How to brew a beer with a big foam head?!
I can buy beers that have big long lasting foam but never make it myself!. What are the ways to make it work!. Personal experiences!?
Thank youWww@FoodAQ@Com
Thank youWww@FoodAQ@Com
Answers:
Fortunately production foam is not a major concern when brewing wheat beers!. This is a not too technical article on the subject of beer foam!.
http://byo!.com/stories/techniques/articl!.!.!.
You can easily manipulate the mash cycle with the wheat added to your grist bill!. I suggest that for a greater ease of mind you use a small portion of unmalted wheat as well!. By running a short protein rest (if at all) you should have a nice foam formation & retention!. Use a popular recipe and you will have no worries!.
Basically there are foam positive (beneficial) and foam negative (detrimental) substances!.
The main foam positive substances are the higher molecular weight protein degradation products with a molecular weight between 10,000 and 60,000 and the isohumulones!. Consequently a more stable foam can be expected from a more highly hopped beer!. Tannins and anthocyanogens can also improve foam, but only in their non-oxidized and uncondensed state!.
On the other hand the main foam negative substances are alcohol and several fermentation by-products and also anthocyanogens and a higher concentration of amino acids!.
Effects on foam stability (reported in points on the Ross and Clark scale) are therefore very variable:
Factor/ Change in the factor by/Changes the foam stability by
* Coagulable Nitrogen
+0!.1 mg/100 ml
+1!.0 point
*High molecular weight Nitrogen
+1 mg/100 ml
+0!.9 points
*Viscosity
+0!.1 CP
+2!.6 points
*Isohumulones
+1 mg/100 ml
+0!.5 points
*Low molecular weight polypeptides
+0!.1 mg/100 ml
-0!.3 points
*Anthoeyanogens
+1 mg/l
-0!.2 points
*Alcohol
+0!.1 %
-1!.4 points
From this a number of conclusions can be drawn with regard to the technological processes!.
The effect of malting especially the effect of higher modification is not clearly defined!. Undoubtedly higher curing temperatures favour foam formation!.
The influence of mashing on the foam is, on the other hand obvious!. All rests which favour the breakdown of proteins and glucans also at the same time decrease foam stability!. Long rests at temperatures of 50 to 60'C certainly result in a poor foam!. Higher mashing in temperatures (62 to 65'C) and longer rests at 70 to 72'C at pH 5!.5 to 5!.6 should be aimed for!.
In the case of fermentation and maturation a negative effect of the yeast on foam can be seen if the yeast is damaged by improper storage, late harvesting or insufficient multiplication!. With warm storage for a long time, or too high a pres- sure, yeast increasingly secretes degradation products which can be detected by damage to the foam!. (I must locate the source)
The universe & Beer Foam
http://www!.sciencentral!.com/articles/vie!.!.!.
Spend a few $$ and get a professional article on the subject!.
http://www!.mbaa!.com/TechQuarterly/Abstra!.!.!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
http://byo!.com/stories/techniques/articl!.!.!.
You can easily manipulate the mash cycle with the wheat added to your grist bill!. I suggest that for a greater ease of mind you use a small portion of unmalted wheat as well!. By running a short protein rest (if at all) you should have a nice foam formation & retention!. Use a popular recipe and you will have no worries!.
Basically there are foam positive (beneficial) and foam negative (detrimental) substances!.
The main foam positive substances are the higher molecular weight protein degradation products with a molecular weight between 10,000 and 60,000 and the isohumulones!. Consequently a more stable foam can be expected from a more highly hopped beer!. Tannins and anthocyanogens can also improve foam, but only in their non-oxidized and uncondensed state!.
On the other hand the main foam negative substances are alcohol and several fermentation by-products and also anthocyanogens and a higher concentration of amino acids!.
Effects on foam stability (reported in points on the Ross and Clark scale) are therefore very variable:
Factor/ Change in the factor by/Changes the foam stability by
* Coagulable Nitrogen
+0!.1 mg/100 ml
+1!.0 point
*High molecular weight Nitrogen
+1 mg/100 ml
+0!.9 points
*Viscosity
+0!.1 CP
+2!.6 points
*Isohumulones
+1 mg/100 ml
+0!.5 points
*Low molecular weight polypeptides
+0!.1 mg/100 ml
-0!.3 points
*Anthoeyanogens
+1 mg/l
-0!.2 points
*Alcohol
+0!.1 %
-1!.4 points
From this a number of conclusions can be drawn with regard to the technological processes!.
The effect of malting especially the effect of higher modification is not clearly defined!. Undoubtedly higher curing temperatures favour foam formation!.
The influence of mashing on the foam is, on the other hand obvious!. All rests which favour the breakdown of proteins and glucans also at the same time decrease foam stability!. Long rests at temperatures of 50 to 60'C certainly result in a poor foam!. Higher mashing in temperatures (62 to 65'C) and longer rests at 70 to 72'C at pH 5!.5 to 5!.6 should be aimed for!.
In the case of fermentation and maturation a negative effect of the yeast on foam can be seen if the yeast is damaged by improper storage, late harvesting or insufficient multiplication!. With warm storage for a long time, or too high a pres- sure, yeast increasingly secretes degradation products which can be detected by damage to the foam!. (I must locate the source)
The universe & Beer Foam
http://www!.sciencentral!.com/articles/vie!.!.!.
Spend a few $$ and get a professional article on the subject!.
http://www!.mbaa!.com/TechQuarterly/Abstra!.!.!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
Head formation and retention are affected by a number of factors,
including the amount of medium and long chain proteins left over
in your beer, carbonation levels, and glassware cleanliness!.
If your glassware is beer clean, and you have sufficient CO2 levels
in your beer, then you may want to look at recipe formulation and/or
process!.
If you're brewing with extracts, you might want to step up to partial
mashing, and include 10%-15% wheat in your grist!. If you're already
doing all-grain brewing, manipulate your mash temps and rest times
(especially protein rest @ 122-130F) to maximize medium to long
chain proteins!.
Check out http://www!.bjcp!.org/ and look at the Study Guide!. There is
a brief section on head retention, but you should get some excellent
pointers on brewing from it!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
including the amount of medium and long chain proteins left over
in your beer, carbonation levels, and glassware cleanliness!.
If your glassware is beer clean, and you have sufficient CO2 levels
in your beer, then you may want to look at recipe formulation and/or
process!.
If you're brewing with extracts, you might want to step up to partial
mashing, and include 10%-15% wheat in your grist!. If you're already
doing all-grain brewing, manipulate your mash temps and rest times
(especially protein rest @ 122-130F) to maximize medium to long
chain proteins!.
Check out http://www!.bjcp!.org/ and look at the Study Guide!. There is
a brief section on head retention, but you should get some excellent
pointers on brewing from it!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
