Improving Head on Your Beer

Hey! My brew needs more head - -

There is nothing like a glass of fresh homebrew with a nice, frothy head! Okay, possibly DRINKING a glass of frewh brew with a nice, frothy head, eh?

If you're finding your brew is lacking the head you would like, here are a couple of things to consider.

1 - One of my favorite speciality grains is CaraFoam. By using 4-5 oz in a five gallon batch will give your brew a nice, long-lasting head that will last all the way down to the bottom of the glass. Don't even think about adding CaraFoam to a wheat beer!

2 - If your brew has 1# of wheat malt or Wheat malt extract, your brew is going to have a nice head.

3 - Using Isinglass as a fining agent (clarifier) supports better head retention.

4 - Muntons Creamy-X is used in place of priming sugar and will really give your beer a thick, lasting head on your beer. I have had remarkable success using Muntons Creamy-X in Stouts and Porters. Remember that one package of Muntons Creamy-X is good for a six gallon batch of beer, so be sure to take out a teaspoon or two before preparing it to prime your beer.

5 - If your brew is still not developing a good head, does your beer have good carbonation? Was it well chilled when you poured it in a glass? A glass-glass. Plastic does not support head on a beer very well.

6 - A little bit of greas, oil, or soap film can really affect your beer's head. If you've been enjoying chicken wings, for example, there may be a bit of grease/oil on your lips. Then they contact the surface of your brew, you can say good-bye to the head.

7 - Is it possible your dishwasher may not be rinsing off all of the detergent from your beer glass? Is it possible there is some residual soap or detergent remaining in your bottles?