Pour Foam-less Root Beer!

Root beer anyone? If only it was possible to get rid of that pesky foam! Now—it is! Show your child how to perform a drinkable magic trick by preparing a glass with an extra special ingredient that will prevent the "head" of foam from forming on top of a glass full of root beer.

What You Need:

• Canned root beer (1 or 2 cans)
• Half and half
• 2 clear glasses 

What You Do:

1. Instruct your child in the following procedure, and perhaps have him practice the "magic trick" before performing it on the unknowing participant.
2. Before your child brings the root beer materials to a friend or family member, have him secretly pour one drop of half and half into one glass.
3. Have him open the root beer.
4. He should pour half of the root beer into the glass without the half and half, from a height sufficient to form a foamy head.
5. After saying something like, "You're drinking foam-less root beer today," he can pour half of the root beer out exactly the same way into the other glass.
6. Voilà! No foam. 

What's Happening?

Root beer is unique among carbonated drinks in its ability to form foam. Protein is the secret ingredient in root beer that creates carbon dioxide bubbles when the root beer can is opened. However, when combined with milk, the dairy cancels out the foaming effect of the protein.