Tapping a can of beer on the side before opening it does not meaningfully prevent frothing over according to Danish researchers

Occupation: beer researcher. Here at Canvas HQ we've always wanted to write that on the bit of paper at the border entry ports through international air terminals. Turns out thats an actual thing, as Carlsberg provided researchers at a Danish university with over a thousand 330ml cans to test the time-honoured tradition of tapping a beer can to stop it fizzing over when you crack that seal for the first time.

(Side note: when is Gotye going to sample that comforting beer can opening popping sound for a follow up release to Somebody That I Used To Know ... come on Wally, Some Frothy That I Used To Blow surely is just waiting to be mixed, and you've got the Belgium beer pedigree to back it up).

Anyway back on track, or crack, does the tapping work?

Unfortunately not, according to the randomised trial.

The initial belief was tapping the can dislodges bubbles from the sides of the can, rising them to the top where they won’t froth beer waste when the can is popped.

To perform the test half of the cans were put on a mechanical shaker for two minutes to simulate being transported on a bicycle across Danish cobblestones, and the remaining cans left unshaken. Then half of the cans in the shaken and unshaken groups were “tapped” by giving them the middle finger nail flick on the side three times.The shaken cans lost on average 3.5mls (1%) of beer on opening, compared with 0.5 mls for the unshaken cans. However, tapping the can didn’t make a significant difference to how much beer was lost.

Another beer myth busted!

For those now thinking of prosecuting for beer crime in relation to wastage during this very important trial, put your conscience at ease, all the beer was given away to students on campus.