Scientists finally know the secret to bubbly Champagne

Raise a glass to this scientific breakthrough.

Researchers at Brown University — who were working in tandem with peers at University of Toulouse in France — have finally discovered why champagne bubbles are unique.

They also learned more about what’s behind its crisp and delicious taste that’s made the drink a favorite for centuries.

“This is the type of research that I’ve been working out for years,” said Brown engineering professor and author Roberto Zenit.

“By talking about Champagne and beer, our master plan is to make people understand that fluid mechanics is important in their daily lives.”

The difference between the two libations is how bubbles rise through their “chains,” or the path they take to reach the top of the glass.

Beverages like Champagne and prosecco have bubbles that rise in a single file for a lengthy duration while beer bubbles tend to sway side by side and cluster together in a way that “isn’t stable,” according to the research.

“The experiments the research team ran were relatively straightforward — and some could even be run in any local pub. To observe the bubble chains, the researchers poured glasses of carbonated beverages including Pellegrino sparkling water, Tecate beer, Charles de Cazanove Champagne and a Spanish-style brut.”

As a way to test the reliability of the Champagne chains, they then went out to recreate said bubbles.

“The results of their experiments indicate that the stable bubble chains in Champagne and other sparkling wines occur due to ingredients that act as soap-like compounds called surfactants,” according to the research.

“These surfactant-like molecules help reduce the tensions between the liquid and the gas bubbles, making for a smooth rise to the top.”

The straight-laced rise to the top of a glass also enhances its taste, Zenit added.

“The theory is that in Champagne these contaminants that act as surfactants are the good stuff,” he said.

“These protein molecules that give flavor and uniqueness to the liquid are what makes the bubbles chains they produce stable.”

Beyond just a good-tasting drink to cheers with, the research to understanding how bubbles rise and cluster have legitimate “economic and societal value.”

“Technologies that use bubble-induced mixing, like aeration tanks at water treatment facilities, for instance, would benefit greatly from researchers having a clearer understanding of how bubbles cluster, their origins and how to predict their appearance,” the scientists wrote.

“In nature, understanding these flows may help better explain ocean seeps in which methane and carbon dioxide emerges from the bottom of the ocean.”