Better Head

[JammyBStard]

I've just started drinking my first all grain, it's a bit young, but pretty good:
It's a simple single hop (Perle) AG (95% Pale Malt, Maris Otter, 5% Caramel/Crystal Malt) in primary for seven days and has been bottled for about ten days.

The head is big, lots of fizz, but it's quite poppy like coke and it goes quite quickly. how do you get a silky head like a good Belgian beer?

[alefric]

Try adding torrefied wheat to the grain bill........i normally use 150 to 200g depending on the brew.

Hope this helps

Andrew

P.S. Don't use more than 5% in a bitter

[Roger]

I hope I'm not teaching granny to.... etc. but if the head is disappearing fast make sure your glass is well rinsed out.
Could be as simple as that.

Roger

[ritchie]

Better Head?!??!!

Fnarr fnarr!! Kyuk kyuk! Ey oop wahey!!! Nudge nudge wink wink!!

[yashicamat]

Better Head?!??!!

Fnarr fnarr!! Kyuk kyuk! Ey oop wahey!!! Nudge nudge wink wink!!

Back to the OP's question, I find that if I use the beer engine, I'll get a decent head on the beer which will last all the way down to the bottom of the glass. If I pour the same beer from a bottle conditioned bottle, it will reduce to a little foamy ring around the edge of the glass and it'll stay at that all the way down, even with wheat in it. I think the way the beer is dispensed is the main factor in the size of the bubbles in the head, which seems to be linked to how long the head lasts.

[JammyBStard]

Back to the OP's question, I find that if I use the beer engine, I'll get a decent head on the beer which will last all the way down to the bottom of the glass. If I pour the same beer from a bottle conditioned bottle, it will reduce to a little foamy ring around the edge of the glass and it'll stay at that all the way down, even with wheat in it. I think the way the beer is dispensed is the main factor in the size of the bubbles in the head, which seems to be linked to how long the head lasts.

Thats very true, but the Belgians seem to manage it! Is that somthing to do with Wheat???

Better Head?!??!!

Fnarr fnarr!! Kyuk kyuk! Ey oop wahey!!! Nudge nudge wink wink!!

I have no idea what your on about!!! but what do you think about the name of my all Perle Hop AG...... "Perle Necklace" I think it's got a nice ring to it!

[Stonechat]

5% of either Torrefied or Malted Wheat will improve head retention. Torrefied will give a nutty taste and malted will give a creamy flavour IMHO.
Whatever else the Belgians do will no doubt be explained by Belgian beer specialists, of which there are several on Jim's.

[Stonechat]

Sorry I forgot about the "Perle Necklace". Sounds good. I've got a stout in the FV now with 100g of Perle in it. Fingers crossed that it will do the business.

[JammyBStard]

what is "Torrefied", sounds dangerous

[Stonechat]

It's unmalted wheat. I think it's produced by cooking the grains in water until the starches are gelatinised. They are then dried. The enzymes in whatever pale malt you use can then convert the starches to sugars that can be fermented.

In the Brupaks guide to grains it has the following description:

Available whole and flaked, this grain is used extensively to promote head retention in Bitters. Its use is definitely recommended in all recipes where a good firm head is required Ideal for brewing Belgian Witbier.

Maximum percentage 10%(or up to 40% for Witbier)