How can I reduce an overly "frothy" head?

[boarderx3120]

I've made a number of IPAs over the years and one thing I've never had any problems with is head retention. I always get a super thick, super white, frothy pillowy head that seemingly lasts an eternity. Although its always appreciated, I'd like to try and thin that out a bit on some of my dryer examples, as the thickness of the foam leads to a creamy mouthfeel that doesn't work well with the dryness of the finished beer. They almost lack "crispness" if that makes sense. I typically use 2-row as my base with a bit of crystal, occasionally a handful of wheat or pilsen. Always very simple yet always the same head. So how can I make a thinner, quicker dissipating head on my dryer pales and IPAs?

 

[MrPowers]

What is your typical mash schedule? Typical boil vigor? Typical yeast/carbonation method?

 

[day_trippr]

Use more dry hops maybe?
The heavily dry-hopped neipa's I've been doing pour with a nice head that doesn't hang around for long.
I attribute that to all the hop oils...

Cheers!

 

[boarderx3120]

I mash low, usually somewhere between 148 and 152 for 50 minutes, add enough boiling water to get me to 165-170 for 10 minutes, batch sparge with 170. I boil for 60 minutes as hard as my anvil burner will let me. Fairly vigorous. I almost exclusively use Bells yeast that I harvest from their bottles and after each new starter, but sometimes 1056 or omega west coast ale if I have it. Keg carbonate at about 13psi. Sometimes burst, sometimes low and slow.

 

[boarderx3120]

I try to dry hop on the heavy side. 3oz per 5 gallons seems to be my usual target

 

[day_trippr]

fwiw, I've been using between 6 and 8 ounces per 5 gallons in these brews.
Might be too much for a really dry IPA...

Cheers!

 

[cloudybrewer]

Use your finger to rub some oil off your nose and swirl it around in the foam.

17th century brewer's secret.

 

[ccous]

Well that’s the kind of problem you want to have

 

[Northern_Brewer]

Foam physics comes down largely to protein content, which is why wheat gets added to improve head retention, but I'd be looking closely at the specifications of your base malt for its nitrogen content, you might want to look at a lower N malt.

Also serving can have a big effect, British pubs obsess over different sizes of sparkler for the right presentation of different beers in cask, but in keg the usual thing to look at is serving temperature, and in particular whether beer is getting warm in the lines between keg and tap.

 

[boarderx3120]

At 6-8oz per 5 gallon, I wouldn't be able to afford this hobby!

 

[bleme]

At 6-8oz per 5 gallon, I wouldn't be able to afford this hobby!

If you are paying $3/oz it is pretty expensive, but you can save a ton if you get your hops by the pound.

 

[day_trippr]

Oh man, if I wasn't buying hops by the pound these neipas would be particularly precious.
Recipes are all around 1-1/2 pounds per 10 gallon batch...

Cheers!

 

[boarderx3120]

Oh man, if I wasn't buying hops by the pound these neipas would be particularly precious.
Recipes are all around 1-1/2 pounds per 10 gallon batch...

Cheers!

I guess I need to step up my hop game!

 

[Comfort_Zone]

Nix the wheat, it's definitely increasing your foam. Raise your mash temp. Don't be afraid to get close to 160F, and carb toward the higher end. Not like a Belgian but definitely higher on the range for the style.

 

[Amadeo38]

Nix the wheat, it's definitely increasing your foam. Raise your mash temp. Don't be afraid to get close to 160F, and carb toward the higher end. Not like a Belgian but definitely higher on the range for the style.

OP said they are trying to make a drier beer...mashing at 160 is ridiculous and would be the opposite of the goal.

I do agree that cutting the wheat would help. Also, you could cut your serving pressure from 13psi to 10 and see if that helps. Also, if you’re trying to make a drier beer with less head, cut the crystal malt and use something more fermentable with a little bit of color.

 

[thehaze]

For a drier IPA, I would:

- mash low 147-149F for 90 minutes
- use a pale/pilsner malt combination with no Crystal malts, Munich,Vienna added
- swap a portion of the grainbill ( 5-10% ) with simple beet/cane sugar
- try to get a lower FG: somewhere between 1.007 and 1.010
- go for 2.7-2.8 vol CO2
- add more hops during whirlpool and dry hopping

 

[Comfort_Zone]

OP said they are trying to make a drier beer...mashing at 160 is ridiculous and would be the opposite of the goal.

I do agree that cutting the wheat would help. Also, you could cut your serving pressure from 13psi to 10 and see if that helps. Also, if you’re trying to make a drier beer with less head, cut the crystal malt and use something more fermentable with a little bit of color.

The whole FG being the end-all-be-all of whether a beer is rich or dry is kinda BS. Mashing higher will help with reducing the foam. Using a crystal malt will also help, ironically.

http://brulosophy.com/2015/10/12/the-mash-high-vs-low-temperature-exbeeriment-results/

 

[Lefou]

The Brulosophy experiment proved dryness can be based on perception despite the FG of the finished beer. Dextrins or complex sugars are still there but may not be tasted, something I find interesting.
I would second the reduction or removal of any wheat as it would reduce the foaming potential between hops and proteins. You might also consider altering the sulfate content of your water and work on achieving a good "hot break" during the boil.

 

[hgibney]

For a drier IPA, I would:

- mash low 147-149F for 90 minutes
- use a pale/pilsner malt combination with no Crystal malts, Munich,Vienna added
- swap a portion of the grainbill ( 5-10% ) with simple beet/cane sugar
- try to get a lower FG: somewhere between 1.007 and 1.010
- go forfe 2.7-2.8 vol CO2
- add more hops during whirlpool and dry hopping