Head Retention?

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Anon

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Hello all,

Just brewed my first batch of beer which was the Caribou Slobber kit from Northern Brewer. Fermented for 19 days and put it in the keg for 5 days at 12 psi. First pour had a great head and great retention. Next pour had zero head? Does my beer need to be carbed longer than 5 days to keep a good head on all pours? Thanks guys! I'm also serving as 12 psi too.
 
looks like i'm being a little hasty! 2-3 weeks seems to be more normal for a good head/carbonation to be consistent in a keg
 
Head retention is not really derived from carbonation. Force carbonation will contribute to amount of volumes in a liquid. Recipe formulation can be directly reltated to head retention. Gas in a bottle of beer or keg of beer is equal in both the headspace and liquid (aka. it is at equalibrium). When you crack a bottle, psssssssst, you create an imbalance thus the CO2 escapes the liquid causing the bubbles in the liquid and foam when poured. The gas will continue to escape the liquid until it reaches equalibrium hence why carbonated liquids go flat. So the amount of volumes placed into the liquid will determine the amount of bubbles that escape the liquid.

However there is much more to the formation of head than carbonation. Beer is complex conatining many different compounds that both promote and deter head stability. In short less fats, oils and detergents in your recipe and a more settling out of trub will help reduce head stability deterents. More protiens and glycoproteins will help bolster frothiness.

A touch of wheat can go a long way when formulationg recipes.

-WW
 
Edwort states that about 8 oz. of flaked barely in a 5 gallon batch should give you some amazing head ;)
 
You might have been experiencing foam during your first pour. I get that when I first tap a keg. Could have been warm lines or over-carbonation. once everything equalizes the beer has a lot less head.

2 weeks At serving temperature is about right to get it fully carbed.
 
I struggled badly with head retention and began using 1 lb of Bavarian wheat DME or more in each brew. Never had a problem since, although I know that the Briess pilsen LME that I generally use was made with carapils, which should give it good head retention so I'll be skipping the wheat DME to see how I like it.
 
interesting guys! well the first pour had a good head but now my pours tonight hardly have anything. I will try not to get hasty and also remember the tip about one pound of wheat!
 
um the LME is northern brewer brand and the DME was Briess
 
It might be recipe related, and not your kegging process. I did a bottled batch of Caribou Slobber, and the taste was good (great to some, but I wanted more flavor!) ; and I was disappointed in the lack of nice foamy head...
 
What I have been doing, and according to everything I've read it shouldn't work (but seems too), is adding between 4oz and 8oz of flaked oats to my steeping grains. Just mixing them in with the rest of the grains in the bag.

Everything I've read (here and books) say that it shouldn't work, as it needs to fully mash to work, but I am getting results with this method.

It has just become standard practice for me, if I'm using a kit from a retailer or a home-grown recipe, and I haven't yet found a downside.
 
MarkB said:
What I have been doing, and according to everything I've read it shouldn't work (but seems too), is adding between 4oz and 8oz of flaked oats to my steeping grains. Just mixing them in with the rest of the grains in the bag.

Everything I've read (here and books) say that it shouldn't work, as it needs to fully mash to work, but I am getting results with this method.

It has just become standard practice for me, if I'm using a kit from a retailer or a home-grown recipe, and I haven't yet found a downside.
Click to expand...

thanks for the tip! :tank:
 
Willie3 said:
Head retention is not really derived from carbonation. Force carbonation will contribute to amount of volumes in a liquid. Recipe formulation can be directly reltated to head retention. Gas in a bottle of beer or keg of beer is equal in both the headspace and liquid (aka. it is at equalibrium). When you crack a bottle, psssssssst, you create an imbalance thus the CO2 escapes the liquid causing the bubbles in the liquid and foam when poured. The gas will continue to escape the liquid until it reaches equalibrium hence why carbonated liquids go flat. So the amount of volumes placed into the liquid will determine the amount of bubbles that escape the liquid.

However there is much more to the formation of head than carbonation. Beer is complex conatining many different compounds that both promote and deter head stability. In short less fats, oils and detergents in your recipe and a more settling out of trub will help reduce head stability deterents. More protiens and glycoproteins will help bolster frothiness.

A touch of wheat can go a long way when formulationg recipes.

-WW
Click to expand...

I also have consistently had problems with head retention from my wheat beers. I brewed a few batches of witbier utilizing S-33 yeast and 1/3 of the grain bill was raw wheat milled with the rest of the grain, as well as probably 10% pre-gelatinized oats. Recently I brewed a golden strong with the same grain proportions with T-58 yeast and AGAIN I pour it to no basically no head retention at all.

This has consistently been happening with the beers that have high proportions of wheat. Do I need to use something other than raw wheat berries that have been milled? My best head retention comes from all-malt pale ales. I could really use some help on this, it's driving me nuts. I know it's not glassware--I've already barked up that tree a few times to no seeming effect.
 

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