Head Retention + Overpitching

[Killshakes]

I have seen many online discussions refer to a connection between over pitching yeast and head retention problems. These references usually trace back to the book Yeast. I have read the book, and I did not find any explanation for WHY the authors believe this connection exists, or what conditions may produce it, i.e., how much yeast it takes to negatively affect head retention.

I put the question to you guys: Does over pitching actually have a negative effect on head retention, and if so, under what conditions?

I haven't had problems with head retention so far, irrespective of the amount of yeast I've pitched. Have any of you ever noticed this happening with your brews? My two most recent brews are still in the carboys, and both received roughly twice the amount of yeast they would have (theoretically) needed. We'll see how they turn out.

 

[AZCoolerBrewer]

I've mostly made bigger beers. The pitch amounts become pretty ridiculous pretty fast on the calculators so I'm not sure how much I've over pitched, but I am sure I have because I usually pitch the whole package of dry yeast into my a little less than two gallons of wort. When I have had head retention problems it is for other reasons. Usually my beers have big fluffy heads because I like to use Carapils. It just seems to me that other variables are far more important than pitch rate when it comes to head retention.