How do you create a beer with good head

[trustyrusty]

Hello,

I have read a few articles and posts and not quite sure what makes a good head on the beer.

My beer is turning out ok, but head does not last long..

> Is it more time in the bottle? (Been about 4 weeks when I have tried) (I have a range of coopers beers, one tooheys special with extra hops, there is an ale that has probably been in for 2 months now, I will try again soon, but it was the same at 4 weeks)
> Is it brew enhancer (ie malt) that is the difference
> Some say hops does help...

I have made sure the glasses are washed properly
A friend let me try and bottle of dark ale that had been in the bottle for 18 months, but he said he also used extra malt...
and it was great.... the head lasted to the last mouthful..

So I cannot be sure what it is...

From your experience what is it?

I am a newbie at all this.

Thanks

 

[barls]

ok better question to you whats your normal way of making beer. kits, extract or all grain.

 

[Blind Dog]

Resisting the obvious smutty response...

Malt, mash temps, time conditioning, level of priming, water composition, in fact just about every ingredient and part if the process can affect head to a greater or lesser extent. Would probably need to know your recipe, mash schedule, etc to offer constructive advice

That said I've found including a short rest at 55 and a longer one at 72 in the mash schedule, extended conditioning, clean glassware and waiting post (vigorous) pour all helped

 

[trustyrusty]

At the moment, noob, so just kit (can) plus fermentables (Coopers brewenhancer 2, coopers brewing sugar), sometimes normal sugar (that maybe the issue with some?)

 

[Blind Dog]

Also, once you've decided what steps to take try changing one thing at once so you'll know what does and does not work for you

 

[trustyrusty]

Resisting the obvious smutty response...

Yes there will be some, I did not how else to say it

 

[barls]

ok the one that i found was the first one was ditching the dextrose and replacing with a dme or dry malt extract.
then steeping grains and finally i ended up all grain.
then theres mash temps and other factors that come in to it.
adding hops also help.

 

[Yob]

Wheat..

 

[seamad]

Wheat..

I wonder if adding some dry malted wheat extract would help ? Can't see why it wouldn't.
You can also steep some carapils.

 

[Spiesy]

10% carapils. Job done.

Or, you could try - step mashing, adding wheat, etc.

Edit: sorry, just read the bit about kits.

 

[TheWiggman]

I've never had any luck with head on simple kits beers like OP uses.
I'd focus on making sure your glass (drinking) and bottles are thoroughly rinsed and devoid of any soapy residue. Try not to use too much soap when washing. Apart from that, the above recommendations - where applicable - are good.
There are additive products like Big Head Powder that you could play around with, but I've never tried them.

 

[Yob]

I wonder if adding some dry malted wheat extract would help ? Can't see why it wouldn't.

Used to add it religiously in my kits n bits days, helped loads

 

[danestead]

Ive never tried one, however what about a fresh wort kit? I assume they are made by an all grain process and with any luck they achieve a better head than what you are getting atm. Pretty much the same 'brew' process as you are currently doing now. Pour into fermenter, top up with a small amount of water, add yeast, wait, drink. Theyll taste a million times better as well.

 

[droid]

for me, using light dry malt extract (ldme) instead of sugar helped (gives the beer more body too) and the correct dosage of sugar or ldme or like at bottling

are you getting bubbles in the beer?

 

[Blind Dog]

I found all of these useful to varying degrees:

https://www.ibd.org.uk/cms/file/311
(if the link is dodgy, search for 'getting a head Institute of Brewing and Distilling') on google to find the pdf

http://byo.com/stories/item/621-fabulous-foam
https://byo.com/stories/issue/item/693-getting-good-beer-foam-techniques

 

[micblair]

4 ppm tetra hop.

 

[Feldon]

10% carapils. Job done.

This. Can give you a beautiful lacy head that clings to the sides of the glass as you drink it down.

Crush about 250g of Carapils grain (put it in a zip lock bag and beat the shit out of it with your wife's best rolling pin), put it in a saucepan or pot and pour in a couple of litres of very hot water. Let it steep for about 20 mins or so (give it a stir every now and then).

Strain into another pan or pot and bring to boil to sterilise it. Give it a simmer for five minutes or more and your done. You can use the boiled Carapils extract to help dissolve the rest of your kit ingredients.

Good luck.

 

[danestead]

This. Can give you a beautiful lacy head that clings to the sides of the glass as you drink it down.

Crush about 250g of Carapils grain (put it in a zip lock bag and beat the shit out of it with your wife's best rolling pin), put it in a saucepan or pot and pour in a couple of litres of very hot water. Let it steep for about 20 mins or so (give it a stir every now and then).

Strain into another pan or pot and bring to boil to sterilise it. Give it a simmer for five minutes or more and your done. You can use the boiled Carapils extract to help dissolve the rest of your kit ingredients.

Good luck.

That sounds really simple and probably the best way to get some head on a kit beer and is a look into kits and bits style brewing.

Just to clarify, 'very hot water' doesn't mean boiling water. About 80 degrees would be the maximum you would want to go. Your hot tap water is usually regulated to about 50 or 55 degrees im pretty sure.

When you do bring it to the boil later on, that is after you have strained out the grains. It is fine to boil it at that point. The reason you dont want to boil the grains is because you will extract tannins (bad bitter taste like sucking on a tea bag) from the grain husks.

 

[manticle]

For kit beer - maltodextrin or steep some carapils and use some hops.

Glasses clean and well rinsed.

 

[trustyrusty]

Thanks Guys for all suggestions - I will go through and report back or ask a question about a post, cheers