of beer before drinking it. Of course the CO2 wouldn’t be at the optimum level. But beyond that some of the hop aroma and flavour will have come out in the head. Some of what you smell when you shake the beer is the esters that are naturally produced by our yeast during fermentation, the subtle flavours that give the beer its distinctive character. Why destroy all that by being rough with the beer? Microcarbonation is about as gentle as you can get.
But your tastebuds will ultimately decide. Molson M will be available in the rest of Canada by 2011. If you like — let me know. If you don’t — let me know too.
Cheers!
@MolsonDouglas on Twitter