Apparently they have the same formula - Ca(OH)2. However in my chemistry lab I filtered calcium hydroxide and the product was lime water. PLEASE HELP
The citric acid content in the lime causes a chemical reaction in the beer.
Actually the lime has no affect on the foam of the beer. I to invert my corona after shoving a lime slice inside of it. It is actually the inversion that makes it more foaming throughout the course of the beer, many chemicals are woke up due to this action.
In Mexico they used to rim the tops of beer bottles with lime to kill any germs and bacteria when the bottle were kept in the bar cellars. Back in the day they never had tops so rats and mice used to scamper across the tops of them, hence infect the beer. The lime was a good way to kill bacteria, nowadays westernization has meant that everyone thinks beer should have lime in and if you don't put beer in the lime then its not cool. However the lime was only used as an ancient method of sterilization. Some think that the Mexicans did this to prevent flies buzzing round the tops of their beer in the sun and this may also be true.
Actually, the lime provides nucleation site for the release of carbon dioxide, and the citric acid helps speed the process as well. Basically, you have a beer that has CO2 in solution. With a normal beer, you see bubbles on the side of the glass, where CO2 is being released. When an object is introduced to the beer, it provides surface area for the CO2 to be released.
