Getting the perfect foam ratio on your beer is an art form in and of itself. Aside from the tactile experience of the froth hitting your lips and tongue, the head foam is viewed as a protective layer on your beer that prevents the air from affecting the flavor and aromas of the liquid underneath. When pouring from a beer tap, it’s much easier to tailor the foam in your glass. But when it comes to canned beer at home, we so often drop the ball completely — but is there any other way? Well, the Japanese design firm nendo has posited that there is with its innovative new foam-can.
Featuring two tabs on top, the foam-can allows you to get the beer in your glass at the “golden ratio” of liquid to foam, which nendo says is 7:3. But how can the design of your tab change how your head foam is proportioned? An average tab is positioned to push the aluminum down so the can is nearly opened all the way. With the additional tab, which is angled in such a way as to restrict the opening, that pressure is concentrated through the narrow hole and blocks the pour, thus creating more foam. From there, you pop the second tab to open the can all the way and pour like normal.
On top of the wall of “Things We Take for Granted” is the tab device on most soda and beer cans. Although, people of a certain age may remember a time when these helpful built-in can openers weren’t so ubiquitous. The non-removable tabs we’re familiar with today went through several iterations that date back to the ‘50s, including early designs that would often result in the consumer injuring his or her finger. And prior to that, you would need a separate tool like a churchkey opener to literally puncture the tops of these cans. Fortunately, we have innovative thinkers, such as those at nendo, who look at how something as simple as a can tab can be improved.
It’s yet to be seen if any breweries will want to partner with nendo to employ the foam-can in their own products. For now, you can head over to the company’s website to learn more.
