With the Christmas party season in full swing, no doubt you'll be sipping on a glass of champagne or two. But you may want to avoid drinking your fizz out of a plastic or polystyrene cup, as it's been found to negatively affect the flavour, according to a new study.
Researchers from the Applied Research Laboratories at the University of Texas, Austin recently conducted a study to discover whether the type of cup affects the taste of champagne. Their research found that bubbles behave differently in different cups, and this can indeed alter the taste. Lead study author Kyle S. Spratt said: "It turns out the bubble formation process on Styrofoam is completely different than on glass. So, if you ever have to resort to drinking champagne out of a Styrofoam cup, the bubbles will be quite different."
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© Photo: iStockIt is best to drink champagne out of a glass
The same goes for plastic cups. Andrea Sella, professor of inorganic chemistry at University College London, told The Independent: "Using plastic glasses, for example, really isn't so good because the bubbles actually stick quite strongly to the walls of the glass [and so are] bigger before they lift off." The study found that bubbles in more expensive, fine sparkling wines and champagne are smaller and more active, so if they are sticking to the sides of the cup and becoming bigger, the wine will not taste as nice.
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That's not the only mistake that may be affecting the taste of your festive fizz, as storing it in the fridge for too long can also ruin the flavour. Marie-Christine Osselin, the wine quality manager at Moët & Chandon, said that rather than preserving its fizz, storing your champagne in the fridge could actually be spoiling its taste – and the same applies to bottles of prosecco, cava and sparkling wine.
© Photo: iStockPlastic cups can affect the taste of your fizz
The wine expert says that if you're planning to drink your bubbly within a few days then it is fine to store in the fridge short term, but after that its flavour could be affected. Marie-Christine told Huffington Post: "If you're planning to enjoy your bottle of champagne (or sparkling wine) within three to four days of the purchase, it is fine to store the bottle in the refrigerator. But only keep it in the fridge for a few days, or else the bubbly will begin to change."
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