porter with HUGE head

[mendozer]

I tasted a porter today that I bottled a month ago and its very good. However, the head is HUGE as you pour it. It shrinks down in a few minutes, but my last beer wasn't like this. I used oats for a creamy head, but dang I didn't want this much.

obviously it can't be fixed, but what should I consider for next time? is it slightly over carbonated? I bottled it at 2.4 Vols, at the high end for porters

 

[conpewter]

I'd bet on it being over-carbonated. That'll cause it to have a huge head like you described, especially with the dark grains and oats. I love the silky mouthfeel from oats though, so I'd adjust the carb level.

 

[TipsyDragon]

one thing that comes to mind and only because you didn't mention it in your post. you may of bottled to soon. as i'm sure you know you are not supposed to bottle a beer till it's SG stops falling for more than 3 days. even then you have to be sure you are within the proper range for the beer and not just stuck. if the fermentation becomes unstuck once in the bottles you will over carbonate and risk bottle bombs.

also you may of accidentally added to much priming sugar. did you calculate for 5 gallons then only end up with 4.5 in your bottling bucket?

next time aim for the middle range of carbonation for porters.

 

[mendozer]

as for bottling, i did so after 2 weeks in the secondary fermenter. it was done fermenting long ago. As for sugar amounts, I recalculated it and it was right on. The same proportion as my last few batches. I do however aim for the upper limit to be sure of good carbonation. For porters, beersmith says the vols range is 2.1-2.5. I did my calculation based at 2.4.

 

[TipsyDragon]

as for bottling, i did so after 2 weeks in the secondary fermenter. it was done fermenting long ago.

just because you wait a long time and all other signs of fermentation are gone doesn't mean its actually done. it could just be stuck. take hydrometer readings and make sure the FG is within the proper range and not still falling.

 

[devilishprune]

How long are you leaving them in the fridge beforehand? I had the same problem with a porter that I bottled recently and thought that I had overcarbonated my beer. I left the first bottle in the fridge for about 4 hours.

The next one I had I expected a similar level of overcarbonation, but this one had been in the fridge for like 2 days. So I opened it up and poured it and to my surprise it was perfectly carbonated.

So, stick a few in the fridge and don't touch them for a few days and your problem could be solved.

 

[mendozer]

Ok that's probably it. It needs to sit in the fridge longer. thanks