No head on my beer

[BarryNL]

Generally I'm more than happy with the taste of my all-grains - the only slight issue is that I never seem to get any head on my beers. After a couple of minutes in the glass they resemble a soft drink more than a beer. What is the best advice you have to achieve a decent looking head on a beer?

[ChrisG]

Usually you can use wheat to create a head on the beers and include it in the mash. Last one I did I used 200g.

I recon if I kegged the beer the head would have been better as the force of the brew being dispensed would create a head.

[Stonechat]

For better head retention have you tried using 5% malted wheat or torrified wheat?
I'm not too bothered about a lack of head on my own beers as long as they taste OK and certainly don't like the froth that our Northern cousins like on their beer.
With commercial ale do sometimes wonder what they put in to get such effects ?

[agentgonzo]

Two things that can ruin the head on your beer are oil and soap. Make sure that at no stage do you get oils into your brew (can't see why you would) and if you wash your brew-kit out with soap/detergent, make sure you rinse it really well with water. Personally, I don't use soap/detergent when washing my kit - if you wash it straight away when it's still wet then all you need is a sponge and tap water. This goes for everything, mash-tun, kettle, FV, casks.

[steve_flack]

I've noticed that I seem to be getting much better head retention on my beers now I'm using CRS/DLS instead of 5.2 as a water treatment. I have no idea why it's happening though.

[anomalous_result]

Will 5% torrefied wheat alter flavour much? Or is it something to be tried with darker beers more than a pale ale.

[TC2642]

Will 5% torrefied wheat alter flavour much? Or is it something to be tried with darker beers more than a pale ale.

Not that small a percentage, I use wheat malt in Pale ales all the time.

[BarnsleyBrewer]

I've noticed that I seem to be getting much better head retention on my beers now I'm using CRS/DLS instead of 5.2 as a water treatment. I have no idea why it's happening though.

Hi,
This could be classed as a hijack, sorry!!

The 5.2 that you mentioned Steve? Is it the stuff sold at hop & grape that makes the perfect mash p.h regardless of water type?
If yes, can you recommend it?


John

[steve_flack]

The 5.2 that you mentioned Steve? Is it the stuff sold at hop & grape that makes the perfect mash p.h regardless of water type?
If yes, can you recommend it?

Tricky one that. I did use it for quite a while and it does seem to work quite well at adjusting your mash pH to what it should be. I do have other questions about it (like does it strip Calcium from your mash?) - consequently I'm now using acid to adjust my mash.