Recently I really lack head

[Eskimo John]

I also have the same issue with my beer and also live in a hard water area so I am interested in any advice on this thread.

I think with me it is a combination of several things. I probably need to carbonate better, I will try rinsing my glasses and if these things don't work I will try treatment. Any obvious improvements will be posted here (eventually)

 

[johnny108]

2oz. Of Makro dextrin per 20 liter batch usually solves the problem.
If the beer is dark enough and you don’t mind a risk of cloudy beer, some wheat malt will help, too.

 

[FirebladeAdam]

A bit of pale wheat and 250g of caramalt sorts it for most of my beers. 2 weeks to carb up and then two weeks cold somewhere... It's the latter two weeks that create good head in my experience

 

[dad_of_jon]

I wonder if a recent change of dishwasher tablet brand might be the culprit? I'll experiment with the old ones... I can't remember what they were but the box might still be in the recycling.

I use fairy dishwasher tabs, then I rinse out the bottles with tapwater twice before putting the bottles in the oven. Head retention varies due to recipe and I almost always use 500g of dwe in my recipes. I'd say using the dishwasher doesn't necessarily kill the head retention. I have never used bottles straight from dishwasher without a rinse though, so maybe your tabs are causing an issue.

 

[jof]

I still don't get head retention when I make my take on wheat beer:
3kg pale malt
1.5kg wheat malt

So it's not that.
Glasses go go in dishwasher using finish, fairy & Lidl own brand but that seems to make no difference.
Bottles don't see detergent, rinse with water after use & sterilize with Young's sterilizer & cleaner powder.

 

[FirebladeAdam]

It's the soap in the glass that has a detrimental effect on head and lacing

 

[dad_of_jon]

It's the soap in the glass that has a detrimental effect on head and lacing

my glassess are also well rinsed with cold water because where they are kept they get a bit warm so I rinse to cool the glass down.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

It's the soap in the glass that has a detrimental effect on head and lacing

Whenever SWMBO washes up and my glass is amongst it the head on my beer disappears quickly the next time i use it, when i wash the same glass then rinse thoroughly i don't have the issue.

 

[foxy]

The last couple of batches I've done seem to not have the same head and head retention as usual. I'm worried about sanitation maybe? I've done a brown beer and a wheat beer and I haven't done anything different to usual, but the beers are lacking head retention. What's going on? Could it be down to my recent introduction of treating my water with sodium metabisulphate? Or some crappy infection?
Despite the thread title my marriage is fine, but thanks for thinking of me

 

[scrap iron]

Hello all, yank here with English heritage and Irish too. Malts like crystal, wheat and dark malts add protein also flaked barley and flaked wheat added to mash can help. When using the dishwasher some spot free detergents will leave a film. I wash glasses by hand but sometimes my better halve puts them in the dishwasher. To check for film rinse out glass dump excess water then hold glass at 45 degrees and sprinkle salt all around the inside. Where ever the salt doesn't stick has film or needs cleaned better. The salt itself can be used to clean the glass. Just rub the salt around and then rinse with warm water. cheers

 

[jof]

I've just tried using a glass with nucleation sites on it & I get an improvement.
I think I may just be a bit stuck that I prefer low carbonation, but because I bottle all my beer there is no 'tap' with flow control to produce foam.

If I want foam, I guess I'll just have to swap to fizzy styles of beer

 

[FirebladeAdam]

I've just tried using a glass with nucleation sites on it & I get an improvement.
I think I may just be a bit stuck that I prefer low carbonation, but because I bottle all my beer there is no 'tap' with flow control to produce foam.

If I want foam, I guess I'll just have to swap to fizzy styles of beer

Do you use carapils or anything in your recipes to give a bit more head?

 

[jof]

No I have used wheat malt & crystal.
I might be tempted to try some of the wife's porridge oats if you think it would make a difference.
Usually just malt, hops, water, yeast & Irish moss to clarify

 

[FirebladeAdam]

You could use carapils, carahell, torrified oats... There are a few things that improve head retention. I make 5 gallon batches (usually ish) and often add 250g carapils, 80 or 100g of torrefied oats. Those things I put in just for head. Works great!
I also make a Hefewiezen that has 50%wheat malt bill .. That requires no additional stuff for good head and lacing because the wheat does it really well