Head Retention & Kegging

[michael.berta]

Hi Everyone,

I've noticed that when kegging beer if I put it at 30or 40 PSI and shake the keg for a few minutes when the beer is carbonated and ready to be served there is little to no head retention. When I take a beer and set it to 30psi and don't shake the resulting beer has normal head retention. Anyone know why shaking a keg while carbonating would result in a beer with less head retention?

 

[Walker]

HBT member 944play (I think that's right) posted info talking about how the proteins that make the foam in beer are a one time thing. If you shake the keg to carbonate, it foams inside the keg during this and the coagulated protiens are done. This leaves no proteins to form a head in the glass later when you want to drink the beer.

I have not experienced this myself. The few kegs I have shaken had good head and retention, but the reasoning that 944play gave does make sense.

 

[DrawTap88]

I read the same thing in BYO a few months back, but haven't had that problem from shaking my kegs. What I have seen is that if I have a beer before it is fully carbed, I get the head loss, but once it's been sitting for a few days the head turns out fine.

 

[Walker]

I found the other thread with the comments from 944play in it:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/force-carbing-serving-pressure-189338/