Head and lacing

Hey guys,

I was wondering what ingredients in the beer and what part of the process helps with better retained heads and better lacing.

Aside from the glass and the pouring of the beer - lets talk about the ingredients and process of brewing.

Is it correct that its the protein in the grain that helps with the head? So grains that have higher levels of protein are ideal? So wheat can be used in small amounts with other grains to produce beers just to help with this factor?

As well as the grain, doing a protein rest??? Bringing the Mash to the right temp to let certain enzymes do there thing?

A little help please

Use of about 12 oz (3/4#) Of Carapils malt will lend very good head retention.

You are correct that the addition of wheat will help with head retention. I have never done a protein rest so I will not comment on that. There are several brewers (on podcasts) that add wheat to all their beers to help with head retention.

Protein rests can actually reduce head formation/retention depending on the Soluble Nitrogen Ratio of the malt. Most of the malts available to today's homebrewers are very well modified and would do better without a Protein rest in the low 120s F. However, I have noticed good head formation/retention with an intial rest in the low to mid 130s F. This is called a Protein/Saccharification rest. All this depends, of course, on what type of malt your using. It's not recommended to do any Protein-related rests on Marris Otter, for example.