Head Retention

[pstant]

What can I add to an extract brew to maintain head retention?

 

[DudleyDoLeft]

there are several ways to try to get better head retention.

It starts with not losing head in the first place though cleaning procedure. or perhaps minimizing certain adjuncts.

-Some DME's powders add head retention.
-some people use a bit or wheat.
-you could try crushing and steeping 1/2-1 lb Carapils then adding that since it is a small amount and only needs a single temp hold for 30-60mins it wouldn't be that much of a burden to do and strain off then add to the boil.
-there are specific products sold for head retention.

 

[Dixon9717]

Don't marry it........

 

[RM-MN]

Many people have problems keeping a head on their beer because of the anti-spotting agent used in the dishwasher. That will leave just enough residue to wipe out the head on your beer without you being able to taste it. Most extract beers will create a decent head without any further additions but will lose it quickly. Try washing your serving glasses by hand and rinse them well. That may take care of the problem.

 

[Patrick87]

I use Munton's Light DME pretty much exclusively, and it's pretty good on it's own even with 1.005-1.007 F.G. beers, but I'll usually add about 4oz of Carapils just to help it out. A lot of my IPA's recipes even have ~5% simple sugar added to them, and head retention is never an issue.

 

[Sailingeric]

I use about a .5 pound of carafoam steeped and that has seem to give a nice head.

 

[Revvy]

If it's extract with steeping grains then throw a half pound of carapils into whatever recipe you build. If you're brewing extract only you don't have much control, because you don't really know what's in the blend. Even then I would get into steeping and go with the carpils, even with allgrain recipes I toss in a small amount, like for my IPAs, just to make sure.

There's a great article on "getting good head" in Penthou....er I mean BYO magazine.

I was trying to remember what other grains can be steeped for head and found an old thread on this subject from 2010, some good ideas in there as well.

 

[kristiismean]

when an extract recipe has sugar, substitue dme instead.

but it's possible to get good head from extracts, about 3/4 of my beers do.

 

[AZBeer]

If you are using DME and some Sugar, and there is a recipe that calls for a small amount of Wheat...would that be something you could steep like a specialty grain? Or would it be better to use some wheat DME?

I looked at that link from Revvy, kind of seems like both steeping and substiting some wheat DME were suggested...

 

[pstant]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I've talked to a few others and they've suggested flaked barley like half a pound.