Head Retention/Carbonation Issues

[rodwha]

Took pictures just after the pour, 1 min later, and 5 mins later.

I'll present as much information as I think may be in question beginning with my water, which I filter with a faucet type Pur filter.

Ca 38
Mg 21
SO 25
Na 22
Cl 37
HCO 192

My water tastes very good right out of the tap (no filtering) unlike where I moved from which smelled/tasted like pool water.

I diluted my 4.7 gals with 75% with RO/distilled water and added 2.2g gypsum, 2.5g cal chl, 2g epsom, and 2g salt which should have given me:

Ca 80
Mg 17
SO 124
Na 52
Cl 151
HCO 48

Used 7 qts for mash for 4.25 lbs of grains (a little thin). I began at 154* after a 7 min check period (adding strike water and stirring). After 35 mins I was at 152* and did not note my final temp but I'd guess it was 148-150*.

I sparged with about 2 gals through my colander (only for brewing) using treated water and will often dunk my grain bag in what's remaining that's in my brew pot (excess from mash/sparge water). I use the base of a cup to squeeze the bag and then gravity to pull more while it's boiling which I add periodically.

4 lbs pilsen LME (FO)
3 lbs 2-row
1/2 lb crystal 20
1/2 lb soft white wheat berries (pulsed in blender)
1/4 lb carapils
3/4 oz Mt Hood @ 77 mins
1/4 oz Mt Hood @ 21 mins
3 1/2 jalapeños & 1/2 Whirlflock tab @ 7 mins
3 1/2 jalapeños for 7 day "dry pepper"
US-05 rehydrated

Fermented at 64* for 7 days and pulled to rise to ~73* for 14 days. Conditioned 21 days.

At Pour:

After ~1 min:

After ~5 mins and stays this way for 10-15 mins:

I carbonated to 2.4 vols with corn sugar, though I forgot to note this too. I use NB's calculator and account for ~1 qt of trub loss.

 

[Hang Glider]

looks normal to me - it's not soda pop; my carbonation isn't usually very visible, but is discernible on the tongue. If you lift it an inch and drop it on that granite, does that loosen up some bubbles?

only problem I see is a lack of 'lacing', where the foam sticks to the sides of the glass as it goes down - perhaps that glass isn't squeaky clean...

 

[rodwha]

I soak my glasses in a jar of Star-San and then give 'em a quick scrub with the sponge in it. After that I rinse and set in the dishwasher on the dry cycle after the dishes have been washed/rinsed. How clean they are I can only guess, but I read of many who do nothing more than rinse and dry.

One thing I forgot to mention was that I do wash my brew pot, pot mash tun, spoons and most other gear in the dishwasher or with liquid dish soap (I also use that in the dishwasher as opposed to standard dish detergent). This is one area in which I'd be most suspect.

 

[rodwha]

I often get some form of lacing, but many of the commercial beers I drink (mostly IPA's) seem to have more carbonation, better head retention and lacing.

Not sure if it matters or not but the jalapeños that were used for the "dry pepper" were soaked in vodka and all dumped in.

My top off is filtered tap too.

 

[BlueHouseBrewhaus]

With or without the vodka, you may have extracted some oils from jalapenos. If you usually don't have trouble with head retention, I would blame it on that.

 

[Yooper]

Two things- probably not related at all to the retention issues, though!

One, do a "salt scrub" on your glass. That is, moisten the glass inside with water, and then sprinkle with salt. Use your hand, and 'scrub' the glass well with the salt like it was scouring powder, and rinse well. That will give you the cleanest glass possible, and then you can check your foam retention. It's true that any oils will ruin the head retention, so it's most likely recipe related.

Secondly, in all cases keep your chloride under 100 ppm, and in most cases 50-75 ppm would be better. But especially if your sulfate is over 100 ppm- otherwise it's a minerally flavored beer if both are over 100 ppm. The sodium is a bit high, but shouldn't have a flavor impact at only 50ish ppm. I would have cut the salts, alot, leaving out the epsom salts and sodium chloride, and the gypsum. That's not a head retention issue, probably, but it would be a flavor issue for most people.

 

[glenn514]

I had a similar problem, and using the "salt scrub" on my beer-drinking glasses drastically increased the head and the head retention.

glenn514

 

[rodwha]

I have issues, however minor, with the majority (~80%) of my beers. Most aren't a big deal, and quite frankly it's not so much an issue for me but I just know that it's not right.

It may very well be oils with the jalapeños on this one, but it's not uncommon for me, though I've done quite a bit to counter this. This one one is a little worse than usual. Most aren't a big enough deal to complain about.

I tried the salt scrub but saw no difference.

I've certainly been told that How To Brew's online book is a bit outdated, though I'm not certain what's not relevant and why. But it, in conjunction with Brewer's Friend's water calculator is what I've been using to work on my water.

Is chloride OK over 100 ppm as long as SO is below 100?

When given parameters for the various ions I prefer to target the middle or so.

I've targeted the sodium at ~75 as it states that 70-150 ppm "rounds out the beer flavors..."

It seems I'm at the point where I need a better reference...

 

[Yooper]

Here's a great quick discussion of water knowledge, by Martin Brungard (Mabrungard on this forum): https://sites.google.com/site/brunwater/water-knowledge

Scroll down to discussion on ions and how what they do, and how much is preferred. You may very well like more sodium, but then the chloride is too high in your case. https://sites.google.com/site/brunwater/water-knowledge

 

[rodwha]

Thanks for the links Yooper! Again you have saved the day!

I take it you are back in SA? I see you've changed your location. Guess you are loving the more fall-like weather!

 

[Yooper]

Thanks for the links Yooper! Again you have saved the day!

I take it you are back in SA? I see you've changed your location. Guess you are loving the more fall-like weather!

We are on the coast- not far from Corpus Christi. It's been very nice- but rainy today for a change. Today is errand day, as we can't kayak or fish today so we'll be going to town to get groceries and things. It's been very spring-like since last weekend though!

 

[rodwha]

This has been an usual winter.

We are on Austin Lake and the water has been too cold to kayak! We are just downstream from the dam. Even in the summer the water is quite cool. I'm guessing we are getting the water from the base of the lake from the dam.

We moved from San Antonio and like it in Lakeway much better, which is a hop, skip, and jump NW of Austin.

I drank one of my amber's which was one of my first all-grain attempts along with altering my water, and it had a very good head and carbonation.

Thanks for all of your help!