Head Retention

[aaronR]

hi guys

Although i've been brewing on and off now for a while, i've only just found this forum. i must say i think its going to be a life saver..

My question is 'can using bleach to clean and sanitize my gear effect the head on my beer??'

I currerntly been using PET (but have now decided to go to glass in the future) and have been using bleach to clean all my equiptment. but i have been struggling to get a good and consitant head.. could this be due to the fact that i havent rinsed my gear properly??

can anyone help???

cheers aaron

:icon_chickcheers:

 

[colonel]

Hi Aaron, welcome to the forum.
I don't think it would be the sanitizer, unless you haven't rinsed.
I use bleach for dirty old bottles, but for bottles I've just drunk, i just rinse them, use a brush if they've got some scale on them, and store them upside down (an old bread crate is ideal, as the holes allow 100 botles to drain).

My 2 othwer suggestions are:

leave them in the bottle for longer, (I try for 6 months minimum), and most of the beers I open that have been sitting for years have a very creamy head.

and, I try to only wash my beer glasses in hot water, I find the dishwasher residue destroys head.
I'm not sure how they get away with it in pubs.

Good luck

hi guys

Although i've been brewing on and off now for a while, i've only just found this forum. i must say i think its going to be a life saver..

My question is 'can using bleach to clean and sanitize my gear effect the head on my beer??'

I currerntly been using PET (but have now decided to go to glass in the future) and have been using bleach to clean all my equiptment. but i have been struggling to get a good and consitant head.. could this be due to the fact that i havent rinsed my gear properly??

can anyone help???

cheers aaron

:icon_chickcheers:

 

[Cube]

Search here for no rinse bleach and vinegar mixes for sanitising. I use it exclusively and never had an infection or no head problem. You may also want to have a look at steeping some spec grains like caraplils or crystal. They enhance head and head retention and add more complexity to your beer. Steeping grains is very simple. Going glass is the best option out of all bottling solutions. Keep at it and let us know how you go!

Have a look around the wiki here:

http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/index.php?autocom=ineo

 

[Yob]

I had a similar question a while ago now and some of the answers I got here vere very helpful.. small additions of grains like carrared and carapils have helped the brews alot.. look to the glasses as well as mentioned in the link...

http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...=head+retention

cheers
:icon_cheers:

 

[aaronR]

Hi Aaron, welcome to the forum.
I don't think it would be the sanitizer, unless you haven't rinsed.
I use bleach for dirty old bottles, but for bottles I've just drunk, i just rinse them, use a brush if they've got some scale on them, and store them upside down (an old bread crate is ideal, as the holes allow 100 botles to drain).

My 2 othwer suggestions are:

leave them in the bottle for longer, (I try for 6 months minimum), and most of the beers I open that have been sitting for years have a very creamy head.

and, I try to only wash my beer glasses in hot water, I find the dishwasher residue destroys head.
I'm not sure how they get away with it in pubs.

Good luck



hi colonel,

thanks for the welcome and for the handy hints.. the bread crate is a great idea. I have somne old milk crates which i could use the same way. i've also stopped past a brew shop today and picked up some brewclean spray and coppertun sanitiser which im going to give a go..

getting ready to put on a ginger beer brew. something nice for the hot weather ahead.

thanks again

 

[aaronR]

thanks cube for your suggestions on the bleach and vinegar sanitiser option... i'll have a search for that today.

im going to try a few options to find what works for me..

i'll let you know how i go..

cheers aaron