I made a roasted chili ale by adding two roasted serrano and two anahiem chilis to an amber ale kit from lhbs. I have noticed that there is zero head. Has anybody else noticed that chilis kill head or should I be looking for another source?
The chili beers that I have sampled have all had a slight head, but they dissipate very quickly. I recently made a Chocolate Jalapeno Stout which has a great creamy head which only last for a min or 2 at most. I'm sure the chocolate has a greater effect on the head retention than the chilis.
Yeah, it makes sense. The oils from the chilis will kill the head on your beer. Your beer probably has the protien Z and LTP1 to form and sustain a head, but the oils are causing it to nor form, or dissipate quickly.