Head Retention And Water Composition

[wimbymoonshine]

Hi all,

ok, i have MASSIVE head retention problems. Every brew i have done in london = no head retention. I can get the head but it fades to zero quite rapidly.

So i did a search on this site and found the causes are and my reaction to them:

1. Using kits - so i steeped speciality malts (about 1lb of crystal in and ale and 1lb of carapils in a lager)

2. dirty/detergent laced glassware - So i washed my bottles in a dishwasher with hot water only and no soap. The next batch i washed by hand in sanitiser and water only

3. Using sugar - so i switched to using DME + a tad of glucose to get the fermentation starting rapidly

So the final common link is the water im using. The water in london is incredibly hard with loads of dissolved carbonates. Could this be a problem? How do i get good head?

 

[joecast]

just to clarify, are you still having retention problems after making the adjustments you mention?

if you are really serious about your brewing water, maybe buy some distilled water and add minerals to your liking. or getting a very fine drinking water filter. others may comment a bit more on this as its not something i generally worry about. did you check the thread about water reports here? might be able to get an idea of just what you are dealing with.

two other things to improve retention, add some wheat, seems to be popular on the forum. and more hops, any excuse to add more hops really good luck.
joe

 

[jimmy01]

Hi Wimby

I am having the same problems on the other side of the world. I am doing AG and this is a new problem that has appeared in the last 5 brews. I have brewed about 15-20 AG before this without a problem. I am not sure what is happening but am trying to eliminate potential causes one by one.

What sanitiser are you using?

Cheers
Jimmy

 

[Tony M]

I cant specifically answer your query but as you know its difficult to get a good lather up when washing yourself with hard water so maybe the mechanics are the same with beer. I suffered with unreliable and indifferent heads until I started throwing 100 grams of wheat malt or even plain wheat flour into the mash and now my beers have a head to be proud of.

 

[wimbymoonshine]

Hi Wimby

I am having the same problems on the other side of the world. I am doing AG and this is a new problem that has appeared in the last 5 brews. I have brewed about 15-20 AG before this without a problem. I am not sure what is happening but am trying to eliminate potential causes one by one.

What sanitiser are you using?

Cheers
Jimmy

Hey Jimmy... Well i thought it could be that too so i changed sanitisers and still the same prob. First i was using a napisan type sanitiser and then i switched to iodophor. HOwever no difference, im still getting no head! grrrrrr. so frustrating trying to figure it out.
Surely with AG the problem would be external to the ingredients as with kits the 'old/stale' extracts lack the good stuff required for head retention??

I cant specifically answer your query but as you know its difficult to get a good lather up when washing yourself with hard water so maybe the mechanics are the same with beer. I suffered with unreliable and indifferent heads until I started throwing 100 grams of wheat malt or even plain wheat flour into the mash and now my beers have a head to be proud of.

Hey tony... cheers for that. When u say thrown in 100gms of wheat malt, is this just malt steeped in water and added to the kit? Whats the process?
And with the wheat flour, do you just add it directly to the wort/kit? do you stir it in and doesnt it clump? Any details would be great!

Cheers!

 

[braufrau]

When u say thrown in 100gms of wheat malt, is this just malt steeped in water and added to the kit? Whats the process?

Normal wheat malt needs to be mashed but you can buy xtal wheat malt that can be chucked in with your other steeping grains. The other malt that's touted for head retention and doesn't need
mashing is carapils.

 

[wimbymoonshine]

Normal wheat malt needs to be mashed but you can buy xtal wheat malt that can be chucked in with your other steeping grains. The other malt that's touted for head retention and doesn't need
mashing is carapils.

Hi Ma'am,

I have tried steeping carapils in my lager (see my original post)... no luck. It was 1lb of carapils.

what is xtal wheat malt?

 

[braufrau]

Hi Ma'am,

I have tried steeping carapils in my lager (see my original post)... no luck. It was 1lb of carapils.

what is xtal wheat malt?

1lb! Well I would have thought that would do the job.
Xtal is just short hand for crystal ... a throw back to my chemistry days Sorry about that.
Look at all the extra letterrs I typed to avoid typing 3 in the first place.

 

[Cracka]

Hi all,

ok, i have MASSIVE head retention problems. Every brew i have done in london = no head retention. I can get the head but it fades to zero quite rapidly.

So i did a search on this site and found the causes are and my reaction to them:

1. Using kits - so i steeped speciality malts (about 1lb of crystal in and ale and 1lb of carapils in a lager)

2. dirty/detergent laced glassware - So i washed my bottles in a dishwasher with hot water only and no soap. The next batch i washed by hand in sanitiser and water only

3. Using sugar - so i switched to using DME + a tad of glucose to get the fermentation starting rapidly

So the final common link is the water im using. The water in london is incredibly hard with loads of dissolved carbonates. Could this be a problem? How do i get good head?

I recon

Beers to hot & your pies are to cold h34r:

 

[Tony M]

Hi Ma'am,

I have tried steeping carapils in my lager (see my original post)... no luck. It was 1lb of carapils.

If you are making 20 litre batches, a lb. of crystal is twice as much as is good. the beer will stick your lips together with the sugar. If you are not mashing then steep a 1/2 lb of crystal wheat and buy one of those 20litre containers of water from Tesco. I remember carting one around in the back of the car to boil a billy with and it wasnt a silly price.

 

[wimbymoonshine]

I recon

Beers to hot & your pies are to cold h34r:

thanks cracka, that was as about as helpful an advice as i could get

else, i think i will go with trying bottles water as well as steeping wheat grain...

perhaps im best making my own charcoal filter to get the crud out of the water!