lager head, bottle aged

Off the top of my head (bah ha ha! Pun intended!)...no.

But then, head retention is farther down on my list of priorities, so maybe I just haven’t noticed.

FWIW

 

Clarity and head on my lagers are similar at 5 weeks in kegs...the clarity is there almost right out the gate.

 

I've noticed that tight foam and foam retention tend to increase with time. Possibly due to hydration of the CO2.

Seems to be the case with ales, lagers, kegged, bottle conditioned, whatever.

 

Nope, I've gotten fluffy, dense heads that last the entire glass burst carbing with various lager and ales. It does take a few days or a week to saturate or whatever the CO2 to get a nice dense head, but it doesn't take weeks to get there.

I don't notice any difference between my spunded, naturally carbonated pils vs. my burst carb, for example. No step mashing either, just plain old single infusion mashes. Head retention has never been any problem for me.

Good brewing technique and clean/sanitary conditions (no residual oils) will really help that head retention.

 

Been a while since I bottled but 4 weeks was always peak time for me.

 

Basically, if you are doing it right, head formation and retention will happen. If you are having trouble getting a nice foam collar and you are an all grain brewer you likely have a flaw in your process.

Good foam is a natural occurrence. Once you are fully carbonated no problem. Fully carbed can require a few weeks.
Cheers.

 

Personally, I would drop the 10L crystal malt and swap it with something like Munich instead, to keep it more “traditional”. Or something like Caramunich I.

Carapils has been shown to actually hurt head retention, supposedly, so you may want to drop that out completely. Using just Pils and Munich/Caramunich would be just fine.

Mash temp looks about right, although at the low end of that range (146-148) you may want to extend the mash time to 90min unless your checking your conversion. It works a bit slower down there, just to ensure you fully convert. From 148+ an hour should be fine.

You don’t really need to ramp your fermentation temp, although quite a few people do (myself included, just did it now on my IPL). When I do, I give it at least 4-5 days at 48F before raising up. I have not been ramping at all lately, except my IPL now only because I want it up around 62-64F for dry hopping in the next day or two. Otherwise, I’d let it run at 48F until FG. If you pitch enough yeast (two packs for 5-gallon should be fine, especially rehydrated) diacetyl and whatever else is not an issue.

Looks tasty!

 

Maybe. The studies I've read that suggest carapils is foam negative measured foam retention of pre-boil worts. The problem with that, as I see it, is that boiling denatures (various) proteins, changing their shapes and possibly their foam retention contributions. As I understand it, protein LTP1 (for example) gets better at foam retention when denatured.

This made me wonder if anyone has studied various malts' foam retention contributions in beer, or at least in post-boil worts. I couldn't find anything on that. I even bought the "Foam" book. No joy.

 

Makes you wonder... I mean, the grain industry really isn't about "snake oil" products. Each malt really has its own flavor and characteristics. The fact both US and German malters offer these body and foam enhancing malts (Carapils, Carafoam, Chit?, etc...) would suggest that they probably do something beneficial to foam if they all claim it. I would also assume these malters have done studies at some point to prove the benefit, although it does seem that there is no evidence laying around anywhere it appears.

 

It's anecdotal evidence but every beer I make using carapils has improved head compared to ones where I don't. This ranges from styles like cream ale to a lager to an IPA. I haven't used it in a while and my head retention has suffered in my opinion. Will prolly go back soon.

 

I have heard that rye malt, in small proportions, really helps with head formation/retention. I've never tried it myself, but it's something to consider.

 

A soft boil targeting less than 10% boil off is going to be your best bet for single infusion brewing.

http://www.lowoxygenbrewing.com/uncategorized/foam/ is what I have to say on the matter.

 

Surprised wheat malt has not been mentioned. Or I missed it.
Wheat is high in protein and subsequently helps foam. Like wheat beer.

Many brewers add a percentage, as I did. Until I figured out less is more.
Cheers.

 

Nice read. Won't be going back to carapils now