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jjward101 · 05-20-2011, 03:01 PM

Okay, so I am just about to bottle my 10th 5 gallon extract batch since mid-december. I seem to have a consistent problem, regardless of the style of beer I am brewing, and it is really starting to bug me. I cant seem to make a beer with a decent head. Can anyone please tell me....is there anything I can add at bottling time? Switch from corn sugar to something else for priming? Something specific to extract brewing messing me up?

Everyone is liking my brews, but all have tue same comment.....no head.

Thank you.

**jbrookeiv** · 05-20-2011, 03:03 PM

Try adding a 1/2 lb of Carapils to your next recipe. You do not have to mash it, you can just use it as a steeping grain.

Quote:

What makes Carapils® Malt from Briess the top performer in the dextrine-malt category? Try it. You'll find that it does a unparalleled job of consistently increasing foam, improving head retention and enhancing mouthfeel without adding flavor or color to your beer style.

http://www.brewingwithbriess.com/Products/Carapils_Malts.htm

**smokinghole** · 05-20-2011, 03:06 PM

Oooh the jokes.

Once I stopped screwing with the beer as much I've been getting good head retention. I started great head retention when I went to no-chill brewing. Beating up the beer through filtering, and other handling processes can kill the head.

There are heading powders you can add (kreamyx). Also I know a specific type of hop extract used in lieu of actual hops gives the most meringue like head it's crazy. I have some Isohop extract at my house that I added a couple drops into a glass for a beer that was too sweet since it was bottled a year ago. The head on that beer was like a marshmallow on top of the beer.

**unionrdr** · 05-20-2011, 03:07 PM

Sounds like a personal problem.

Seriously though,Did you boil all the extract? Did you use sugar instead of extra DME/LME? I get good head,& decent ABV% by adding DME & hops to my LME recipes.

**smokinghole** · 05-20-2011, 03:16 PM

Do you use LME or DME? Do you chill or no-chill? Do you partial or full boil? What types of beer are you making?

There's a lot that can and needs to be considered for good foam.

Mikey_Dawg · 05-20-2011, 03:27 PM

Haha... glad I am not the only one getting a laugh out of his Subject line... Umm, what is your current process for bottling? How much priming sugar are you using, etc? I dont bottle anymore but never really recall ever having an issue with carb/head with my process. Another HB friend of mine makes all kinds of crazy beers and his beer always has great head as well... so what's your process prior to bottling?

autoferret · 05-20-2011, 03:31 PM

Other than the jokes that go along w/ this...

i use 8oz of carapils or wheat malt to help get more head!

nos33 · 05-20-2011, 04:31 PM

try craigslist. i am sure you can find someone on there willing to give you more head. lol

jjward101 · 05-20-2011, 06:35 PM

Lol, i got all sorts of offers from craigslist. Im going to get antibiotics before i even think about trying tem :P

I usually use both LME and DME in my partial boils. I start with 3 gallons, leaving a half gallon for boil off, them odd RO water to top off. I am really not familiar with chill/no chill so i cant answer that one.

Priming, i usually just pick up the already packaged corn sugar from my LHBS, since i am always doing five gallons at a time, and he packages his priming sugar for 5 gallons batches ( i belief its 3/4 cups, but cant recall just now)

wedge421 · 05-20-2011, 06:38 PM

You could always add a touch of wheat in their for head retention. And doesn't hop extract add head as well?