Head color

[dannypo]

While I was drinking a Dark Horse Fore Stout tonight I noticed how dark the head was. Then I started thinking about a lot of my favorite stouts. Many of them have a chocolate milk colored head. All of my homebrewed stouts have very light heads.

How do I get that dark colored foam?

 

[RainyDay]

Different or more specialty grains. Chocolate malt contributes quite a bit to the head color (and beer color of course). I think black patent also contributes. I go with a pound of chocolate malt in my stout. Its a big beer, but I've also used a pound and a half in an 8% porter.

 

[Gavagai]

According to Briess (http://www.brewingwithbriess.com/Products/Roasted_Barley.htm) and Charlie Papazian, roasted barley (unmalted) contributes to head color, while black patent (malted) does not. I don't know why this is the case, but would be interested in finding out. My guess is you haven't been using much roasted barley in your stouts. I usually add 7-15%, depending on what other grains are in the stout.