Problems with head

On my last two batches, which were very similar, I got very little head and it dissipated very quickly even when poured straight down the middle. The carbonation level seems about right when drinking and it tastes great, just not very heady. Here is the last beer I made. Note: The beer has been in bottles about 2 weeks, I stick a couple in the fridge before I go to work and drink one that evening.

Notes: 3.5oz of corn sugar used for batch priming, boiled in water and dumped in the bottom of empty bottling bucket.
The last two bottles I filled were not sanitized, (I rinsed bottles I just finished drinking from my last batch and filled 'em up) they produced tons of head and were more carbonated than the others I have tried so far...

Try giving the beer a gentle stir after racking all of the beer on top of the sugar like you did. Sounds like you may have a little bit of uneven mixing.

Usual advice: wait longer, many beers take longer than 3 weeks to carbonate adequately. Give the bottles 3 days or longer in the fridge before you open them, this is reported to help with carbonation.

zeg said:

Usual advice: wait longer, many beers take longer than 3 weeks to carbonate adequately. Give the bottles 3 days or longer in the fridge before you open them, this is reported to help with carbonation.

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Second!

I can't open the link for some reason, so I didn't see your recipe. Add a little Carapils to your grain bill for head retention.

Gary

Definitely a bit early to say whether you've got "head problems." I'd fourth zeg, inhousebrew, and unionrdr's advice. Leave the bottles someplace warmish (68-72F) for another week, then put a few in the fridge. After a week in there, you should see better head retention.

If you don't, here are a few things I can think of:

1) Be sure to rinse your pint glasses very well -- dish soap kills foam.
2) Double the carapils in your recipe. 2% should be adequate, but 4% might show better results.

I had that problem last year and finally tracked it down to insufficient rinsing of the bottles when I washed them. Batches since then have very good long lasting head with no carapils.

Wow. Good advice and we are at 8 posts and counting without the standard "non-beer" responses to a lack of head...

HBT community must be maturing.

freisste said:

Wow. Good advice and we are at 8 posts and counting without the standard "non-beer" responses to a lack of head...

HBT community must be maturing.

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Your beer got married. Simplest and most common cause.

There, now we are on track...

RM-MN said:

I had that problem last year and finally tracked it down to insufficient rinsing of the bottles when I washed them. Batches since then have very good long lasting head with no carapils.

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What is your current rinsing method? Right now, when I pour a beer I take the empty bottle, fill part way with tap water and shake. I do that a few times until its clear. Than I store them until its time to sanitize for the next batch.

I now double rinse when the bottles are emptied and store them for the next bottling session. Then I simply double rinse them again and sanitize them.

The only time this has bitten me is when I have given out samples and got back a bottle that hadn't been rinsed well enough. I didn't notice the little bit of yeast in the bottom but it was enough to make one of my brews create a couple bottle bombs. I really pay attention to bottle when they are returned now.

Since the proper answers have already been identified I will simply suggest more snuggling and talking to your beer about its day, before opening.

Sorry