Answer to Question #28439 in Organic Chemistry for Douglas

Question

I am a Star Trek fan and in one episode, a beverage was prepared, called a Tzartak aperitif. This drink had a boiling point exactly 0.5 degrees below the temperature of the drinker's mouth. When the beverage was taken into the mouth, it immediately evaporated and the flavor was carried by the vapor. Is this possible? Is there any edible liquid that would evaporate upon contact the tongue?
Thank you.

Answer 1

Yes, it is possible, but there was likely using a mixture of ingredients that keep a boiling point. (37 degrees). The Tzartak aperitif was an extremely delicate and difficult-to-make beverage with many different ingredients. If we consider the non-volatile substance solutions in volatile solvents, the boiling temperature of these solutions is always above the boiling point of pure solvent. Increasing the reflux temperature will be greater than the above concentration of the solution. It is possible that they used the exact concentration of the liquid gas mixture and a substance solution, that has a high boiling point.

However, the slightest miscalculation in the mixing process would crash the vapor point, and the entire drink would evaporate away.