Good head but tastes flat

So, my latest batch (bottle conditioned) foams up a good head when I pour the bottle, has good head retention, but there is very little mouthfeel from the carbonation, and indeed, other than the head, you cannot see much carbonation in the glass at all. Any thoughts on what the cause might be?

By way of background, this is my first partial-mash, an IPA with first wort, boil and dry-hopping, 2-row, munich, 20L and rye in the grains (plus light DME during the boil). I did bring the temp too high (~165F) during the mash when I tried to add heat after some losses, but added cool water to bring the temp down (~150F) quickly. Theres some chill haze and I can feel a bit of astringency, the latter I presume from the high temp, but otherwise a tasty hoppy beer, it just tastes flat, but with a sizeable head which seems weird.

It sounds as though the CO2 has not been fully absorbed into the beer yet. How long have they been bottled and how long were they in the fridge before pouring. The beer needs some fridge time to absorb the CO2 and properly carbonate.

Bottle conditioned for approx 2 weeks, in the fridge for about 4 days.

Sounds like they need more time to properly carbonate. 2 weeks is kind of short, pull them out of the fridge, give them another week or two and then try again.

+1 on letting them carb at higher temps.

I am a bit leary of saying that this is related to carbonation. I personally don't think that a lot of mouth feel comes from carbonation. This should come from residual sugars that have not been fermented. CO2 provides the bubbly and fizzy effect and adds a slight note of bittering but shouldn't provide any mouth feel.

Try drinking more pineapple juice

two_one_seven said:

I am a bit leary of saying that this is related to carbonation. I personally don't think that a lot of mouth feel comes from carbonation. This should come from residual sugars that have not been fermented. CO2 provides the bubbly and fizzy effect and adds a slight note of bittering but shouldn't provide any mouth feel.

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This is possible as well but the OP states there are no bubbles rising through the beer which means the beer is not completely carbonated either but to some degree carbonation does round out the final mouth feel of the beer

I tend to only put my beer in the fridge as I need it, so the last of the last batch probably had about 5-6 weeks before cooling while the first of this one has had about 2 now. (The problem being that Im now out of the last batch. I guess Ill just have to drink commercial for a week or two.)

Perhaps I used the wrong term, but I find a well carbonated beer has a rounder, fuller flavor than the same beer flat. In anycase, my final gravity was 1.014, so there should be a fair bit of residual sugars there.

Thanks to all for the advice.

I agree that it needs another week or two at room temp to finish carbing & conditioning. Then a week in the fridge to get good carbonation & head. And carbonation rounds out hop & malt flavors to my tastebuds. not to mention,it brings up aromas out of the beer.

Good points. I guess I should think of it more as a transport vehicle......

Indeed it is,to an extent. It raises aromas to the nose,& sharpens hop flavors to make them a lil stronger imo.