Carbonation vs. Head

I've recently switched to priming with dextrose instead of crystal cane sugar. Problem is, I didn't think, and used the same volume to prime with. This is significantly less by weight...

The outcome is that I have a lager here with minimal carbonation (possibly also my Fool's Gold Ale, but I haven't tried it yet). This wouldn't bother me overly, but it has virtually no head. This makes for an unattractive beer. Now (for example), Guiness is flat, but has huge creamy head, so it can't just be head = carbonation.

How do you get a good head on flat (or almost flat) beers??

It's much better to measure your priming sugar by weight than by volume if you can get access to a scale.

As far as head retention goes, higher volumes of co2 will aid in developing the head but certain malts contribute to head retention.

Oats, Wheat, Carapils all help with head retention.

As Scott mentioned, different proteins and compounds from malts (and even hops) will aid in head retention.

Since DME is less fermentable, you would need more per weight vs corn sugar, let alone by volume (which may be closer, DME is pretty fine stuff.)

When you refer to Guinness as to being flat but having head retention, are you referring to Guinness when on tap?

The guy I get my stuff from tells me that steeping grains also contribute to the head - something about the proteins they add. There is no clear correlation between carbonation and head retention, as anyone who drinks a Coca Cola can tell you - highly carbonated but no lasting head (ditto for Dos Equis, for that matter). Some degree of carbonation is necessary to having a head but it is not enough by itself to keep a head.

SteveM said:

The guy I get my stuff from tells me that steeping grains also contribute to the head - something about the proteins they add.

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Cara Pils will give you head. If not, try her sister Melissa.

(I know.. that was a bad one...)

Edit: Also I have been told that steeping some wheat will help out.

-walker

Walker said:

Cara Pils will give you head. If not, try her sister Melissa.

(I know.. that was a bad one...)

Edit: Also I have been told that steeping some wheat will help out.

-walker

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Couldda been worse! You laid off any easy and choice remarks about protein! :cross:

When given the choice. I always choose head over carbonation!

you must have never had goooooooood carbonation before.

I don't guess I have, and you know what they say. If haven't by time in my life, I probably never will.

Walker said:

you must have never had goooooooood carbonation before.

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Man, you're scaring the chit out of me. I heard something about you boys and your club soda. I'm starting to think the wife and kids story is just a front. We still havn't see the pic of your wife helping you get the siphon started.

ScottT said:

... We still havn't see the pic of your wife helping you get the siphon started.

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Don't forget the overalls!

I don't think I can convince her to do it. I asked, but she found a lot less humor in it than I did.

-walker

Did she give you that hard stare, cold silence with folded arms? I hate it when my wife does that to me....