Stuck Ferment - J.W.Lees Bitter

[marshbrewer]

Mine needed a few weeks conditioning in the bottle before it had any sort of head, but then it was fine.

 

[Slid]

My guess is that historically adjuncts would have added fermentability without the lengthy malting process. If it improves the head on a beer and the way the foam attaches itself to the glass, that's all well and good. Can't say it improves the beer much, from my perspective.

Unmalted barley and wheat do seem to add some flavour change to beer even in fairly small quantities, like, maybe, 10% of total grain bill, but like most of these subtle things, they seem to get smoothed out over time.

One thing I have noticed is that the longer a beer is conditioned, the smaller the bubbles seem to be and the better the head is retained. This is just empirical observation and I am able to make the observation mainly by being able to leave some beers for up to 3-6 months before drinking them. I don't know whether there are biochemical reasons for this.

I also know that the dishwasher powder that this household over-uses seems very destructive of beer bubbles.

 

[Bertie Doe]

My guess is that historically adjuncts would have added fermentability without the lengthy malting process. If it improves the head on a beer and the way the foam attaches itself to the glass, that's all well and good. Can't say it improves the beer much, from my perspective.

My adjuncts (DLD, CRS, gypsum, calcium chloride, epsom salt) are based on a 7 year old report from the local water authority. In view of the unseasonal weather and extra low reservoirs, maybe I should get a new report?

 

[Sadfield]

My guess is that historically adjuncts would have added fermentability without the lengthy malting process.

Would imagine a small adjunct addition would be most welcomed by the accounts department of a large brewery, too.

Malted barley and isomerised hops should be more than enough to provide head retention in a well brewed beer.



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[marshbrewer]

One thing I have noticed is that the longer a beer is conditioned, the smaller the bubbles seem to be and the better the head is retained.

You aren't alone in noticing this Slid; That's exactly my feeling. Young beer can often be crystal clear, carbed up, but will pour like Coke or pop with no head and large bubbles, but given conditioning time will have a great, long lasting head and smaller, ale like bubbles.

 

[Zephyr259]

My helles went from having no head to a pretty decent on that lasts the pint over the course of 2 weeks. So I've seen it too.