Summer ale with not much head

[TsunamiMike]

So I brewed my 3rd batch ever and used the Brewers Best Summer Ale kit, I used RO Water instead of Ohio tap water.
Followed the directions, fermenters at temp for 14 days checked the gravity and it was perfect. Bottled it and it’s been conditioning for 3 weeks now. Popped it in the fridge for 48 hours and tried it. Flavor is decent but there little to no head.

What can I do? Condition for another week?

 

[MikeCo]

Is it carbonated but has no head, or is it not yet fully carbonated? It may need more time to condition. At what temperature have the bottle been conditioning?

 

[Sammy86]

Did you make any adjustments to the water or just use RO water?

 

[Jag75]

5 gallon batch ? How much priming sugar was used ? Did you ensure it was mixed in well so not to get some bottles less carbonated?

 

[TsunamiMike]

Is it carbonated but has no head, or is it not yet fully carbonated? It may need more time to condition. At what temperature have the bottle been conditioning?

There is carbonation, just no head...

 

[TsunamiMike]

Did you make any adjustments to the water or just use RO water?

I did not, a buddy of mine said tap water sucks and I should use RO for my extract kits so I have it a shot

 

[TsunamiMike]

5 gallon batch ? How much priming sugar was used ? Did you ensure it was mixed in well so not to get some bottles less carbonated?

5 gallon batch, used 5 oz of priming sugar. I boiled it with 2 cups of water first, then sanitized by equipment for bottling. The mixtures cooled a bit and I poured it in the bucket for bottling and then siphoned the beer out of the fermenter into the bottling bucket and gently mixed it.

 

[davidabcd]

Your posts read like you did everything correctly. I didn't see what you bottle conditioned at but you wrote that your beer is carbonated so I doubt room temp was the culprit. You didn't get even a temporary head when poured aggressively? Does it taste fully carbonated?
I can only guess from the above that it's the water you used or the product isn't prone to foaming Doesn't mean I'm correct.

 

[Jag75]

Ro water is better to use because the water adjustment was already done by the brewer. Looks like you did everything text book so I'm stumped.

 

[Ayzala]

I found if you don't rinse all cleaner out of the bottles it could kill head retention. Also, I started out washing my bottles in the dishwasher but found if you have rinse aid in the machine you can forget about having any head. My 2 thoughts.

 

[hottpeper13]

Similar experience for me only I washed my BIAB and hop sac in dawn dish soap and did not use PBW. 2 beers that pour with the coarsest foam that is gone by the time the glass is full.

 

[MikeCo]

Make sure your beer glasses are "beer clean" also. Residual cleaners or other things in the glass can impact head retention. Some beers just by the nature of the ingredients form and hold a head better than others. The foam may improve with some more conditioning. What temperature has it been conditioning at? If in the 70s, it should probably be done in 3 weeks, but if cooler maybe not. Some beers just take a while.

 

[Stormcrow]

Plus one on cleaning, seeing as you've done everything else right. I've noticed even the beard oil I use can kill the head on a beer if my moustache touches it

 

[TsunamiMike]

Your posts read like you did everything correctly. I didn't see what you bottle conditioned at but you wrote that your beer is carbonated so I doubt room temp was the culprit. You didn't get even a temporary head when poured aggressively? Does it taste fully carbonated?
I can only guess from the above that it's the water you used or the product isn't prone to foaming Doesn't mean I'm correct.

It bottle conditioned at 68 degrees, this is the first time I have used RO water with the extract kits so...

I did not attempt to hard pour as it is an ale but will try that tonight...

 

[TsunamiMike]

I found if you don't rinse all cleaner out of the bottles it could kill head retention. Also, I started out washing my bottles in the dishwasher but found if you have rinse aid in the machine you can forget about having any head. My 2 thoughts.

I typically use the no rinse cleaner and then after they are dry from sitting on my bottle tree i sanitize them and again let them sit on the tree till dry.

 

[TsunamiMike]

Make sure your beer glasses are "beer clean" also. Residual cleaners or other things in the glass can impact head retention. Some beers just by the nature of the ingredients form and hold a head better than others. The foam may improve with some more conditioning. What temperature has it been conditioning at? If in the 70s, it should probably be done in 3 weeks, but if cooler maybe not. Some beers just take a while.

It has been at 69 degrees, to your point i have noticed that the first 2 batches were good at 2 weeks but were AMAZING at 3 weeks.
I waited 3 weeks on the Summer Ale just assuming the same thing, tomorrow is 4 weeks total so depending on how my hard pour goes tonight i will update on Thursday if it needed an extra week.

 

[balrog]

Carbonation is not the issue, but using Dawn or JetDri on bottles, equipment or glasses will be head-killers. That's what they do. That's all they do. And they don't stop until you squash them in a giant hydraulic press. Wait. Wrong movie.

 

[Ayzala]

I typically use the no rinse cleaner and then after they are dry from sitting on my bottle tree i sanitize them and again let them sit on the tree till dry.

I have never liked no rinse cleaners, there is always residue left behind.

On the other hand if your head retention issue is only this batch and you have been using it all along then I'm stumped.

 

[Dinadan]

Maybe I missed you saying, but did your first two batches have satisfactory head? If so, did you use the same water? Any changes in technique between batch two and three?

I have been having a bit of the same issue. I get head, but it dissipates before I can get my moustache foamy.

 

[TsunamiMike]

Maybe I missed you saying, but did your first two batches have satisfactory head? If so, did you use the same water? Any changes in technique between batch two and three?

I have been having a bit of the same issue. I get head, but it dissipates before I can get my moustache foamy.

First batch was a Watermelon Wheat and second was a Cream Ale, the biggest difference is switching to RO water on the Summer Ale. The others used my tap water and the head retention and lacing was spot on!

I really hope it isn't the RO water as I am in the middle of lagering my zombiefest beer now...

 

[Jag75]

First batch was a Watermelon Wheat and second was a Cream Ale, the biggest difference is switching to RO water on the Summer Ale. The others used my tap water and the head retention and lacing was spot on!

I really hope it isn't the RO water as I am in the middle of lagering my zombiefest beer now...

Definitely not because of RO water . Numerous brewers use it . I've never had any issues with head retention.

 

[Ayzala]

Do you know the ingredients in the summer ale kit? Are their other grains in it (grains of paradise) maybe there is a source of some oil or other head killing additives?

 

[TsunamiMike]

Do you know the ingredients in the summer ale kit? Are their other grains in it (grains of paradise) maybe there is a source of some oil or other head killing additives?

Here is the breakdown:

Ingredients:
FERMENTABLES:
3.3 lb. Extra Light LME
1 lb. Wheat DME
1 lb. Pilsen DME

SPECIALTY GRAINS:
8 oz. Carapils
SPICE PACK

HOPS:
2 Packs of .5 oz. Cascade

YEAST:
1 Sachet

 

[TsunamiMike]

4 weeks bottle conditioned as of today. Hard pour, head looks great, retention is low but the pacing is great!

 

[MikeCo]

Great! I've found that bottle conditioning sometimes takes longer than the stated 2 to 3 weeks. There are a lot of variables involved, and the yeast work on their own schedule.

 

[Ayzala]

Here is the breakdown:

Ingredients:
FERMENTABLES:
3.3 lb. Extra Light LME
1 lb. Wheat DME
1 lb. Pilsen DME

SPECIALTY GRAINS:
8 oz. Carapils
SPICE PACK

HOPS:
2 Packs of .5 oz. Cascade

YEAST:
1 Sachet

It looks ok to me, the spice pack may have had something in it to slow the process. But I'm glad you are starting to see something after more time. Enjoy it!