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bad head retention on a mid ale

Post #1 made 12 years ago
by alanem
Hi folks,
A fair while back when I was searching in another forum for a nice summer mid-strength beer I was given this recipe (see attachment) it is due to be bottled in a few days but on doing a hydrometer test (1.007) this morning I had the customary taste from the tube and it seemed lifeless.
I have brewed this brew 3-4 times and even though it is a nice refreshing drink, it seems rather thin and refuses to hold a head. I don't expect to get a full bodied glass of beer from a mid-strength brew, but I do expect better than I am getting.
I have often heard of people using oatmeal and corn etc in their mash and have wondered
1: Will this produce a more creamy head that will stay??
2: Does it alter the taste much?
Is there some other well kept secret in getting, and keeping, a good head on the beer?
All my other beers usually have a good head and good retention, my beer glasses are sterilized regularly etc. and always hold a good heady beer so it isn't that.
If anyone has any ideas I would love to hear from them.
thanks
Al
PS the file below is the unfinished brew that is in the fermenter at the moment
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Last edited by alanem on 18 Feb 2014, 11:38, edited 1 time in total.
I used to spill more than I drink these days!

Post #2 made 12 years ago
by mally
It is believed that had retention is due to proteins, and to some extent hops etc. This is also related to the body of the beer, and how carbonated it is.

does it seem well carbonated at all?
1.007 seems quite thin bodied as well. Did you carry out any form of protein rest during mashing?

Your problem could be due to a number of things so I am just speculating.
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Post #4 made 12 years ago
by PistolPatch
Al, raise your mash temp on this one up to 69 C. This adds the body to the low gravity beer. Increase your hop bill by 15%. This brings things back into balance. (I see that there is a fault in the Dry hopping fields of the BIABacus PR1.3 to PR1.3K. Just type in 0.1 instead of DR for your dry hop.)

No idea on the no head bit. Get the above sorted first though ;). Nice simple recipe. You could substitute Citra for the amarillo as well btw. Would save you buying two hops.
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Post #5 made 12 years ago
by thughes
Agreed with Pistol, raise your mash temp a few degrees (68-69 C), this will raise your FG and add body. Adding a half pound of wheat or carapills/dextrine will help head retention but please just change one thing at a time. I would recommend you brew again and change nothing but the mash temp, I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

One other thought: how do you carbonate the final product? Do you force carb by shaking the keg while applying high pressure CO2? I have seen this to cause issues with head retention. I have no issues but my method is to apply CO2 at serving pressure and wait 2 weeks for it to slowly carb.
Image
---Todd
Last edited by thughes on 18 Feb 2014, 20:50, edited 1 time in total.
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Post #6 made 12 years ago
by alanem
mally wrote:It is believed that had retention is due to proteins, and to some extent hops etc. This is also related to the body of the beer, and how carbonated it is.

does it seem well carbonated at all?
1.007 seems quite thin bodied as well. Did you carry out any form of protein rest during mashing?

Your problem could be due to a number of things so I am just speculating.
Thanks Bob for your input... the brew is still in FV at the moment for 1 more day then I will bring the temp down in my fermenting fridge to 3-4c for 2 days.
I reckon though that 1.007 will be close to the finishing FG..... the Biabacus predicts 1.009 FG
Last edited by alanem on 19 Feb 2014, 03:14, edited 1 time in total.
I used to spill more than I drink these days!

Post #7 made 12 years ago
by alanem
PistolPatch wrote:Al, raise your mash temp on this one up to 69 C. This adds the body to the low gravity beer. Increase your hop bill by 15%. This brings things back into balance. (I see that there is a fault in the Dry hopping fields of the BIABacus PR1.3 to PR1.3K. Just type in 0.1 instead of DR for your dry hop.)

No idea on the no head bit. Get the above sorted first though ;). Nice simple recipe. You could substitute Citra for the amarillo as well btw. Would save you buying two hops.
As usual a brilliant reply PP. I will definitely raise the mash temp next time and thanks for the correction on dry hopping.
The reason I used the Citra is because I have heaps of it and not so much of the Amarillo.
Thanks again PP.
Al
Last edited by alanem on 19 Feb 2014, 03:22, edited 1 time in total.
I used to spill more than I drink these days!

Post #8 made 12 years ago
by alanem
thughes wrote:Agreed with Pistol, raise your mash temp a few degrees (68-69 C), this will raise your FG and add body. Adding a half pound of wheat or carapills/dextrine will help head retention but please just change one thing at a time. I would recommend you brew again and change nothing but the mash temp, I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

One other thought: how do you carbonate the final product? Do you force carb by shaking the keg while applying high pressure CO2? I have seen this to cause issues with head retention. I have no issues but my method is to apply CO2 at serving pressure and wait 2 weeks for it to slowly carb.
Image
---Todd
Hi Todd and thanks for your help. I will be going with the higher temp as suggested and will keep the rest of your tips in mind if that doesn't do it.
Todd I don't keg, what I do is NC into a cube, let it rest for an hour or so on the floor then put it into the ferment fridge set at 20c overnight, then next morning I tip it into my FV at a height followed by sprinkling my yeast then shaking vigorously.
thanks
Al
Last edited by alanem on 19 Feb 2014, 03:31, edited 1 time in total.
I used to spill more than I drink these days!
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