I can't get head.

[cokronk]

Two beers on tap, both of which are carbonated, and neither has any type of head. One is all grain and one is a True Brew Belgian ale kit.

Where do I start if I'm trying to fix this...other than working on my pickup lines?

 

[Hammy71]

Not all beers will have/keep a head. Depends on the recipe and type of beer. No worries, it's not your keg set-up.

 

[cokronk]

Well the three that I've made so far are a True Brew California Common, the all grain whit bier and the Belgian.

 

[Yooper]

What's the temperature, the psi of the regulator, and the length of time in the kegerator on the gas?

One last question- has your glassware been through the dishwasher?

 

[cokronk]

12 for two weeks. I bumped it up to 16 just now to see if that would have any effect.

My temp regulator is set at 43F with 3F variance, so 40F-46F.

At some point, but I've also used hand washed glasses as well. It pours extremely flat.

 

[likwidbliss]

I made a few true brew kits early on, not bad tasting,very little head though. I started to get recipes from AHS and now create my own, sometimes too much head (is there such a thing?). Certain grains help form and retain head.

+1 on the glassware. I read and experienced certain dishwasher detergents and dish soap affect the head.

 

[Yooper]

12 for two weeks. I bumped it up to 16 just now to see if that would have any effect.

My temp regulator is set at 43F with 3F variance, so 40F-46F.

At some point, but I've also used hand washed glasses as well. It pours extremely flat.

so, you're defying the laws of physics here!

What's the length of the beerline, and do you have foam at all? Or NO carbonation?

 

[cokronk]

No foam. It's carbonated. 2' of CO2 and 3' of beer line.

 

[cokronk]

I just poured a Flying Dog Woody Creek Belgian style wit and there's no head at all on that. It's slightly more carbonated than mine, but overall it's pretty damn close to the wit bier me and a friend brewed. So what beers should I expect a head on?

 

[jonmohno]

Once you start learning grain descriptions you will know,also hops can aid it too. True some beers just dont have alot of head,i drink a fair amount of differnt varities of craft beer and its not uncommon.

 

[Jdm5209]

So we're all mature enough to note the title of this thread and not make any snide comments?? Just curious...

 

[cokronk]

That was my plan.

 

[dfc]

I can't get head either. The wife just had her wisdom teeth removed.

 

[dfc]

So we're all mature enough to note the title of this thread and not make any snide comments?? Just curious...

See my previous post...

 

[mgortel]

LOL......I was surprised with the group of comedians on here that it took so long for a smart comment on the thread title.....hahaha

You guys are losing your touch.....

 

[Dome555]

I had started to get an eye twitch regarding the lack of comments on the title. This needs to go into the you know you're no longer a noob thread. You know you're no longer a noob when you see a post saying "I can't get head" and don't immediately respond with sounds like a personal problem and not entirely appropriate for the brewing forum.

 

[unionrdr]

I guess it "sucks" to be you..lolz. Seriously though,I often wondered if during the boil,too much hot break would get rid of too many proteins? That would kill some or all of the head. But won't get as much chill haze,if at all? Seems like it'd be that way?

 

[ThePearsonFam]

Funny, I was getting an eye twitch while fighting the urge to NOT be a pig...

Anyway, your CO2 pressure is appropriate for the style at that temp. Soap residue could be a problem. I'm also curious about your process. Are you pouring your chilled wort into a bucket? I'm curious because the head-forming protiens are a one time deal. Not that they'll all be used up if you do something violent enough to produce foam, but a large percentage being used up would reduce the possibility of producing good head later on in the process.

 

[cokronk]

The two True Brews were chilled in an ice bath in my sink. One went into a kit fermenting bucket and one went into a fermenter.

The all grain, which I brewed about 2 1/2 hours from where I live was chilled with a counterflow chiller and put into a malt extract container for transportation/fermenting. A friend of mine gets LME bulk containers from the LHBS and rigs those for fermentation since he'll often do 10-20 gallons at a time.

 

[Yooper]

No foam. It's carbonated. 2' of CO2 and 3' of beer line.

I don't understand this. 2' of co2?

Three feet of beerline is WAY too short, as I'd have a ton of foaming at 12 psi with only three feet of beerline.

 

[Joshaw50]

To maintain 2.8 vol CO2, you will require approx. 17 psi at 43 degrees F
Balance Equation:
PSI of Keg = Static Pressure Due to Gravity + Beer Line Resistance (assume 3/16” ID)
17 PSI = (0.5*Vertical Distance from Output Post to Faucet) + 3lbs(3 ft beer line)
NOT ENOUGH BEER LINE to get the required Resistance.
My guess is that you will need about 5 feet of Beer Line.
Give me your vertical distance and it can be calculated.

 

[Joshaw50]

Another thing i just thought of. Get some soapy water and check your CO2 line and fittings for leaks.

Also, if your beer is getting up to 46F, then you'll require 19PSI of constant pressure.

Another quick check is to check the flow of the tap. You should be pouring at 2 ounces a second.
If it's less than that, you need to crank up the PSI.

Buy a Perlick 575 with a creamer function for times like this!

 

[Joshaw50]

if you had too short of beer line wouldn't it make it foam more?

I agree. More pressure at the faucet head so should be more foam.
Which makes the situation even worse because this should have compensated the lack in Foam.

For future setups, I'd recommend that the beer line be extended to prevent issues down the road. Eliminates one wrong from the equation

 

[cokronk]

I don't understand this. 2' of co2?

Three feet of beerline is WAY too short, as I'd have a ton of foaming at 12 psi with only three feet of beerline.

Maybe it's 3' and 4'. 3' of CO2 line and 4' of beer line. It's a kegconnection kit.

 

[cokronk]

I'll measure everything out this evening.

 

[Yooper]

Maybe it's 3' and 4'. 3' of CO2 line and 4' of beer line. It's a kegconnection kit.

Ah! Ok now I get it. The length of the gas lines doesn't matter a bit- don't bother measuring them! I think KC comes with 6 feet of line, or at least mine did.

What is the psi set at on the regulator?

 

[Brandonovich]

What are you washing your fermenters with? I had several problems that were solved when I quit using dishwashing liquid to wash my fermenting equipment.

 

[Joshaw50]

What are you washing your fermenters with? I had several problems that were solved when I quit using dishwashing liquid to wash my fermenting equipment.

Good Point. Same goes for the Keg. How are you cleaning it?
I wash with Oxyclean Free and that does the trick.

 

[Jota21]

I can't get head.

You must be married.

*not enough immaturity here yet....

 

[Hockeyhunter99]

you are getting no head because your line is too short!!

take it any way you want

 

[cokronk]

Ah! Ok now I get it. The length of the gas lines doesn't matter a bit- don't bother measuring them! I think KC comes with 6 feet of line, or at least mine did.

What is the psi set at on the regulator?

It was at 12, I bumped it up to 18 last night.

What are you washing your fermenters with? I had several problems that were solved when I quit using dishwashing liquid to wash my fermenting equipment.

Oxyclean free and star-san.