Does Pumpkin increase head retention?

[DonQuixote]

I brewed a pumpkin ale on 9/28. It's still bubbling sending a bubble through the blow off tube about every 10 seconds. There is still a krausen about an inch thick. Is the pumpking keeping the head on this batch?

 

[bruteforce]

I wouldn't think so. I haven't had a super long lasting krausen on my pumpkin beers. What has caused it before for me was fermenting a little too cool. Bumping it from 64 to 70 after 10 days fixed it up quickly for me.

 

[DonQuixote]

I don't think that's it. I used S-05 and had it at a constant 68 degrees.

 

[Brew_G]

You can do everything seemingly the same for two beers with the same exact grain bills, yeast, and ferm temps, and the fermentations for each could proceed differently. I wouldn't worry about it at all.

Check the SG to see if it's done. If so, cold crash if you want the kräusen to drop. Otherwise, go ahead and package as normal if FG has been reached.

 

[DonQuixote]

Thanks G, I wasn't too concerned about it but this is my first time using pumpkin (actually Acorn squash) and it seemed unusual. I'm expecting this to be a good batch. I tried 1st wort hopping for the first time too. Gordon Strong seemed very hip to this procedure in his book Brewing Better Beer so I'm curious if I can taste the difference.