What Changed My Head?

[Phoenix]

Hey Guys,

Another newbie question, from, well, a newbie.

Anyway, my first brew finished several weeks ago, and keen as any newbie, after it had been bottled for a two weeks (the suggested minimum) I had one in the fridge and then later was appreciating the fruits of my labour.

I was happy. It looked like beer, smelt like beer and tasted like beer. I was pretty sure I had made my first beer. Sure it was a bit rough seeing it was still fairly young, but I was happy.

Anyway, to see what difference a week could make, I planned to not have another until the following week. Three of four days before this time came around, I placed one of my bottles in the fridge in prep for drinking, and to see if keeping it cool for more than a few hours would make much difference.

Well, the second tasting was better (less rough) but the biggest difference I noticed, was that the head seems to be smoother/creamier. I was wondering if ppl could tell me what would have caused this. Is it the age, or could it purely be because it was refrigerated for longer?

The brew in question was a Morgan's Australian Lager with 1kg of dextrose and carb drops for carbonation.

Cheers,
Phoenix.

 

[Mr Bond]

Time,and conditioning will make the head better and longer lasting.

 

[GMK]

OK - The yeast need around 18 degrees to produce teh CO2 in the bottle.
But the CO2 is obsorbed into the beer better at cold temps.
Therefore...if u can chill the beer for 3-4 days - u will get better CO2 obsorbtion which should give you a better head - just as you have experienced.

Hope this helps

 

[GMK]

Phoenix

i used to live in Oxley...there are some real good Brewers who live around near by - get yourself along to the Canberra Brewers meetings - wealth of knowledge and the guys and gals are good.

I am sure the locals will have you round for a beer, a brew and a beer.

 

[Phoenix]

OK - The yeast need around 18 degrees to produce teh CO2 in the bottle.
But the CO2 is obsorbed into the beer better at cold temps.
Therefore...if u can chill the beer for 3-4 days - u will get better CO2 obsorbtion which should give you a better head - just as you have experienced.

Hope this helps

[post="99740"][/post]​

Thanks GMK, that there be some good info. Much appreciated.

As for getting along to a Canberra brewers meeting, I think I'll give that some more thought for 2006. (Definitely if I stick with this whole brewing thingy )

Cheers,
Phoenix.

 

[Gulf Brewery]

OK - The yeast need around 18 degrees to produce teh CO2 in the bottle.
But the CO2 is obsorbed into the beer better at cold temps.
Therefore...if u can chill the beer for 3-4 days - u will get better CO2 obsorbtion which should give you a better head - just as you have experienced.

Hope this helps

[post="99740"][/post]​

GMK and Phoenix

Sorry, but GMK's answer isn't quite correct. Yes, beer at lower temperatures will "hold" (for a better word) more CO2 in solution. The amount of CO2 will reach an equilibrium between what is held in the beer and what is held in the headspace, but the amount of headspace in a beer is quite small, so I would expect the variation to be very small with a temperature change from say 18C to 3 or 4C in the fridge.

Yeast can produce CO2 (as part of the fermentation process) at very low temperatures, not just 18C. It will depend on the yeast strain and how healthy it is - remember a lot of lager yeasts can still ferment happily at 6C

Cheers
Pedro

 

[Phoenix]

Thanks GB, but was GMK correct essentially saying that it was the cooling of the beer that helped the head? As that is the main part I'm interested in.

 

[Gulf Brewery]

Thanks GB, but was GMK correct essentially saying that it was the cooling of the beer that helped the head? As that is the main part I'm interested in.

[post="99759"][/post]​

Phoenix, as time goes on you will get more carbonation until the yeast runs out of sugars to convert to alcohol and CO2. The more CO2, the creamier the feel on the tongue. Also, as time goes on the bubbles become finer which adds to the smoothness on the mouthfeel. I don't think cooling for more than the time it takes to get down to drinking temperature will make any difference once the bottles are carbonated to the desired level.

Cheers
Pedro

 

[Phoenix]

Cheers mate, I'll keep that in mind for my next taste test. I'll just use the minimal amount of time required for cooling and see if that is the case.

thanks.

 

[NRB]

Why not do a side-by-side comparison then? Stick one or two in the fridge now and leave them untouched for a couple of weeks.

After 2 weeks, try drinking one that's been in the fridge for the entire time and one that's only been in for a few hours.

 

[jayse]

I don't think cooling for more than the time it takes to get down to drinking temperature will make any difference once the bottles are carbonated to the desired level.

Cheers
Pedro

[post="99761"][/post]​

I could quote all of pedro's posts but i won't.
Phoenix get to know the forum and you'll find some people from a newbies point of view seem to know what there talking about, I know it makes it hard as a newbie when you might read something and take it as gospel, all i can say is lucky we have people like gulf brewery with the right words to set brewers straight.

When the levee breaks
Jayse

 

[Linz]

I found the longer I left bottles in the fridge the better they became, not just head retention. I put it down to what people would call 'cold conditioning' and 'lagering'......

 

[jayse]

yes but if a beer is in its prime already.......... :chug: :chug:


Out on the tiles
Jayse