yankinoz
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An experiment showed that one no-rinse sanitiser, one based on phosphoric acid + surfactant, reduces head retention; that is, rinsing improved retention.
In each of two trials, well-carbonated 60% wheat beer was poured from two bottles that had been filled in close succession from primary. To avoid cross-contamination the fermenter had been rinsed with boiled water before filling with wort.
Defender was used on all bottles before draining upside down for four minutes and filling. In each trial I rinsed one bottle twice with boiled water (“Rinse”) and left the other bottle unrinsed (“No Rinse”). Five weeks after bottling I poured each into a glass.
The results of each trial were nearly identical. Beer from the “Rinse” bottle about 40% of its head after three minutes. Beer from the “No Rinse” bottle lost almost all its head after only two minutes.
I took photos but could only attach one this post, because of site limits on file size. I can send a full set to interested parties as email attachments.
Here's the photo of the beer from the rinsed bottle three minutes after pouring
View attachment images2.pdf
In contrast the beer from the No-Rinse bottle retained a head only around the rim. It did have nice lacing.
Discussion:
Threads on no-rinse sanitisers and head retention have appeared on this and other brewing websites, but actual experiments are hard to find. One I did find is meant to test Star-San, but has little value because it really compares the head produced during filling, which is subject to variables that are hard to control.
Only further experiments can determine how applicable the results are to other no-rinse sanitisers. Unlike Defender, Iodophors do not contain surfactants. Star-San contains the same surfactant, dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid, that is reportedly used in Defender, but not necessarily in the same concentrations, and Star-San also contains a foaming agent that the manufacturer's website does not identify.
Because kegs have a smaller internal surface area than a collection of bottles holding the same volume of beer, remnant sanitiser should be less in kegged beer than in bottled beer, assuming equally good drainage. From my measurements of tall neck 500 ml bottles and online measurements of 5 gallon corny kegs, the internal surface area of (38) bottles would be about 2.8 as great as that of the corny keg.
Brewers who keg and/or use Iodophor or Star-San may wish to do a like trial. It's easy as experiments go.
In each of two trials, well-carbonated 60% wheat beer was poured from two bottles that had been filled in close succession from primary. To avoid cross-contamination the fermenter had been rinsed with boiled water before filling with wort.
Defender was used on all bottles before draining upside down for four minutes and filling. In each trial I rinsed one bottle twice with boiled water (“Rinse”) and left the other bottle unrinsed (“No Rinse”). Five weeks after bottling I poured each into a glass.
The results of each trial were nearly identical. Beer from the “Rinse” bottle about 40% of its head after three minutes. Beer from the “No Rinse” bottle lost almost all its head after only two minutes.
I took photos but could only attach one this post, because of site limits on file size. I can send a full set to interested parties as email attachments.
Here's the photo of the beer from the rinsed bottle three minutes after pouring
View attachment images2.pdf
In contrast the beer from the No-Rinse bottle retained a head only around the rim. It did have nice lacing.
Discussion:
Threads on no-rinse sanitisers and head retention have appeared on this and other brewing websites, but actual experiments are hard to find. One I did find is meant to test Star-San, but has little value because it really compares the head produced during filling, which is subject to variables that are hard to control.
Only further experiments can determine how applicable the results are to other no-rinse sanitisers. Unlike Defender, Iodophors do not contain surfactants. Star-San contains the same surfactant, dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid, that is reportedly used in Defender, but not necessarily in the same concentrations, and Star-San also contains a foaming agent that the manufacturer's website does not identify.
Because kegs have a smaller internal surface area than a collection of bottles holding the same volume of beer, remnant sanitiser should be less in kegged beer than in bottled beer, assuming equally good drainage. From my measurements of tall neck 500 ml bottles and online measurements of 5 gallon corny kegs, the internal surface area of (38) bottles would be about 2.8 as great as that of the corny keg.
Brewers who keg and/or use Iodophor or Star-San may wish to do a like trial. It's easy as experiments go.