Consistent Head Retention Problems

[brewolero]

I have consistently had problems with head retention from my wheat beers. I brewed a batch 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.

I've pasted the three recipes I've used this in and would love some help troubleshooting.

Witbier No. I

Recipe Specs
—————-
Batch Size (L): 5.0
Total Grain (kg): 1.293
Total Hops (g): 5.00
Original Gravity (OG): 1.051 (°P): 12.6
Final Gravity (FG): 1.013 (°P): 3.3
Alcohol by Volume (ABV): 5.01 %
Colour (SRM): 4.1 (EBC): 8.1
Bitterness (IBU): 13.2 (Average)
Brewhouse Efficiency (%): 65
Boil Time (Minutes): 60

Grain Bill
—————-
0.792 kg Pilsner (61.25%)
0.396 kg Flaked Wheat (30.63%)
0.079 kg Flaked Oats (6.11%)
0.026 kg Aromatic Malt (2.01%)

Hop Bill
—————-
5.0 g Willamette Pellet (4.7% Alpha) @ 60 Minutes (Boil) (1 g/L)

Misc Bill
—————-
8.0 g Coriander Seed @ 1 Minutes (Boil)
1.0 g Cumin @ 1 Minutes (Boil)
26.0 g Orange Peel @ 1 Minutes (Boil)

Single step Infusion at 66°C for 60 Minutes.
Fermented at 27°C with Safbrew S-33


Honey Sage Golden Strong
Belgian Golden Strong Ale

Recipe Specs
----------------
Batch Size (L): 19.0
Total Grain (kg): 7.500
Total Hops (g): 20.00
Original Gravity (OG): 1.088 (°P): 21.1
Final Gravity (FG): 1.016 (°P): 4.1
Alcohol by Volume (ABV): 9.48 %
Colour (SRM): 4.3 (EBC): 8.5
Bitterness (IBU): 28.3 (Average)
Brewhouse Efficiency (%): 65
Boil Time (Minutes): 60

Grain Bill
----------------
3.500 kg Pilsner (46.67%)
2.000 kg Flaked Wheat (Trigo)(26.67%)
1.000 kg Honey (13.33%)
0.500 kg Cane Sugar (6.67%)
0.500 kg Flaked Oats (Avena) (6.67%)

Hop Bill
----------------
20.0 g Columbus Pellet (12% Alpha) @ 60 Minutes (Boil) (1.1 g/L)

Misc Bill
----------------
38.0 g Sage (Salvia) @ 10 Minutes (Boil) Fresh sage = best
19.0 g Sage @ 0 Minutes (Boil)

Single step Infusion at 66°C for 60 Minutes.
Fermented at 18°C with Safbrew T-58


Honey Sage Saison

Recipe Specs

Original Gravity Final Gravity Colour (SRM / EBC) Bitterness Alcohol by Volume
1.062 1.013 4.1
/
8.1 31.4 IBU 6.4%
Brewhouse Specs

Recipe Type Batch Size Boil Time Efficiency
All Grain 5.0 Litres / 1.3 Gal 60.0 min 65.0%
Fermentables

Name Type SRM Percentage Amount
Pilsner Grain 1.7 46.75 % 0.79 Kg / 1.75 Lbs
Flaked Wheat Adjunct 1.6 23.67 % 0.40 Kg / 0.87 Lbs
Cane Sugar Sugar 0.0 8.28 % 0.14 Kg / 0.30 Lbs
Flaked Oats Adjunct 1.0 4.73 % 0.08 Kg / 0.17 Lbs
Aromatic Malt Grain 20.0 1.67 % 0.03 Kg / 0.06 Lbs
Honey Sugar 1.0 14.79 % 0.25 Kg / 0.05 Lbs
1.69
Hops

Name AA% Amount Use Time
Palisade 7.8% 5.00 g / 0.18 oz Boil 60 mins
Palisade 7.8% 3.00 g / 0.11 oz Boil 30 mins
Palisade 7.8% 3.00 g / 0.11 oz Boil 10 mins
Misc

Name Amount Use Time
Sage 10.00 g / 0.35 oz Boil 10 mins
Sage 5.00 g / 0.18 oz Boil 0 mins
Yeast

Name Attenuation
Safbrew T-58 75 %
Mash Steps

Step Name Time Temperature Type
Saccharification Rest 60.0 min 66.0 °C / 150.8 °F Infusion
Notes

22 Sept 2012 – Transferred to secondary. SG was at 1.010, so 6.9% ABV.Added 250 g of honey and bumped gravity up to 1.030. Actually around 3.7 L worth of drink. Depending on FG, I might dilute it down a bit.
25 Oct 2012 – Well, my hydrometer broke. So let’s assume it’s down to around 1.008 or so. 3.350 L were collected, bottled, and carbonated with 31 g table sugar. Probably around 9.8% ABV.

Later, can’t remember the dates: After bottling, there was no carbonation at all. I emptied all the bottles back into a fermenter on top of a Lalvin 71B yeast cake for two weeks, then re-bottled it, sometime in early November. Then I managed to get carbonation.

 

[Johnnyhitch1]

Didnt read the full post but saw your using RAW wheat.
Raw wheat cannot be mashed and must be gelatinized to bring out more starch for a-amaylse to convert.
Gelatinization improves the availability of starch for amylase hydrolysis.

Are you beers very cloudy and almost slick on the feel?
This is from extra protiens that have coagulated together from not cereal mashing and might be affecting head retention.
Look up a "cereal mash" to gelatanize the raw wheat and get more fermentable starch.

EDIT: wow crazy re-bottling story at the end there, batch didnt taste like cardboard??

 

[bobbrews]

Johnny's response is on target.

Read this and prevent any future issues... it's one of the best BYO articles ever published:

http://byo.com/all-grain-brewing/item/1497-the-science-of-step-mashing

 

[billl]

You posted raw wheat up top, but then flaked wheat in the recipe. Which did you use? Flaked wheat is ready to go straight in the mash. Raw wheat needs a cereal mash.

 

[brewolero]

@Johnnyhitch1: tasted fine, although I learned that Belgian yeast + wine yeast does not = Saison. Such is life. For the life of me I can't find a Saison yeast anywhere in South America. And thanks for the feedback! You're right on with cloudy and slick mouthfeel.

@bobbrews: Yesssss...thanks for that.

@bill: I didn't know the difference between the two and figured it came down to how it was milled. Obviously I was pretty wrong. Any suggestions on how I might list it in BrewMate (i.e. gravity points per pound)?

And finally, does this also apply to oats? That is, should I not list the oats I boil first as flaked oats? Am I off on that as well?