How do you get foam in a root beer?

Okay, I've been messing with a root beer extract, and found a taste I like (still have a lot of messing to do). But how do you get a nice foamy head?

I used 1 gallon water. 3 Tablespoons McCormick rootbeer extract. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. 2.5 cups sugar (could bring this down to 2 cups). Used a candy thermometer to make sure I kept the temperature about right (last batch I went too hot and cooked off all the extract flavors). Used 1/8 teaspoon ale yeast.

Well, the taste is okay. But I want a foamy head! What do I need to add? And how do I add body to it?


(also, I'd prefer to go with natural ingredients - but can you get safrole-free sassafras? Or should you just mess with extracts? Or can you get a rootbeer flavor without using sassafras?)

Hops?

do a partial mash with some wheat for head retention

Molasses. 1/2 cup in 5 gallons ought to be sufficient

doobliebop said:

do a partial mash with some wheat for head retention

Click to expand...

I was thinking carapils.


Glad somebody has some helpful info though.

Has anyone tried the homemadesodacompany foam enhancer? Looks like they were part of hoptech. I was thinking of trying one of their extracts, and wasn't sure what chemicals are in the foam enhancer, or if it works well.

And thanks for the recommendations above. Some seem a little more advanced for my third try at root beer, but definately worth checking into. But I think I WILL try a little molasses, or perhaps switch from cane sugar to brown sugar (brown sugar has molasses in it, right? - now it's off to check!).

Anyway - thanks. I'll try molasses (or brown sugar). If that doesn't do it, then I'll try foam enhancer.

callmebruce - Any luck with the molasses or brown sugar? I too am having trouble getting foam in my root beer. I ordered the foam enhancer from homemade soda co, but haven't used it yet. I did ask them what it contained, and here it the response:

My foam enhancer is a sparkling foam & a foam stabillizer mix. The main ingrediant is Aqueous extractions of Yucca, propylene glycol Alginate & citric acid.

I knew yucca extract was used to create foam in root beer, but could never find a source for it. I'm not real sure how much to add either, so a little experimenting is in order.

I've used the foam enhancer in the past and it does help. I haven't made root beer in a while, but I think I added something like a quarter or half teaspoon to a two liter bottle.

smellysell said:

I was thinking carapils.


Glad somebody has some helpful info though.

Click to expand...

Flaked barley is cheaper than Carapils and also works wonders.

I wonder if regular old pectin would work. Had a cyser going a little while ago that I could've brewed in a saucepan, the krauzen on it was so thick..

was going to make the hose suggestion but after re reading your post I see you are fermenting............no clue but the molases worked for me with force carbonation

I use maltodextrine in my homemade soda to help with body. It seems to improve head retention too. I make syrup though and add carbed water to taste.

So I know that this might sound a bit back alley, but what about non toxic liquid soap? 1/2 drop per liter and I can't taste it in root beer, but the foam stays.

Ultimately you need a surfactant like yucca root extract(I couldn't find this anywhere), but that is what makes the bubbles stay not under carbonation. Think suds bucket, has no carbonation.

Try different amounts in a pint of water whisk a bit look at suds, then taste. Us the least amount possible then scale it up. If you force carb, the carbonation is there it just is letting the bubbles pop too easily.

Do you wash your glasses in a dishwasher? Certain soaps kill suds! Ask your favorite bartender to sample their glass wash and try it again.

I know a long time ago, the brewing industry used Gum Arabic to enhance foam.
Don't know the first thing about it but I know that they did it at least as an experiment.

I used glycerine and lactose in my last batch of root beer. You could float a bottle cap on it the head with no soapy taste

1/2 cup molasses will do the trick

Yucca extract & malto dextrin is the same thing. Malto = tapioca starch = made from yucca.

Definitely adds foam retention. Gum Arabic is a pricey way to add foam and needs to be done at the end and carefully so you don't make it thick. Can make a nice simple syrup with it for adding foam to whatever in the fly.

I just saw this forum topic after trying to figure out why beer and root beer foam. I was trying to create a recipe and needed the reason foam happened.
What I read was that with both the protein content was important. The proteins stretch, causing the head. Sassafras, birch bark, grains, quallia, and yucca have proteins. With beer it was said that the alcohol percentage, pH, and protein were factors. Too high or too low alcohol percentage prevented a head. 5% was ideal. I don't know how that relates to root beer unless trying an alcoholic brew.

These were two articles I found:

http://alansmysteriousworld.wordpre...te-more-foam-than-colas-or-other-soft-drinks/

http://www.livescience.com/33128-why-does-beer-foam-.html

I hope this helps for the other mad scientists among us.

Related to above, you need to use the actual spices, not an extract. Then you'll have more foam than you could ever want.

One thing I've noticed. It seems like the longer I let my primed bottles age, the more substantial the head. Of course, the yeast will consume all of your sweetness unless you use an un-fermentable sweetener. I could be way off base here. I've never tested it, and there are a lot of factors at play; just something I took note of.