Getting Great Head From a Blonde...

[Mickeywheelspin]

I read recently that adding cara-pils to the brew can aid head formation and retention - does it and has anyone got any suggestions as to how much?

I've been formulating a blonde / summer ale for my first BIAB which is way overdue, but planning to get ingredients next week. I've made a rash guess at 500g cara-pilsbut just plucking numbers out of the air really.

At the moment the recipe looks like...

5.00 kg Pale Malt, Maris Otter (5.9 EBC) Grain 1 90.9.0 %
0.50 kg Cara-Pils/Dextrine (3.9 EBC) Grain 2 9.1 %
Mash in 66.7 - 75 minute mash - Mash out 75.6

Boil for 60 minutes...

20.00 g Goldings, East Kent [5.00 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 3 11.5 IBUs
7.00 g First Gold [7.50 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 4 6.0 IBUs
1.00 Items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 mins) Fining 5 -
10.00 g Goldings, East Kent [5.00 %] - Boil 15.0 min Hop 6 2.8 IBUs
7.00 g First Gold [7.50 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 7 2.2 IBUs

Yeast... California Ale Yeast (or something similar)

Dry Hop...

10.00 g Goldings, East Kent [5.00 %] - Dry Hop 5.0 Days Hop 7 0.0 IBUs
5.00 g First Gold [7.50 %] - Dry Hop 5.0 Days Hop 8 0.0 IBUs​

Thanks in advance.

 

[clibit]

Any cara malts help head formation. But so does wheat, and so do oats and flaked barley. I think wheat would work well for your blonde. Think od a wheat beer, but use less wheat and make a hybrid kind of beer, 20-25% wheat. A wheat beer uses 40-50% wheat. It lightens the body and gives a soft fluffy head that hangs around, for a happy start and, er, a happy ending.... :???:

 

[TheRedDarren]

Could you just use
Porridge oats?

 

[clibit]

Could you just use
Porridge oats?

Yes. They work well. They will cloud the beer a bit, but that can give the Hoegaarden effect! With a soft, creamy head.

 

[LarryF]

Getting Great Head From a Blonde...Possibly one the best thread titles I've seen.

 

[Mickeywheelspin]

...I think wheat would work well for your blonde. Think od a wheat beer, but use less wheat and make a hybrid kind of beer, 20-25% wheat...

Thanks Clibit, but wouldn't wheat affect flavour? Wheat beers tend to be cloudy too and I am aiming for something as clear as possible, or is that not an issue with lower quantities?

...It lightens the body and gives a soft fluffy head that hangs around, for a happy start and, er, a happy ending.... :???:

hehe

 

[clibit]

A lot of English ales contain torrified wheat, 5-10%. Cloudiness in wheat beers is largely down to the yeast. Use an ale yeast, and clarity shouldn't be an issue. Drop the wheat to 10-15% if you like, I think you'll get an effect you like without noticeably altering the flavour. Or use about 7% carapils or caramalt and 7 % wheat, malted or torrified.