Why do people like foam so much?

[I_Brew_Drunk]

The more I learn about homebrew the more I see people consistently saying the more foam the better. Even Dr. Bamforth professor of beer science at UC Davis says to always pour into the glass vigorously (if I remember correctly). It seems like people are aiming to get a few inches of foam on every beer they pour. Maybe there's something I'm just not seeing here. When I pour a beer, homebrew or not, I aim for about half an inch of foam. That way when I bring the glass to my lips I can actually get a sip of beer rather than a bunch of air bubbles. I also see a flaw* here in that this is releasing much more dissolved CO2 so your beer will go flat sooner. What are the pros of getting a big layer of foam on a beer?

 

[stpug]

Supposedly, the foam can act as a "cap" to lock in those volatile aromatics that would otherwise escape rather quickly. Or, that's what I've heard anyway

 

[TyTanium]

Smells good and looks nice.

 

[Johnnyhitch1]

Good head enchants. It teases the eyes, inviting the curious to explore the unknown. The texture of head varies as much as the stars in the sky. Head can be rocky and voluminous, billowing up above the edge of the glass, or smooth and creamy, made of tightly knit bubbles. At times it may be loose and foamy. It can be as white as the snows on Mount Kilimanjaro, or as tawny and tan as the Girl from Ipanema. Guinness will leave a ring on the side of the glass for every sip you take. Many Belgian beers will do the same. Still other styles may leave intricate patterns of lace that curve like opera curtains over a brightly lit stage, or they may spot the glass like 101 Dalmatians. Some head dissipates to a veil or ring, and may die completely in the presence of the smallest molecule of natural oil in foods. In beer with high alcoholic content, head may be spare.

Does it serve a purpose? What constitutes good head on beer? How does it form?

Those who analyze beer insist that head is a necessary part of the beer experience. When served in glassware that has been properly cleaned and is of the correct shape, head will hold the delicate aromatics within the beer, and release them gently for your olfactory pleasure. Gases that live within bubbles that form the head will affect mouthfeel, creating sensations that differ on your tongue. When formed as a result of the natural carbon dioxide created by the action of yeast, bubbles will feel more tingly and effervescent than the creamy ones infused with a mix of carbon dioxide and nitrogen. Each style demands its own type of head, or rather, the proteins in barley or wheat malt, coupled with bittering hops, will determine the outcome of the head for each style.

Beer foam forms by the action of carbon dioxide, or CO2, rising to the surface. It may be naturally produced by yeast during fermentation, or artificially produced by dissolving CO2 under pressure into the liquid. A nitrogen head – think “Guinness Stout” – is created by drawing beer from a keg using nitrogen or mixed gas (carbon dioxide and nitrogen), or by using a widget (in the canned version) or rocket widget (in bottled versions). Good head retention is when one-half of the height of the original head persists for at least one minute after pouring.

Cited from Bellaonline (enticing!!)

 

[kombat]

Looks good, releases aromatics, protects from oxidation (if the layer of head persists).

 

[Wynne-R]

I’m with you, Drunk, I don’t get it either. I’d rather not drink flat beer.

In judging we pour it pretty hard, but that’s with a 1 oz sample that we’re going to be done with in about ten minutes. We probably won’t even drink the whole sample.

When I’m drinking for fun, I like it to last closer to an hour. That means pouring it slowly and at the lower side of the best temperature range. Most beers fade pretty fast above 50F.

 

[Beernik]

My 70 Shilling pours with 10 inches of head. It takes about 20 minutes to get a pint into a glass. It got infected and over carbonated.

I look at it this way: if a beer maintains a good head and laces, it should also have a good mouthfeel. If a beer pours with no head, not even a thin cap, it's likely to feel watery or thin in the mouth.

 

[cluckk]

It also depends on the style. Some should be more carbonated and produce a fuller head. Others should be less carbonated and produce a small amount of head when poured.

 

[atom]

it's not about the head...it's the LACING!!!!!

 

[Johnnyhitch1]

I’m with you, Drunk, I don’t get it either. I’d rather not drink flat beer.

In judging we pour it pretty hard, but that’s with a 1 oz sample that we’re going to be done with in about ten minutes. We probably won’t even drink the whole sample.

When I’m drinking for fun, I like it to last closer to an hour. That means pouring it slowly and at the lower side of the best temperature range. Most beers fade pretty fast above 50F.

You have to pour VERY vigorously and spin the glass continuously for you to loose enough carbonation in an hour to go flat, even then I doubt it would be completely flat. I agree with you on colder temps to allow for warmup though...

...takes you 10 minutes to drink an ounce??

 

[Kinsman]

One ounce is hardly enough to taste the beer properly.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Drink faster and it won't go flat.