The situation that started the experiments seemed quite realistic to P. Vaitiekūnas: friends call to say they will arrive soon, and the non-alcoholic beer is still at room temperature. Instead of accepting the warm drink, the show host decided to practically test several ways to chill it.
Read more Norway said goodbye to King Harald V
“Friends called that they are coming soon, and the beer is still warm. But that doesn’t mean everyone has to drink room temperature beer. It turns out there are several ways to chill it quickly, so I just had to check how they work in practice,” says P. Vaitiekūnas.
Ice and salt – and those in a hurry will have to roll up their sleeves
The first experiment didn’t require anything unusual – a bucket, water, ice, and salt. A can of “Kalnapilis Non-Alcoholic” placed in this mixture cooled for about 15 minutes. When the drink reached the right temperature, P. Vaitiekūnas didn’t have to guess – the special cold icon on the “Kalnapilis Non-Alcoholic” can showed it. This technology is unique in the Lithuanian beer market: when the drink is properly chilled, the icon changes color and turns blue.
But what if even 15 minutes seems too long? P. Vaitiekūnas tried a much faster option – constantly rotating the can in the same water, ice, and salt mixture.
“If friends are already very close and even managed to ring the doorbell, 15 minutes might not be an option. Then you set a 40-second timer and rotate the can the whole time. After 40 seconds, the icon was already blue. That means the beer is chilled and you can finally go open the door,” laughs P. Vaitiekūnas.
Another experiment didn’t require ice or salt. This time the host used a simple kitchen towel – he soaked it well, wrapped it around the non-alcoholic beer can, and put it in the freezer.
“After 15 minutes, I could already feel through the towel that the can was cold enough, and the cold indicator confirmed it. I think this is exactly the kind of experiment that was missing in physics lessons. I might have even studied physics if there had been more of this kind of science,” he says.
However, you shouldn’t forget the drink in the freezer. Asta Briedienė, a brewer at “Kalnapilis-Tauras group,” says that if there’s no rush, it’s best to cool non-alcoholic beer in the refrigerator – this way the temperature decreases gradually.
“The freezer can help if a quick result is needed, but the drink left in it can freeze, and the expanding liquid can damage the packaging,” she warns.
When berries and sponges replace ice cubes
Another method tested by P. Vaitiekūnas is suitable for those who thought about cooling drinks in advance. A wet towel first needs to be frozen, then wrapped around the can. The whole “bundle” was placed in a bucket so that melting ice wouldn’t create a mess.
Read more Agnė Bastienė – about sports with music, third pregnancy, and family relationships
“This method requires preparation in advance. You take out the frozen wet towel, wrap the can in it, and leave it for a few minutes. After that, the indicator was already blue. And the bucket is needed for a very practical reason – when the ice starts melting, it splashes everywhere, and no one wants to clean up,” explains P. Vaitiekūnas.
And what if there isn’t a single ice cube in the freezer? P. Vaitiekūnas used frozen berries instead. Blackberries, currants, raspberries, cherries, and other frozen summer goodies went into the bucket with water, with the non-alcoholic beer can among them.
“This is a true Lithuanian compote: cherries, currants, strawberries, and non-alcoholic beer. The perfect summer compote. Guests will arrive soon, so here we have presentation and decorations – you need to make an impression,” he jokes.
During the experiments, an even more unexpected alternative to ice cubes appeared – kitchen sponges that were moistened and frozen in advance. Placing them around the can, the cold also did its job.
“Sponges are usually soft, but taken out of the freezer they are really hard. We placed them around the beer, and later the cold indicator showed it was properly chilled. For science, physics, chemistry, and a bit of math – after all, I am a person of exact sciences,” laughs P. Vaitiekūnas.
When is non-alcoholic beer properly chilled?
Throughout all the experiments, the blue cold icon became a sign for P. Vaitiekūnas that the test could be finished and it was time for, in his words, the “favorite part” – tasting.
“This indicator never lies. Whenever I’ve opened cans with it blue, the beer is always perfectly cold – not too cold and not moderately cold. Then all that’s left is to confirm and taste,” says P. Vaitiekūnas.
According to A. Briedienė, the right temperature is important not only for the refreshing feeling – it also affects how the taste and aroma of non-alcoholic beer unfold. Therefore, experiments can be useful in unexpected situations, but if you have more time, no complicated tricks are needed.
“It’s best to simply keep non-alcoholic beer in the fridge and let it cool gradually, but in life, there are situations when we can’t wait that long. Then you can experiment, just be careful not to overdo it and don’t forget the drink in the freezer,” advises the brewer.
More ways to chill beer can be found here: Instagram
