head retention

[robsan77]

Some of the beers I am kicking out now taste great imo. But one thing I could improve on is head retention and a little body perhaps. Now the beers I have been making are blonde and golden pales and a really nice bitter in the abbotts and old speckled style. I have used torrified wheat so far around 4% but I am worried about uping it too much as I dont what much of its flavour to come through. Especially in a simple pale.
What are people experience with it? what percentage do most use?

Also will crystal wheat malt give the same effect? I want to try a higher quantity of this for its biscuity taste and wondered if i needed torrified as well?

 

[prolix]

I mash at 68 to get a good malty body, and have never worried about head
retention so can't help with that

 

[tubthumper]

I think head retention has something to do with water, hops and also the grains you use

you will need to test all of those to get it right but what the heck thats what brewing your own is all about

my water is thames and is very very hard , sometimes I do some treatment others nothing and I get reasonable head retention , never noticed the difference with no torrified as to with. but pale beers are harder to get right than stouts and porters regarding head retention. and I never seen a bollted beer keep its head for very long that was pale in colour .
and as a southerner I couldnt care less about the head on a beer I drink it adds nothing to the taste and gets in the way when I want to drink the first draught.

 

[evanvine]

If the froth/head is that important to you, use "heading" liquid!
Also use scrupulously clean glasses, if bubbles cling to the side of the glass it's not clean.
Mash at 68, I'm going to try that Prolix.
I also like a malty brew.
What strike temp do you use, 81?

 

[Aleman]

Used some flaked wheat or flaked barley in place of the torriefied wheat. . . the flavour contribution is much less pronounced . . . if you really want to push it try wheat flour . . . and certainly try and avoid mashing below 65C . . . which can destroy the head retaining/forming materials . . . although that is more likely to happen way down at 35-40C

 

[robsan77]

Thanks all. I like a sweet beer and have mashed at around 67 before however I dont like that particular sweetness when it comes to the really pales. Can make them a bit sickly. I'll experiment with the flaked grains and will look into my water quality a bit more. I could easily do a test batch with some mineral water for comparison as well. :thumb:

 

[unclepumble]

If the froth/head is that important to you, use "heading" liquid!

I would only use Heading liquid if you want non natural beer, as its "PROPOLYNE GLYCOLALGINATE", I would stick to 68mash temp.

Adding 1/2tsp Isomerised Hop Extract to the keg when going into secondary really helps head retention.

UP

 

[Sean_Mc]

I've had some heading liquid in my cupboard for months, never used it, just a impulse from the HB shop.
Its a 50ml bottle good for 25 gallons, lots of E numbers in the ingredients list puts me off

 

[unclepumble]

I've had some heading liquid in my cupboard for months, never used it, just a impulse from the HB shop.
Its a 50ml bottle good for 25 gallons, lots of E numbers in the ingredients list puts me off

I sometimes have to fix the machinery that mixes it, if the powder hasn't mixed properly it sticks like S*it, we have to use acid to get the residue off our tools, crap stuff, and if it spills over it takes ages to shift, foams for hours, It does what it says on the tin though.

Use with caution.

UP

 

[Sean_Mc]

Just a couple of drops in the whirlpool, before the wife has a bath :rofl:

 

[evanvine]

Just a couple of drops in the whirlpool, before the wife has a bath :rofl:

I'd use 1/2 the tin, that way you won't see her for hours!

 

[unclepumble]

Just a couple of drops in the whirlpool, before the wife has a bath :rofl:

A couple of drops in her tea might get a more desired effect and reverse the married woman syndrome, :grin:
It hasn't worked on mine yet though!


UP

 

[chiefstoker]

I think I would rather use some Beheading liquid on my mrs :lol:

I bet you could put a couple of drops of fairy liquid in your keg and that would have the desired effect :lol: