Head retention tricks?

[erockomania]

I've heard of some folks using specific grains to get nice head retention... carafoam, etc... but is there anything else to it? There are some beers out there that have absolutely perfect head retention and other that don't. Are there other tricks?

 

[Yooper]

Some beers have great head retention due to the ingredients- hoppy beers for example, and wheat beers.

For other beers, sometimes adding a head retention ingredient does the trick. Flaked wheat or flaked barley or carapils or crystal malts all help with foam and head retention.

 

[ThreeDogsNE]

Using a protein rest may help (or may not, depending). Shamelessly copied from "How to Brew" by John Palmer. "The typical Protein Rest at 120 - 130°F is used to break up proteins which might otherwise cause chill haze and can improve the head retention. This rest should only be used when using moderately-modified malts, or when using fully modified malts with a large proportion (>25%) of unmalted grain, e.g. flaked barley, wheat, rye, or oatmeal. Using this rest in a mash consisting mainly of fully modified malts would break up the proteins responsible for body and head retention and result in a thin, watery beer. The standard time for a protein rest is 20 - 30 minutes". I have only used the rest on wheat beers, and get great foam from them, but more retention with German malts. Based on this, I'll try skipping the protein rest on my next American wheat and see how it compares.

 

[RM-MN]

Another trick I learned by accident is to rinse, rinse, rinse everything that comes in contact with your wort or beer. A very small amount of residual cleaner in any of these will kill the head, even though it is too small amount to taste.

 

[WhiteDog87]

I tend to get better head retention when I use a higher mash temp, 157-158. It leaves more dextrins and less fermentable sugars after fermentation.

 

[cperry7467]

I just use about 8oz of carapils in almost all my brews, seems to be just the right amount for a 5 gallon batch.