Comments on: Enhancing Beer Head Retention for Home Brewers http://www.beersmith.com/blog/2008/06/25/enhancing-beer-head-retention-for-home-brewers/ Get weekly articles on home brewing, beer styles, and making beer recipes Mon, 06 Feb 2012 18:04:57 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: chris aylmer http://www.beersmith.com/blog/2008/06/25/enhancing-beer-head-retention-for-home-brewers/comment-page-1/#comment-19691 chris aylmer Sun, 11 Dec 2011 21:44:19 +0000 http://www.beersmith.com/blog/?p=23#comment-19691 HOW TO KEEP A GOOD HEAD ON YOUR BEER! I have disc0vered a great way to give your beer a lasting head once poured into the glass and I haven't seen it mentioned before on this or similar sites. I brew bottled stout from pale malt, roast barley, flaked barley and hops. My beer is bottle conditioned and forms a really good head initially, but it tends to disappear halfway down the glass and the flavour does not seem so smooth without the head. I had the theory that some powder or granules might help to give the bubbles something to cling to and help them come out of solution. First I tried adding a little granulated sugar on the tip of a teaspoon and immediately plenty of bubbles formed and the head lasted better than without this addition. However, I don't like adding sugar to anything including my beer and in any case the sugar dissolves in the beer so that it would begin to lose its effect soon after addition. So I tried adding a little sweet spice powder, maybe an eighth of a teaspoon. This did the trick beautifully and the head lasted all the way down the glass. The flavour was fabulous with the hint of spice and also the beer was very smooth on the palate. The spice powder is insoluble and so does not lose its effect. I recommend trying this! Another thing to try is real ground filter coffee which is also insoluble and gives a great flavour too. I'm sure you could find other insoluble powders that do not affect the flavour of the beer if you prefer. HOW TO KEEP A GOOD HEAD ON YOUR BEER!
I have disc0vered a great way to give your beer a lasting head once poured into the glass and I haven’t seen it mentioned before on this or similar sites.
I brew bottled stout from pale malt, roast barley, flaked barley and hops. My beer is bottle conditioned and forms a really good head initially, but it tends to disappear halfway down the glass and the flavour does not seem so smooth without the head.
I had the theory that some powder or granules might help to give the bubbles something to cling to and help them come out of solution. First I tried adding a little granulated sugar on the tip of a teaspoon and immediately plenty of bubbles formed and the head lasted better than without this addition. However, I don’t like adding sugar to anything including my beer and in any case the sugar dissolves in the beer so that it would begin to lose its effect soon after addition.
So I tried adding a little sweet spice powder, maybe an eighth of a teaspoon. This did the trick beautifully and the head lasted all the way down the glass. The flavour was fabulous with the hint of spice and also the beer was very smooth on the palate. The spice powder is insoluble and so does not lose its effect.
I recommend trying this! Another thing to try is real ground filter coffee which is also insoluble and gives a great flavour too. I’m sure you could find other insoluble powders that do not affect the flavour of the beer if you prefer.

]]> By: Brad Smith http://www.beersmith.com/blog/2008/06/25/enhancing-beer-head-retention-for-home-brewers/comment-page-1/#comment-19372 Brad Smith Sat, 30 Jul 2011 16:24:33 +0000 http://www.beersmith.com/blog/?p=23#comment-19372 Hi, I doubt that the mash temperature would have enough effect to create a flat beer. I would look to make sure you used a viable carbonating sugar and also that your yeast was still viable when you carbonated. Brad Hi,
I doubt that the mash temperature would have enough effect to create a flat beer. I would look to make sure you used a viable carbonating sugar and also that your yeast was still viable when you carbonated.

Brad

]]> By: crush http://www.beersmith.com/blog/2008/06/25/enhancing-beer-head-retention-for-home-brewers/comment-page-1/#comment-19362 crush Wed, 27 Jul 2011 00:07:27 +0000 http://www.beersmith.com/blog/?p=23#comment-19362 Some good advice! I've just brewed after a 2 year pause and my first batch had no head at all. I'm still not sure what the cause is, but after reading this article. I think possibly too low mash temp, since it's new brewing equipment. Although the beer finished sligthly high...1.012. Some good advice! I’ve just brewed after a 2 year pause and my first batch had no head at all. I’m still not sure what the cause is, but after reading this article. I think possibly too low mash temp, since it’s new brewing equipment. Although the beer finished sligthly high…1.012.

]]> By: bigmny4you http://www.beersmith.com/blog/2008/06/25/enhancing-beer-head-retention-for-home-brewers/comment-page-1/#comment-1181 bigmny4you Thu, 03 Jul 2008 00:59:16 +0000 http://www.beersmith.com/blog/?p=23#comment-1181 Excellent article on head retention. I especially liked the tips on detergent use. Thanx I didn't know that. Excellent article on head retention. I especially liked the tips on detergent use. Thanx I didn’t know that.

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