I want a dark head.

[cyanmonkey]

What can I do to get the darkest head possible without making an acrid stout?

 

[noggins]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=112062&page=2

OK, I've got my copy of it that I looked up....Charlie doesn't seem to get into much detail: only does say that roasted barley adds to color of head significantly while black patent doesn't. He doesn't say anything about the other degrees of malts (crystal or caras). Maybe it does have to do with fermentability: as the main difference between black patent and roasted barley is that one is malted. I might have to do a real study of my stouts to see what grains add what....but I would think that dry stouts tend to have white heads because of less proportion of roasted barley to black patent and malt. And that my imperial stouts have a dark tan color because of quite a bit more roasted barley and specialty grains being present. It seems like its the unmalted grains that add more color to the head. I'd say even oatmeal as my current oatmeal has a dry irish stout grainbill + 1lb of oatmeal....notice the head to it is a grayer color then a dry irish stout.

 

[cyanmonkey]

This is great. Thanks.

 

[noggins]

This is great. Thanks.

Let us know how it turns out, there seems to be varying opinions. I'd love to make a dark head on a cream ale just for shagrins.

 

[cyanmonkey]

Ha. I was wondering if late mash additions can help with this, so I'll definitely report back. Thanks for the thread link.

 

[drainbamage]

Thanks for this. I see a lot of recipes that keep the roasted barley around 2-3%, and I never achieve that darker-colored head. I'm going to try 5-6% on my next stout and see how that goes.

 

[JKaranka]

Brown malt, brewers' caramel maybe?