Need advice on getting head

[WelshPaul]

No sniggering, you at the back!

OK, so my first real attempt at ale brewing has a date with the bottling fairies on the weekend. It's turned out very nicely so far, much higher than my expectations had allowed for a first try, and I will be priming it before bottling.

Other than priming sugar, what other adjuncts do folks recommend to get a good head retention on their beers? I've seen that some have used rice or wheat but I am not sure at which point of the process and what quantities to use - can anyone offer any advice?
Also, what is the best way to batch prime bottled beer? Just throw the required amount of sugar into the FV, into the bottles, or make a light syrup with some water first?

 

[Runwell-Steve]

Wheat is used to get a head, this goes in as part of the Mash.

I would make a light syrup with your sugar, and pour it into a second FV, then syphon your beer out of the primary fermenter into the second fermenter.

With any luck this second fermenter/bottling bucket will have a tap on it and a little bottler attached which will make bottling a whole lot easier.

 

[WelshPaul]

With any luck this second fermenter/bottling bucket will have a tap on it and a little bottler attached which will make bottling a whole lot easier.

Yes, that's going to be on my shopping list when I come back from holidays!

So roughly how much wheat should be used for head retention? I assume that it won't impact the flavour too greatly?

 

[Cussword]

No sniggering, you at the back!

Damn, saw the heading & thought, this will be fun :party:

 

[Growler]

I was going to suggest a bottle of wine and a nice meal :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

 

[dorset brewer]

No sniggering, you at the back!

Damn, saw the heading & thought, this will be fun :party:

As did i lol, know alittle street thats good for that :whistle:

 

[Aleman]

What do folks recommend to get good head?

Don't get married!





Sorry . . . . It just had to be done

 

[golder247]

I wouldn't disagree with much that Steve has said except that I haven't found the little bottler to be very helpful, I find a syphon to be much simpler and faster.... plus you don't have to buy anything..

Each to their on and all that but I find that using my syphon I can charge along and do a whole batch in minutes very comfortably.. this is of course a good thing!!

 

[Moley]

What do folks recommend to get good head?

Don't get married!

Oh that nearly made me spit wine over my keyboard :rofl:



Back to brewing, I've tried terrified wheat and don't like it, but flaked barley seems to work well.

 

[tazuk]

lol i can not belive to ask about head you must have a red light area near you or try dogging lmao lmao lol :clap: :party: :whistle: :hmm: :shock: :grin: :grin: :thumb:

 

[ohbeary]

Dduw!, such smut!, I think some people may have been drinking! :rofl:

 

[dennisking]

Dduw!, such smut!, I think some people may have been drinking! :rofl:

Yup hic

 

[Cussword]

What do folks recommend to get good head?

Don't get married! Sorry . . . . It just had to be done

You speak for yourself :whistle:

 

[Dunfie]

I normally add a small amount of wheat malt in my recipes for head retention.

As for batch priming - we have a handy How To that might give you some ideas.

 

[WelshPaul]

Yes, I did see that guide before, but I don't have a secondary fermenter with a tap/bottler yet. I think I'm going to try to syphon the beer into the large pan we used for the boil and add the syrup to that before bottling.

 

[guyb]

Yes, I did see that guide before, but I don't have a secondary fermenter with a tap/bottler yet. I think I'm going to try to syphon the beer into the large pan we used for the boil and add the syrup to that before bottling.

I'd be tempted to measure either your priming liquid into each bottle or use priming sugar into each bottle rather than risk getting an infection in an open pan.