Fast fading head

[reinstone]

Hi I have three lagers that are very tasty. Right now I am pouring them from a picnic tap. They have been carbonated for a few weeks. When I pour the beer there is a head but the bubbles are large and they pop quickly. What gives?

 

[Yooper]

Do you have a very clean glass? I sometimes do a "salt scrub" on my glass, by moistening the glass inside and then sprinkling salt in it, and rubbing it around with my hand to scour the glass, then rinse well. I pour a beer then, and get a true picture of the head and the lacing that results. Try that first, and then look at the carb level of the beer. What's the fridge temp and the psi on the regulator, and are the lines long enough? That's the next thing to look at.

Lastly, the grainbill plays a part as well. With hoppy beer, it's never an issue because hops create great head and lacing but with lagers and other malt-forward beers, some carapils can really help.

 

[reinstone]

The beers were made with carapils and recipes that have been fine in the past. My ales have a head. I am pouring out of a picnic tap with only three feet of beer line but I am pouring at like 1 psi. The beers are at 38 and sitting at 12 psi when not in use. I let the pressure out of the keg before pouring.

The bubbles are large so maybe it's the rapid depressurization when coming from the keg in this manner.


I'll try the glass trick. Thanks.

Ps it reminded me of pouring a fountain diet coke.

 

[Yooper]

Oh, I'd be willing to bet it's from pouring at a low psi with a short beer line. That would explain it. The big bubbles are from that, as it co2 is "knocked" out of suspension as the c02 tries to find equilibrium, and then being poured out of a short line. If you just change the lines to 10' of beer line, and pour at 10-11 psi, the issue would be fixed.

 

[reinstone]

Oh, I'd be willing to bet it's from pouring at a low psi with a short beer line. That would explain it. The big bubbles are from that, as it co2 is "knocked" out of suspension as the c02 tries to find equilibrium, and then being poured out of a short line. If you just change the lines to 10' of beer line, and pour at 10-11 psi, the issue would be fixed.

Thanks yoop. I have four taps and four more on the way. I try to keep this beer off the tap cause I'm supposed to be saving it for a party.

Just to make sure, are you saying I need 10ft of 1/4 inch beer line in the kegerator. I was using 8 I think. Maybe my line is 3/16 id. Does that make a difference?

I'm also clearing the beer now once I do the final transfers ill hook them up.

 

[reinstone]

Screw it, I'll just hook up 10 ft of beer line to the picnic tap for now. :rockin:

 

[Yooper]

T

Just to make sure, are you saying I need 10ft of 1/4 inch beer line in the kegerator. I was using 8 I think. Maybe my line is 3/16 id. Does that make a difference?

No, I meant 10-12' of 3/16" line, even with a picnip tap. It'll balance the 12 psi or whatever your pressure is.

 

[reinstone]

Thanks again. Gonna need the 100 ft roll! Got 8 taps to take care of.

 

[MK2MS]

Well man, could be a lot of factors I would say:

• A poor rinsing on the glass that you've poured
• Fat on the glass or the keg/bottle
• Soap or chemicals on the keg/bottle (from the sanitization for example)
• High protein denaturating proccess on mash or boil (probably boil)
• Not enough maturating time (at chill) to stabilizing the foam formation and head retention
• Lack of hop compounds on the fermentable wort or grist with low-level protein during the mash

Such a great literacy just ahead:
Brew Your Own - Fabulous Foam

 

[reinstone]

Maybe I'm guilty of letting the beer foam during transfer I use a spundling valve though. I tried 10 ft of beer line and salt glass to no avail.

 

[reinstone]

Maybe I'm guilty of letting the beer foam during transfer I use a spundling valve though. I tried 10 ft of beer line and salt glass to no avail.

See how large the bubbles are?

 

[reinstone]

Okay. Maybe it's nothing. I'm drinking a weinhistephaner in may garage in a clean glass.....no head. Maybe it's the fact that its almost 100 degrees.

 

[MikeInMKE]

Man, that's a bummer. Head is very important in a relationship.

 

[reinstone]

So I took the beer to a party today. I used beer line to pour the beer into a cold growler...the line was cold to. At the party the head was perfect on the beer. Had to be the temp change of pouring the the hot garage.