Where is the head?

[Aviary]

Hello all,

I've put down a few batches, and from early on I've gone with a kit and malt (no dextrose or extra sugar). Some have had grain added also.

I'm sure the answer appears somewhere within this forum but at the risk of revealing my stupidity to you all I'll ask again, why doesn't my beer have any head?

Their seems to be adequate carbonation but the small head that forms during pouring disappears very quickly.

Please help, I need the froth.

[Emo]

Is the glass you're using washed in washing liquid?

[Pale_Ale]

Cue lame jokes about 'head' and 'froth'

[Aviary]

I've just been rinsing the glasses clean in cold water since a friend advised me to do that. It hasn't really improved things a great deal. Could the detergent the glasses were washed in before be hanging around?

[Pale_Ale]

Almost certainly. Beer glasses should never be washed with detergent. Most pubs use the pink stuff, can't remember what it's called but I think it's more a sanitizer which doesn't leave residue.

Also may want to check the temperature of the glass because if it's too warm the temperature difference will kill the head.

I like a chilled glass personally!

[lethaldog]

Wash all your beer glasses again and then steralise all with the same stuff that you use for your fermenter (whatever it may be), rinse well afterwoods and whack em in the fridge/freezer, you will be amazed at the difference

[geoffclifton]

I'm told that pub glass wash is 80% alkaline salts and that no frills auto dishwasher powder is the same deal.

Me, I've just gone for hot water and back in the fridge.

Cheers, Geofffffffffffff, oops.......

[gregb]

Pink Stain Remover from your HBS will clean your glasses sparkling, which results in good head on your beer. Rinsing only is ok for a while, but you do get a build up that rinsing does not remove. Drying the glass with a paper towel helps too.

Cheers,
Greg

[Cortez The Killer]

Try steeping about 100g of Carapils per batch - do a search

Cheers

[BierMeister]

If you have only been rinsing your glasses then there is your problem. If you want to buy extra cleaning stuff for your glasses then go ahead, but I see no problem with dish washing liquid given a good rinse from fresh water. I worked in a bar in Munich for 18 months and we used stand up glass scrubbers in a sink of dish washing liquid to scrub off all the crap and rinsed in flowing cold water a couple of times then presto clean beer glasses that retained their heads. You wouldn't get by in Munich unless the beer you served had and retained its head. I wash my glasses first in the sink before all the other crap and rinse in hot water from the tap twice. Never have a problem and one of my slightly over carbonated lagers had head till the very last drop, infact the head was the very last drop.

Secondly if you have discounted your glasses as being a problem then it could be other factors such as lack of proteins that form the head. Use of crystal or Cara malts is one way to fix this problem. Also high alcohol content will affect the head retention. Main thing for those new to the game to remember though is that carbonation levels aren't the main problem when talking about foam/lack of foam. The carbonation helps keep the head going, but with out the necessary proteins to form the head then you will end up with an apple cider or champagne product. Very fizzy but no head.

[Aviary]

Thank you for all your help, I'll give these suggestions a try.