Fraser Brews Posted September 16, 2020 Share Posted September 16, 2020 Looking for a bit of advice on how I can get my brews to hold a head better. Pretty new to brewing but the few I have put down taste great and seem to be plenty gassy enough,( I did have to leave them sit for longer than two weeks but), they just don’t hold a head for too long. It’s not the glasses as I’ve made sure they are clean and no bubbles on the side so don’t think it’s the glasses. Any advice will be appreciated Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malter White Posted September 16, 2020 Share Posted September 16, 2020 Are you using much malt in your brews? Malt is good for improving head retention. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fraser Brews Posted September 16, 2020 Author Share Posted September 16, 2020 12 minutes ago, MUZZY said: Are you using much malt in your brews? Malt is good for improving head retention. I’m using the worts as recommended enhancer or malt as well as the carb drops. Done a couple of pale ales and a porter. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malter White Posted September 16, 2020 Share Posted September 16, 2020 Sounds like you're doing the right things. Only other thing I can think of is to let the bottles condition for more than 2 weeks. They do improve with time. Others on here might have some suggestions for you that I'm not aware of. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shamus O'Sean Posted September 16, 2020 Share Posted September 16, 2020 Maybe try substitute some dry wheat malt for light dry malt. Or do a steep of 200g of Carapils, strain and boil the liquid and add to your brew. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fraser Brews Posted September 16, 2020 Author Share Posted September 16, 2020 17 minutes ago, MUZZY said: Sounds like you're doing the right things. Only other thing I can think of is to let the bottles condition for more than 2 weeks. They do improve with time. Others on here might have some suggestions for you that I'm not aware of. Thanks muzzy for getting back to me. I saw one of your tips about adding a cube of sugar as substitute to one of the carb drops and wondered if that might be worth a try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fraser Brews Posted September 16, 2020 Author Share Posted September 16, 2020 6 minutes ago, Shamus O'Sean said: Maybe try substitute some dry wheat malt for light dry malt. Or do a steep of 200g of Carapils, strain and boil the liquid and add to your brew. Ok I will give that a go. Thanks for the tip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonPolo Posted September 16, 2020 Share Posted September 16, 2020 There's a lot of info on this post. I started it a while ago. Unfortunately it goes on for 11 pages and there are no hard and fast answers. However, my last brew with a wheat malt grain steep is pretty good. If you go to my last post today, there may be some conclusions from all the speculation and observation. I just didn't get any good results with 'Kit and Kilo' brew using 100% Light Dry Malt without anything else added. That was after several people telling me that the LDM would improve mouthfeel and head retention. Mouthfeel, yes but for me no for head retention. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malter White Posted September 16, 2020 Share Posted September 16, 2020 (edited) 8 minutes ago, Fraser Brews said: Thanks muzzy for getting back to me. I saw one of your tips about adding a cube of sugar as substitute to one of the carb drops and wondered if that might be worth a try. The sugar cube will increase your carbonation as compared to carb drops but I don't think it will have much effect on head retention. More bubbles doesn't necessarily mean better head. Edited September 16, 2020 by MUZZY 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Titans19 Posted September 16, 2020 Share Posted September 16, 2020 That would depend on the lady Muzzy... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malter White Posted September 16, 2020 Share Posted September 16, 2020 7 minutes ago, Titans19 said: That would depend on the lady Muzzy... True. I gave the missus more bubbles and she vomited. Head was not even a consideration. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panther Branch Brewing Posted September 16, 2020 Share Posted September 16, 2020 Beer head is way over rated I think. If it tastes good it's good beer. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malter White Posted September 16, 2020 Share Posted September 16, 2020 1 hour ago, Panther Branch Brewing said: Beer head is way over rated I think. If it tastes good it's good beer. I agree. When you drink from a can or bottle people don't seem to care about it. So why is drinking from a glass any different? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Worts and all Posted September 17, 2020 Share Posted September 17, 2020 10 minutes ago, MUZZY said: I agree. When you drink from a can or bottle people don't seem to care about it. So why is drinking from a glass any different? I beg to disagree! I rate a beer with no head as a very poor thing indeed. As for comparing it with a bottle or can,,I don’t. In my more foolish youthful days perhaps, but these days I look down on the habit of sucking from a bottle,or even worse, a can. I enjoy and insist upon a well presented beer in a nice glass or mug. with a generous foamy top. The look, the mouthfeel, the tiny bubbles releasing their store of sublime hop aromas. We go to a great deal of trouble to make it. What a pity not to enjoy at it’s very best! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerlust Posted September 17, 2020 Share Posted September 17, 2020 Hello Fraser Brews, & welcome to the forum. Generally if you wish to improve head retention you need to increase the final gravity (body) of your beer. Worts (unfermented beer) comprising of large amounts of simple sugars such as dextrose & table sugar ferment out to much lower levels leaving no body behind, thus reducing head retention. For those just starting out & using kits, adding a portion of Maltodextrin (or corn syrup powder) into your brewing ingredients will help with improving head retention as they are largely unfermentable. Perhaps give the following a try with your next brew. Coopers Brew Enhancer 3 I hope that helps. Lusty. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lab Cat Posted September 17, 2020 Share Posted September 17, 2020 3 hours ago, Panther Branch Brewing said: Beer head is way over rated I think. If it tastes good it's good beer. They all taste better if they retain some head. There's a different flavour and mouthfeel you get from the head of the beer, which obviously complements the stuff underneath. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Ruddager Posted September 17, 2020 Share Posted September 17, 2020 5 hours ago, Panther Branch Brewing said: Beer head is way over rated I think. If it tastes good it's good beer. Head has an important effect on taste and aroma - some IPA glasses are designed to regenerate head as you drink from them. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Ruddager Posted September 17, 2020 Share Posted September 17, 2020 6 hours ago, MUZZY said: I agree. When you drink from a can or bottle people don't seem to care about it. So why is drinking from a glass any different? All the "beer wankers" I know will pour their can or bottle into a glass ... with a nice head. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lab Cat Posted September 17, 2020 Share Posted September 17, 2020 (edited) 2 hours ago, King Ruddager said: Head has an important effect on taste and aroma - some IPA glasses are designed to regenerate head as you drink from them. I have the Spegelau IPA, Stout and Tulips, all them help beer taste better, but the design of the IPA generates head with each glass tilt. I used to think glasses couldn't make a difference, but a beer tasting night proved it. Some beers it was subtle, others it was far more obvious. Edited September 17, 2020 by Lab Cat 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malter White Posted September 17, 2020 Share Posted September 17, 2020 6 hours ago, Worts and all said: I beg to disagree! I rate a beer with no head as a very poor thing indeed. As for comparing it with a bottle or can,,I don’t. In my more foolish youthful days perhaps, but these days I look down on the habit of sucking from a bottle,or even worse, a can. I enjoy and insist upon a well presented beer in a nice glass or mug. with a generous foamy top. The look, the mouthfeel, the tiny bubbles releasing their store of sublime hop aromas. We go to a great deal of trouble to make it. What a pity not to enjoy at it’s very best! Everyone to their own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Worts and all Posted September 17, 2020 Share Posted September 17, 2020 3 minutes ago, MUZZY said: Everyone to their own. Yes, of course. But you can’t condemn a fella for trying to lift the standard can you? Cheers! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malter White Posted September 17, 2020 Share Posted September 17, 2020 1 minute ago, Worts and all said: Yes, of course. But you can’t condemn a fella for trying to lift the standard can you? Cheers! I'm quite happy with my mediocrity. As I always say, "when you're mediocre you're always at your best!" 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Ruddager Posted September 17, 2020 Share Posted September 17, 2020 Aim low and win! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Lao Posted September 17, 2020 Share Posted September 17, 2020 250g of wheat DME will do the trick. All my beers have this amount in and all have great head retention and lacing. Upping the hops levels will probably won’t do any harm either. I prefer my beers poured into a glass as well! Cheers James 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Worts and all Posted September 17, 2020 Share Posted September 17, 2020 45 minutes ago, James Lao said: 250g of wheat DME will do the trick. All my beers have this amount in and all have great head retention and lacing. Upping the hops levels will probably won’t do any harm either. I prefer my beers poured into a glass as well! Cheers James Interesting your inclusion of wheat. I get good heads without it, but always looking for ways to improve. I have fond memories of beers in the north of England, uncarbonated cask ales, which used torrified wheat. They had a beautifully smooth mouth feel and a rich, creamy head. Any experience with that? I think I may be tempted to try some wheat dme soon. Cheers. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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