Hefeweizen head retention

[JDW81]

I was thinking the same as Martin. What is your glass washing process? Soap in your glass will kill head retention every time.

This is a big one for head retention. Brewed a dunkle a few months ago and head retention was poor. I don't clean my glasses with detergent, but they must have been a little greasy which was ruining any head that was there when the beer was poured. Gave them a good clean with boiling water and then a polish with a micro fibre cloth and hey presto, perfect head and lacing from high tide to low tide.

 

[manticle]

Not sure what your argument is here. I am saying a protein rest will be detrimental to head retention and not improve it as siuggested by someone in this thread. If you disagree then you do not know what you are talking about.

Strong words and not entirely correct. An extended rest at certain temps may adversely affect retention. A short rest at others may improve it (as suggested by mje).

NFH is suggesting that a rest that degrades longer chain proteins to medium and shorter chains may help retention which fits that idea too.

Also the low temp rest to push clove has nothing to do with a protein rest and is in a different temperature range. Look up ferulic acid rest.

 

[mje1980]

I use boiling water to step up. I'd love a heat stick. If I had one I'd do more steps. With boiling water ( bucket on kitchen scales next to stock pot of boiling water ), I can easily do 2 steps, which works fine. My setup is an esky mash tun. Love the hi tech bling but too lazy to chase it up, and kiss works well for me. My glasses go in the dish washer and lace all the way.

 

[garyhead.design]

Just a thought....

How fine are you crushing your grain?

Over ground husks can totally kill your head retention due to the release of fatty acids.

If you're not turning your grain to powder disregard my post...

Cheers
Gaz

 

[HBHB]

Thanks for the advice

How do you step up the mash temps? I use a cooler to mash in so can't apply direct heat.
Would you keep adding more hot water or take out some and heat it separately?

Cheers

There's a couple of ways you could do it ghetto style.

Drop in heater element with a gentle stir. Bring it out and do a decoction. Or Adding hotter water to ramp.

Going from acid rest to proteinase rest is easy enough , since the acid rest is done with a minimal amount of water, so you're just adding hot water to ramp it and raising your fluid levels to a suitable mash water/grain ratio to end up at your saccarification temp. Elevating to mash out is the same as you probably do now.

Martin

 

[Byran]

I remember reading on the franziskaner website that you can and (should) shake a small portion of beer and fill the glass with it to improve head retention. It works cause ive tried it with mine and theirs.

 

[milkit99]

I remember reading on the franziskaner website that you can and (should) shake a small portion of beer and fill the glass with it to improve head retention. It works cause ive tried it with mine and theirs.

I was fortunate enough to visit the Weihenstephanner brewery and noticed them doing something similar to this. When pouring a round of Hefes, they'd fill the last glass mainly with foam and use it to top them all off.

 

[DeGarre]

If one has oily lips the head will dies after the first sip so rinse your lips and at least don't eat greasy food before drinking...

 

[pedleyr]

Just a thought....

How fine are you crushing your grain?

Over ground husks can totally kill your head retention due to the release of fatty acids.

If you're not turning your grain to powder disregard my post...

Cheers
Gaz


I've not heard this before - can you shed some more light on it or provide further reading?

I ask because I tend to grind my grain to something resembling flour. I've never been concerned about a stuck sparge because I BIAB and was under the impression that there were no other negative effects.

 

[Byran]

If one has oily lips the head will dies after the first sip so rinse your lips and at least don't eat greasy food before drinking...

So how do you eat a big greasy pork knuckle or a big greasy Bratwurst on a roll whilst retaining head retention on your beer this month?

 

[NewtownClown]

So how do you eat a big greasy pork knuckle or a big greasy Bratwurst on a roll whilst retaining head retention on your beer this month?

Wipe one's mouth on the bib of one's Lederhosen! Ja?

 

[Byran]

I cant wipe all the grease off my beard! It would waste all the flavour i have stored!

 

[Lindsay Dive]

Why not increse your mashing time to 90 minutes and chuck in half a kilo of Cara Pils and reduce the others by 250 grams. Weyermann don't call it Carafoam for nothing.

FWIW, I always use some torrified wheat in my Hefeweizens.

 

[garyhead.design]

I've not heard this before - can you shed some more light on it or provide further reading?

I ask because I tend to grind my grain to something resembling flour. I've never been concerned about a stuck sparge because I BIAB and was under the impression that there were no other negative effects.

I picked it up talking to brewers.

I was skeptical at first, so a while back I did some googling. I found that fatty acid is well talked about cause of heading retention destruction and the release of fatty acids is commonly discussed as part of milling flour and other grains. Something to do with the the acids are created during germination and then released when the husks are pulverized. Apparently its the cause of flour oxidizing.... Putting 2 and 2 together, pulverized grain and no head.... I became a believer!!!

So I gave it a go and opened up my mill. I lost a bit in efficiency, but now every beer has a lasting head right down to the last sip and I'm left with foam rings all the way down the glass from every mouthful.

I'll give it another google, If find some of my readings from last time I'll post them up

Cheers
Gaz