What to Add for More Head and Body?

[smyrnaquince]

[Trying to avoid all the double-entendres here. ]

I'm wanting a bit more body in my beers and a better, longer lasting head. I've read various postings recommending the following:

• Flaked Oats
• Flaked Wheat
• Flaked Rye
• CaraPils

Opinions on this list or other suggestions in general? How about for a stout--use flaked oats or use something else?

I'm also under the impression that a higher mash temperature (154-156F ?) will give the beer more body. Not sure if it will do anything about the head, though.

 

[scCraft]

Those higher mash temps should give it more body, yes. You are on the right track on those head adds. I personally like the CaraPils option due to some stuck sparge concerns from some of the flaked stuff.....I always add rice hulls if I am using something like flaked wheat just to be safe.

 

[Marc77]

I'm reading Palmer's "How to Brew" and it discusses various things that'll give a beer more malt flavor, body and head retention. Carapils will get you more head retention and a little more body and like scCraft mentioned and Palmer talks about mashing at or around 156.

Heck I'll just cut and paste:
"A popular multi-rest mash schedule is the 40°C - 60°C - 70°C (104 - 140 - 158°F) mash, using a half hour rest at each temperature, first advocated for homebrewers by George Fix. This mash schedule produces high yields and good fermentability. The time at 40°C improves the liquefaction of the mash and promotes enzyme activity. As can be seen in Figure 79 - Enzyme Ranges, several enzymes are at work, liquefying the mash and breaking down the starchy endosperm so the starches can dissolve. As mentioned in the previous chapter in the section on the Acid Rest, resting the mash at this temperature has been show to improve the yield, regardless of the malts used. Varying the times spent at the 60 and 70°C rests allows you to adjust the fermentable sugar profiles. For example, a 20 minute rest at 60°C, combined with a 40 minute rest at 70°C produces a sweet, heavy, dextrinous beer; while switching the times at those temperatures would produce a drier, lighter bodied, more alcoholic beer from the same grain bill.

If you use less well-modified malts, such as German Pils malt, a multi-rest mash will produce maltier tasting beers although they need a protein rest to fully realize their potential. In this case the mash schedule suggested by Fix is 50 - 60 - 70°C, again with half hour rests. The rest at 50°C takes the place of the liquefaction rest at 40°C and provides the necessary protein rest. This schedule is well suited for producing continental lager beers. These schedules are provided as guidelines. You, as the brewer, have complete control over what you can choose to do. Play with the times and temperatures and have fun."
This is from John Palmer's "How to Brew" book just in case there was any doubt.

40C = 104F
50C = 122F
60C = 140F
70C = 158F

As for what each grain does, I'll send you back to Palmer's book:
http://www.howtobrew.com/section2/chapter12-1.html

 

[wilconrad]

Dextrine malt (Carapils is one) is produced precisely for the characteristics you describe (body & head retention). Use 0.5lb of it in a 5 gal batch and away you go.

 

[kombat]

I use a 1/2 lb of Carafoam in all my brews, and they all have persistent heads and beautiful lacing in the glass.

 

[tagz]

I'm a fan of flaked barley. Produces big fluffy head, and at 5% I never have any clarity issues.