First batch lawnmower lager-Where's the head?

[AndrewDK]

Hi all, just at the two week mark after bottling on my first batch, the OS lager with BE1 as per the DIY kit instructions. Temperature was around 22c.

 

The taste and flavour aren't bad, a bit average typical Australian draught/bitter but definitely drinkable.

 

Unfortunately the beer has no head, it's not completely flat just can't form or retain a head. I've stored the bottles at room temperature which has definitely been above 18c. To learn from experience I'm just wondering if age would improve head or perhaps the result I've gotten is expected of the recipe.

 

The brew fermented for 7 days before bottling (before I learned to leave it for longer to improve results) OG 1.030 FV 1. Bottled in 740ml Coopers PET bottles with 2 carb drops.

Cheers folks.

[Hairy]

I wouldn't be expecting a great long-lasting head at 2 weeks. At that stage it is just carbonated enough to drink.

 

It will get better in time.

 

Other ways to improve the head is to add some wheat malt or crystal malt.

[AndrewDK]

Thanks Hairy I thought that might be the case. I wasn't incredibly invested in this first batch anyway, just wanted to learn the basics and improve there after.

 

Still glad it's actually turned out drinkable though, has quite a nice pale gold colour to it.

[Guest]

Yeah pacience is the key im drinkin the same now after 10 weeks in the bottle has plenty of head retention for 5 minutes and after that dies down to about 5ml or so and stays that way stains the glass as i drink it. [biggrin]

[AndyG4]

it's a great comment about the first beer being mainly about figuring it out. from what I've read, the lager and be1 that come with the kit, along with the instructions suggesting brewing at up to 27 degrees, are perhaps not that conducive to producing a great beer.

 

I'm not that excited about drinking my first batch, despite also adding some hops. it was more about figuring out temperatures, and in my case, figuring out that I hadn't even sorted out a good place to bottle yet :P

 

tricks like sugar and malt balance hopefully continue to evolve as we learn a bit more about it.

[phAT YAK]

I am also begining to drink the lager that came with the DIY kit and am very impressed with the amount of lasting head that I have achieved only 2 weeks after bottling[biggrin] A decent head can also depend on the temperature, angle and shape of your glass although age is the main key when pouring home brew as we are told.

[AndrewDK]

So a quick update, tried another bottle age three weeks.

With no effort in the pour a glorious fluff of perfect tight small bubbles graced the top of the glass. The head stayed a good 2-3mm thick through the glass till the last few centrimetres.

 

Althought Draught or Pale Bitter might describe this beer better I think as a base for a mid strength its cracking. May pull this out again some time, substitute some light dry malt or pale malt grains for the BE1 and a good serve of galaxy hops.

[Guest]

along with the instructions suggesting brewing at up to 27 degrees, are perhaps not that conducive to producing a great beer.

Hi Andy

I am sure you will find that if you can get those temps to around 18-20C you will get a far better beer. Despite the instructions, 27C is far too high [pinched]