What affects the head?

Hello everyone! Today is the day that home brewers get excited for. The day you get to taste your hard work. For me, at least. I brewed a peanut butter Porter and it turned out great...except the head is small or very quick to dissipate. What affects this? It's bubbling like a soda, but the bubbles act like soda bubbles, too. Gone in a flash.

 

Oils can kill head.. such as oils in peanut butter or peanut butter flavored cereal. Soap can kill head if the bottles or keg weren't completely rinsed. Too much irish moss in the boil can kill the head retention by dropping out all of the head retaining proteins.

 

beer always affects my head. sometimes it makes things all spinny.

 

So it was quite probably the peanut butter. Everything ease that you've mentioned either wasn't used or was done well.

 

I've seen powdered peanut butter at Walmart. That might be better to fix some head issues with that beer. Head is formed by dissolved proteins & driven by the carbonation once poured.

 

I used powdered peanut butter. The taste is there. A real in-your- face peanut butter experience. It may just be my bottle carbonation. Some of the bottles have produced a head, and others haven't. Carbonation is pretty even from the almost dozen that I've either drank or seen opened by friends.

 

Also high fermentation temps, and under pitching/sloppy fermentation usually effect head more than most things, after you account for oils and soap. The times ive gotten soda like heads are usually when fermentation didnt go well.

 

What Vco2 did you carbonate them too? Maybe add a little carapils to the steep/mash next time for more heading proteins?

 

If bottle conditioned, has it been in bottles for three weeks?

 

Like others said, it's most likely from the peanut oils.(Think of that gross trick from college -- where people rub their nose and use their face oils to get rid of excessive head from an over pumped keg)

Some bottles having head and others don't may be from an uneven distribution of priming sugar, or varying bottle conditioning temps. (Like if a box of beer is by a window and half is getting warmed by sunlight.)

 

I second the powdered peanut butter. Works like a charm.

 

Many things can affect head size and retention. Also, many things can enhance head size and retention. Carapils, oats and other grains/malts have a noticeable effect on head and body of a beer. Oils can certainly reduce the head of any beer. It may be this was from the peanut oils or it could be adding some other grain can improve it. Keep reading and learning, then brew til you get it right!

 

I find that lots of alcohol affects the head. I can just never remember how much.

 

Was this a one time problem or a common problem?

 

I used a combination of powdered peanut butter, PB extract, and a 2 boxes of captain crunch for my PB stout. Its got what id consider normal head retention

 

It's a common problem every time.

 

I've only made this one once. So signs are pointing to my priming sugar distribution or to the oils in the peanut butter powder. I could have gently stirred with a sanitized spoon, but I didn't. Live and learn. I'll definitely make this one again. It turned out great, other than the head retention.

 

I should have been more specific...all recipes or just this recipe comes out without the head.

You can try a step mash with protein rest and a mash out, add some dextrinous malt, make sure the boil is vigorous and maybe try a little longer boil.

 

Lots of jewelry helps!!!!!!

 

More to do with volume than process.

 

@Weezy I've only brewed this once. I want to start looking into an all grain recipe for it.