Bard's Carbonation

I am perplexed by pouring a Bard's into a glass. This beer seems to have little ability to retain the CO 2 . Is this a problem with Bard's or sorghum malt beers.
While I am looking for a dark Gf beer similar to a stout, is Bard's behavior "typical "?

brieuxster said:

I am perplexed by pouring a Bard's into a glass. This beer seems to have little ability to retain the CO 2 . Is this a problem with Bard's or sorghum malt beers.
While I am looking for a dark Gf beer similar to a stout, is Bard's behavior "typical "?

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There's so many variables involved, but I've found that using maltodextrin in my brews ensures decent head retention. GF Oats help as well.

Part of the reason that most of the commercial GF beers don't have good head retention is that they are fairly thin, light beers. The heavier beers I've tried (Greens Amber and Dubbel) had significantly better head retention.

Well no yellow fizzy GF beers are planned. Thanks for the reassurance.

dorklord said:

There's so many variables involved, but I've found that using maltodextrin in my brews ensures decent head retention. GF Oats help as well.

Part of the reason that most of the commercial GF beers don't have good head retention is that they are fairly thin, light beers. The heavier beers I've tried (Greens Amber and Dubbel) had significantly better head retention.

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What amount of maltodextrin seems to hit the mark for most beers/brewers? I've added 4 oz each to the two batches I have fermenting right now, but I haven't used it before.

thanantos said:

What amount of maltodextrin seems to hit the mark for most beers/brewers? I've added 4 oz each to the two batches I have fermenting right now, but I haven't used it before.

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I usually use 4 oz, but if I were trying to make a really heavy beer, I'd not hesitate to double that.

It depends on what else you are using in the recipe, of course, for example, in the stout I made, I used some GF oats, which seems to contribute a bit to that heavy mouthfeel, so 4 oz was enough, but in the dubbel I made (with sorghum and cooked candi sugar) I think 8 oz would have been an improvement.

I have to echo the maltodextrin. My first three beers didn't use it, and while the very first one (which used a combo of roasted quinoa and oats) had great head retention, the others did not. But everything I've brewed since has had appropriate head for style. I use 2 to 4 oz in a 3 gallon batch. Beats the pants off anything off the shelf except for maybe Green's.