Need tips on how to get good head

In Ontario Canada, there is a pretty decent pilsner call "PC pilsner". Its a decent beer to have while waiting for the next homebrew to mature, only for a low price (in Canadian terms) of ~$1 a beer. The label doesn't hide that fact that it is brewed with no preservatives, and with only spring water, malted barley, corn and hops. It has a nice clean taste, with a tad of corn. What intrigues me the most is the head formation on this beer has after a gentle pour.

A few seconds after the pour the head remains an inch thick, almost egg white like in consistency. Carbonation isn't severe, but the head remains there for a good 5min. The head does settle down to the liquid level soon after that, indicating poor retention.

My question to those who are interested is: how can one achieve an egg white like head in a homebrew? And also to make sure it has retention?

My all grain mashes in the past used an extensive protein rest, and that killed the head. With that knowledge, how else can one get a beer with lots of foam? with only bottle conditioning?

Thank you

One technique is to include a little wheat malt or flaked wheat in your grain bill.

Rufies in any assorted mixed drink.

FermcapS helps with head retention and blowoff in the fermenter as well.

greeneyed said:

Rufies in any assorted mixed drink.

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lol. Seriously though, carapils malt works.

I thaught a higher carbonation rate creates a thicker larger head also?

any crystal malts / wheat malts / carafoams etc all help with head retention.

Transfer slow and dont release the the protiens that form the head until you get the beer in the glass. Also the proper amount of carbonation will also help.
as far as grains, as mentioned wheat will help as will cara malts.
Cheers
Jay

Thank you all for the reply.

higher carbonation rate does help with head. But the carbonation in this one is quite weak,as indicated by the slow floating bubbles. The frothed egg white head is still there though.

I opened this thread for one reason only and am very disappointed in the lack of crude comments. Common, HBT'ers!
Buy her (or him) dinner first and then casually bring up the subject.

Don't get married.

jewelry works...



I use Flaked Barley,cara,crystal or wheat to improve the head on my beers

smoked porter w/ lots of crystal malt



ESB flaked barley

Hookers. They do it for the money.

slip them $5's instead of $1's. and buy them the $15.00 non-alcoholic drink.

wolfboy said:

How can one achieve an egg white like head in a homebrew? And also to make sure it has retention?

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Here are some [non-hooker] good head suggestions...

• Selecting a quality, sufficiently modified malt
• Avoiding any adjuncts that contain oil(s)
• Avoiding a protein rest with sufficiently modified malts (as mentioned)
• Avoiding a long mash (<= 1.5 hours)
• Avoiding a long boil (<= 1.5 hours)
• Preventing hot break from entering the fermenter
• Preventing excessive foaming (throughout the brewing and packaging process)
• Fermenting with a sufficient quantity of healthy yeast (I can't stress this enough!)
• Fermenting at a stable, appropriate temperature for the yeast strain
• Preventing oxygen pickup on the cold side
• Sufficiently carbonating the beer (2.5+ volumes of CO2)
• Serving in the appropriate, clean glassware (narrow glassware results in a larger, more stable head)

I had my wife watch... I mean a guy I know has a brother with a friend who had his wife watch some movies on youtube....

Find a woman with alot of experience

Honestly, use Carapils/Dextrin. 1/2 - 1 lb per 5 gallon batch always results in outstanding head retention.

smiths9312 said:

Don't get married.

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+50

Getting married significantly reduces head retention by about 80%

you might as well leave soap in your bottles!

Conodor said:

I had my wife watch... I mean a guy I know has a brother with a friend who had his wife watch some movies on youtube....

Click to expand...

Youtube? Son, you're doing it wrong. Try xtube. Or Redtube.

Jewry. Lots of it.