Helles - Getting a nice big foamy head

[BarnabyHooge]

I'm going to be doing a smoked Munich helles pretty soon here and I was wondering if anyone had a recomendation on what can be done to get one of those 2 inch fuluffy white heads a lot of lagers seem to come with. Right now the grist will be about 85% base malt and 15% munich. Would a 1/2 pound of white wheat help or will the the above be all I need? I'm thinking of mashing in at 149.

 

[SpanishCastleAle]

Try some Carafoam. I'm doing a Helles in two weeks and it's just Pils/Munich/Carafoam.

 

[BarnabyHooge]

I don't want to add much body. Maybe I'm looking for the impossible...

 

[Beerrific]

I think a small amount of wheat could work well.

 

[Windigstadt]

When I brewed my Helles I did both 1/2 lb. Carafoam and 1/2 lb. Carahell for a 5-gallon batch. Personally, I think it was the best beer I've made in my 5+ years of homebrewing and I wouldn't say it had too much body.

 

[DKershner]

Small amounts of flaked barley should do it, but wheat would work too.

 

[SpanishCastleAle]

Small amounts of flaked barley should do it, but wheat would work too.

These will both work but might add too much haze to the beer. Since a Helles is so light/clear I would use Carafoam and then adjust the mash temp to dial in the body.

Looking at the BJCP guidelines:

Mouthfeel: Medium body, medium carbonation, smooth maltiness with no trace of astringency.

Overall Impression: Malty but fully attenuated Pils malt showcase.

In order to get medium body and fully attenuated and also get the extra head formation/retention, Carafoam seems like the perfect grain imo.

 

[Beerrific]

These will both work but might add too much haze to the beer. Since a Helles is so light/clear I would use Carafoam and then adjust the mash temp to dial in the body.

Looking at the BJCP guidelines:

In order to get medium body and fully attenuated and also get the extra head formation/retention, Carafoam seems like the perfect grain imo.

Wheat does not necessarily add haze. Proper wort production with a low percentage of wheat and a proper lagering phase should produce a crystal clear beer.

The Cara malts will add body and body helps build foam. In the case of wheat, you are trying to add some protein that helps build foam stability without any added body.

 

[SpanishCastleAle]

Wheat does not necessarily add haze. Proper wort production with a low percentage of wheat and a proper lagering phase should produce a crystal clear beer.

The Cara malts will add body and body helps build foam. In the case of wheat, you are trying to add some protein that helps build foam stability without any added body.

Don't disagree with either of those statements (although longer proteins are added body but I think you covered that with the 'proper wort production' caveat )...but still think Carafoam is the better choice.

 

[Homercidal]

Does the Helles style even call for much head? Some beers are just made to have the head die off pretty quickly.

 

[menschmaschine]

Does the Helles style even call for much head?

Well, I don't know what BJCP has to say about it, but this is my authority on the subject.