HEAD RETENTION + WATERY

[JBTREP]

G'day Guys,

How's it all going?

Just wanted to know how do I get better head retention, what ingredients could I use? Keep in mind I'm just using the buy at K-mart brew concentrates.

Also my last batch tasted rather watery with minimal taste....how can I improve?

Other people seem to be able to like it but I just cant get into it.

Cheers

[dregs]

check this thread out http://homebrewandbeer.com/forum/viewto ... f=2&t=1966 you'll never look back.

Steeping grain and carapils gave me a better head.

dregs

[JBTREP]

Sweet as, cheers.

I'll check it out now.

[Throsby]

If you're just buying the Big W products you'll find your options KIND OF limited.

As far as giving your beer some flavour and body goes - the more malt you can cram into it, the better. Big W sells Light Dry Malt. Use this instead of Dextrose.

Don't use Brewing Sugar. Brew Enhancers are fine but fairly conservative. Depends on what you're trying to make.

As far as head is concerned, dry corn syrup helps a little, but you may find the problem is in your carbonation methods or even in how you wash your bottles and/or drinking glass.

What methods have you used thus far?

Throsby

[billybushcook]

JB,
I would be looking at your methods,..no soap on the glasses!...very cold fridge!...glasses the same temp as the bottles!
Are you using glass bottles or PET?
I have been doing straight can kits for years & my beers have a thick creamy head which leaves a ring on the glass for every mouth full all the way to the end! (most of the time) I generally have to pour a schooner in two goes because it foams up a bit on the first half, let it settle & go again! & this is running it down the side of the glass.

Don't pay too much attention to the die hards telling you to add this & that, I used to get the same creamy head using brewing sugar (maltodextrin/dextrose) & even plain old white sugar in the brew!!!!!

As for the watery beer..????? no idea......what are you brewing?

Cheers, Mick.

[Tommogt]

As far as giving your beer some flavour and body goes - the more malt you can cram into it, the better. Big W sells Light Dry Malt. Use this instead of Dextrose.

Throsby

So what would you say the maximum amount of LDM to Cram in ? and the minimum . ?

I just made a batch with 1 can Coopers Real Ale + 1 Kg L D Malt . i used 200grms of Dextrose to give it a bit more alc.%
+ 400grms of Maple Syrup for a bit of taste ?

How will that type of brew turn out, and what else to just keep it as simple as possible thanks for any info.
PS: must say it didnt froth up hardly at all , a good Kerasen formed , but no airlock popping! this is my 5th brew, ist one with 1 Kg Malt.
Cheers ---- just love reading all the opinions here. great place to learn .

[Throsby]

This type of brewing is often referred to as "Kit & Kilo" (or K&K) because it is very easy to use the beer kit and just add a kilo of fermentables (such as a kilo of Light Dry Malt). The extra Dex you've used will be fine.

Really though, 1.5 or 2 kilos of fermentables can be used before you need to really consider balancing sweetness with bitterness and all that.

I've used honey plenty of times but never maple syrup. Let us all know how that goes.


When you want to move on from K&K a good step will be to make Wassa's Honey Porter. Do yourself a favour - it's spectacular.

Really though - it's YOUR home brew, make what you want and put in however much you want of whatever you want. You're the one it has to please.

[Tommogt]

Really though, 1.5 or 2 kilos of fermentables can be used before you need to really consider balancing sweetness with bitterness and all that.

I've used honey plenty of times but never maple syrup. Let us all know how that goes.

Thanks for that answer Throsby , sounds good to me , didnt realise you could go all the way up to 2 Kgs of fermentables.
Was a bit worried it might be too sweet thats all going over 1 Kg.

I read Wassa,s brew a week ago , and thought yes ! sounds like a near future batch....

last brew had 300grms Maple syrup,and has just a hint of its taste. Must try the honey. What would be the extremes of the
amount of honey ?

Cheers, Thanks

[billybushcook]

This is a typical example of a simple, hassle free Coopers PA with the BE2, no need to waste a whole day adding this & that, boiling, mashing & making a mess when you could be out fishing!!!



Mick.

[Gym_]

This is a typical example of a simple, hassle free Coopers PA with the BE2, no need to waste a whole day adding this & that, boiling, mashing & making a mess when you could be out fishing!!!

LMFAO !!! Prehaps ya should have told me this before a spent all night making a AG

Narr its all good mate give it a few months ull have a go at doing a AG too

[billybushcook]

Narr its all good mate give it a few months ull have a go at doing a AG too

Been producing good beer for 17yrs, why stop now???

Timed my self yesterday, Bottles washed, filled & capped in 45Mins, add the 15Mins it takes to put a batch down & it is a nice round 1hr from can to bottle, & less than 20 bucks, good simple & effecient beer I enjoy drinking.

why would I want to waste time & money for little gain!!???

Mick.

[drsmurto]

Narr its all good mate give it a few months ull have a go at doing a AG too

Been producing good beer for 17yrs, why stop now???

Timed my self yesterday, Bottles washed, filled & capped in 45Mins, add the 15Mins it takes to put a batch down & it is a nice round 1hr from can to bottle, & less than 20 bucks, good simple & effecient beer I enjoy drinking.

why would I want to waste time & money for little gain!!???

Mick.

We could go there and revisit the countless threads on AG vs K&K. Lets not.

As long as you enjoy it Billy then thats all that matters.

But the OP asked for help to improve his beers.

Steeping some grain, some fresh hops and a good yeast will go a long way to producing a better beer.

There are several excellent K&K recipes on this site - unfortunately we are yet to get them into a sticky.......

For a start and as an unashamed plug, here are 5 kit recipes based on my AG beers that did ok last year at a little beer show.....

DrSmurto's recipes from ANAWBS 2008

Cheers
DrSmurto

[drsmurto]

And just cos we are showing off pics of beer, here is mine.

DrSmurto's Landlord - no carapils, no wheat, no headmaster glass.

[billybushcook]

But the OP asked for help to improve his beers.

Cheers
DrSmurto

My point exactly, look at the heading.
My original suggestion was to look at the methods used to clean & store glasses, there is no reason why a K&K brew should have lousy head retention if it has been treated properly.
May be I,m on a bit of a defensive, but it seems every time some one posts a thread, based on K&K brewing he gets told that straight can kits are crap & this is simply not true provided they are treated right & the product is the one for you!!

Mick.

[drsmurto]

Where in my post do i say K&K is crap?

[BigPete56]

First time poster, bottled my 3rd K&K (Coopers Irish Stout) should be ready next weekend.

I had a similar issue to JBTREP with my 2nd brew [Coopers PA with the BE2 and English Ale yeast from HBS]- result was mainly a lack of head retention rather than a watery taste.

Would variation in fermenter temp (22c - 28c) be a factor? It was a warm couple of weeks, so I put them under the house immediately after bottling. I've since read on other threads they should be kept at min 18c after bottling, so it may have been too cool by a couple of degrees.

Another thread suggested it may be the yeast, so I have followed the recommendation and have been inverting them a couple of times twice a day for a week.

I will be cracking a couple of these CPAs soon to check if there has been any improvement (fingers crossed), however if not, any recommendations on the process in recycling the brew? I tried to find a post I'd read without luck. I don't want to chuck it if I don't have to.

[Is it usual on the first post to want to express:
- feelings of remorse that it took so long to get into HB
- the unbridled enthusiasm of your first successful brew
- the overwhelming disappointment of your first dud brew
- the keen sense of anticipation of waiting for the next brew
- your gratitude for this forum and all contributors
Hopefully I am not alone in these thoughts]

[Throsby]

Perfectly normal mate - relax.

As far as head retention is concerned, until you're sure that all your brewing/drinking equipment is cleaned and/or sanitised the right way don't even start trying to find a culprit in the ingredients.

Your priming methods could also be the issue.


There are many many threads floating around on correct ways to clean and sterilise.

Welcome aboard,

Throsby.

[Gym_]

( Insert Pisstake Here )

Owww what Cute Little glasses you boyz have ..

is that for your women folk to injoy a small shandy in ?..

Let me show you a real mans beer.. (Insert fake Scottish accent here ) “Arrr a weee pint of larger for a thirsty man, and I, it’s got a full head of steam “

[drsmurto]

Quality over quantity at Doc's bar......

[Gym_]

You can get it walking.
You can get it talking.
You can get it beating the crap out of a cow.
As a matter of fact I got it now.
A big hot thirst needs a big cold beer.
And the best cold beer is Gym’s !!
Gyms Homebrews