Will Not Hold Head

[Nick JD]

I wouldn't look toward infection as responsible for head retention. There's a gazillion more likely reasons. Lack of dextrins being my first thought after clean glasses.

 

[jetfoley]

Aaaaaaand back to the OP question.

I had the same problem when I started out, I was using to many highly fermentables like Dex and sugar, and not enough Dextrins. So I fixed it by adding 250g of corn syrup to the brew. It wont effect the alcohol content, it just creates smaller and more bubbles. ==> better head and head retention.

If your recipe was something along the lines of :
Kit + kilo of dex + hops ; then that is your problem... add corn syrup to that recipe and it'll hold head

alternantivly try using Malt extract instead of Dex,
Kit + 500g Malt extract + 500 Dex + hops; no need for corn syrup in that recipe.
:icon_cheers:

Jet

 

[bob58]

I had the same problem when I started out, I was using to many highly fermentables like Dex and sugar, and not enough Dextrins. So I fixed it by adding 250g of corn syrup to the brew. It wont effect the alcohol content, it just creates smaller and more bubbles. ==> better head and head retention.

If your recipe was something along the lines of :
Kit + kilo of dex + hops ; then that is your problem... add corn syrup to that recipe and it'll hold head

alternantivly try using Malt extract instead of Dex,
Kit + 500g Malt extract + 500 Dex + hops; no need for corn syrup in that recipe.
:icon_cheers:

Jet

Hi Gentleman
Good to see a lot of discussion on this subject the recipe I used is
200grms Of crystal 20grm of black grain seeped for 20mins at 70c
3kgs of light liquid malt
500grms of dextrose
30grm of cascade for 60mins
20grms of cascade for 30mins
25grms of saazfor 20mins
25grms of saaz for 0mins at flame out used us05 yeast
brewed at 18 -20c was in fermenter for 14 days then kegged
Start gravity was 1050 finish was 1010 tastes good but does not want to hold a head and I don't think it is the glasses as I have changed many times so some more ideas as to what went wrong and how I can impoove would be good
Cheers Bob

 

[manticle]

Brew it again with a portion of steeped carapils or some maltodextrin.

I'm presuming it forms a head but the head doesn't stay?

I've had head retention issues with an all grain porter I've made which seems to lessen as it ages. Maybe its just time but I have no idea why.

 

[Nick JD]

Hi Gentleman
Good to see a lot of discussion on this subject the recipe I used is
200grms Of crystal 20grm of black grain seeped for 20mins at 70c
3kgs of light liquid malt
500grms of dextrose
30grm of cascade for 60mins
20grms of cascade for 30mins
25grms of saazfor 20mins
25grms of saaz for 0mins at flame out used us05 yeast
brewed at 18 -20c was in fermenter for 14 days then kegged
Start gravity was 1050 finish was 1010 tastes good but does not want to hold a head and I don't think it is the glasses as I have changed many times so some more ideas as to what went wrong and how I can impoove would be good
Cheers Bob

Add 300g of carapils to your steep. Problem solved.

 

[bum]

Or problem covered up anyway.

 

[Aus_Rider_22]

Or problem covered up anyway.

I agree.

Hi Gentleman
Good to see a lot of discussion on this subject the recipe I used is
200grms Of crystal 20grm of black grain seeped for 20mins at 70c
3kgs of light liquid malt
500grms of dextrose
30grm of cascade for 60mins
20grms of cascade for 30mins
25grms of saazfor 20mins
25grms of saaz for 0mins at flame out used us05 yeast
brewed at 18 -20c was in fermenter for 14 days then kegged
Start gravity was 1050 finish was 1010 tastes good but does not want to hold a head and I don't think it is the glasses as I have changed many times so some more ideas as to what went wrong and how I can impoove would be good
Cheers Bob

I did a pretty much identical brew as that following Tony's LCBA clone. It was exactly the same accept I didn't use the crystal or black grain. I kegged it and it was very nice. Probably should have left it age in the keg longer. It poured with a good head and held it reasonably well. Now I bottled a few bottle of the extra 23L that didn't fit into the 19L and after 1.5 months the bottles were amazing!
I don't know whether it was because I used malt extract and did my own bittering, or it was the 1.5 months storage but they held the foamy head unbelievably! I could finish the glass and still have 1cm of froth at the end of the glass. I actually have 2 bottles left and will take a photo of them tomorrow or friday, whenever I get to drink them.

 

[dr K]

Dr K has an agenda here regarding my post and he may know for sure, but hes not saying so onward we press.

Nope, sorry, no agenda, certainly not regarding your post goliath.
I was merely questioning the original proposition by goliath, which even with the omission of the word "invariably" is still news to to me.
as to me not not saying, I have to admit that i live in a barrell and as such do not have constant internet conection, so sorry.

K

 

[GOLIATH]

Nope, sorry, no agenda, certainly not regarding your post goliath.
I was merely questioning the original proposition by goliath, which even with the omission of the word "invariably" is still news to to me.
as to me not not saying, I have to admit that i live in a barrell and as such do not have constant internet conection, so sorry.

K

Thanks Doc. I think I have opened my rusty old mouth too much and now have to eat some humble pie. I just cant find the ref. Seriously, it was either in a Brewers Inst Journal as an aside or it was a conversation with someone that should know, but it was a while ago.

Certainly the word invariably is incorrect.

I just had the view and have held it for a long time that because Bacteria produced all sorts of weird hobgoblins in the beer some of which are still unknown I suspect, that head retention was also compromised because of the lack of body.

I will keep searching but at the moment I am embarrassed and unsure of my knowledge so thanks fr your post.

Regards Dave

 

[GOLIATH]

I Like the Crystal additions too ,BTW

 

[bum]

Thanks Doc. I think I have opened my rusty old mouth too much and now have to eat some humble pie. I just cant find the ref. Seriously, it was either in a Brewers Inst Journal as an aside or it was a conversation with someone that should know, but it was a while ago.

Surely you're omitting a possibility here?

 

[Nick JD]

Or problem covered up anyway.

Beer has head = problem solved.

You guys like to complicate things. Occam's Razor is sharper than most of the genious here.

 

[bum]

Just a quick reminder for anyone who might have forgotten the point of trying to help someone. Taken from the OP:

The last couple of extract brews I have done taste great but don't want to hold there head after the first pour have been using us05yeast any ideas why

Bold added by me to make my point blatant.

Dude asked for reasons why his beer is behaving this way. People are offering suggestions. The OP can decided whether they apply to him or not.

You're right, of course. People here do (sometimes) make things more complicated by actually reading the OP and trying to make relevant and non-judgemental replies.

 

[Aus_Rider_22]

I agree.



I did a pretty much identical brew as that following Tony's LCBA clone. It was exactly the same accept I didn't use the crystal or black grain. I kegged it and it was very nice. Probably should have left it age in the keg longer. It poured with a good head and held it reasonably well. Now I bottled a few bottle of the extra 23L that didn't fit into the 19L and after 1.5 months the bottles were amazing!
I don't know whether it was because I used malt extract and did my own bittering, or it was the 1.5 months storage but they held the foamy head unbelievably! I could finish the glass and still have 1cm of froth at the end of the glass. I actually have 2 bottles left and will take a photo of them tomorrow or friday, whenever I get to drink them.

Here is the poured LCBA as per Tony's recipe 1.5 months after it was bottled.

Just found a photo on my phone of when I kegged the same beer.

 

[Nick JD]

The last couple of extract brews I have done taste great but don't want to hold there head after the first pour have been using us05yeast any ideas why...

You are not using enough grains that impart things that make bubbles not pop.