Head

[banjobrew]

We all love it...

Pause.

So I've a few brews under my belt now and each has been lovely but unless I pour from a height won't get much head. They haven't been overly carbonated mind you but I don't like them too fizzy and still want a decent enough and long lasting head.

The next brew will be a dry stout so I don't want to use too much crystal as it won't be that dry but I've read it improves head retention. I've yet to use carapils / dextrine and want to know is a little of that going to help me out?

All suggestions welcome!

Cheers.

[dcalnan]

I've heard that adding flaked oats to stouts adds a smooth and creamy mouthfeel, and apparently help with head retention.

[banjobrew]

I've heard that too for AG brewing. I think it needs to be mashed. There's some debate over this though.

Has anyone tried flaked barley or oats in an extract recipe?

[DEMPSEY]

For a dry stout drop the crystal . Go with the 70 20 10 rule for malt and you will have no problem with a head. 70% pale 20_ flaked barley 10% roast malt. 

[DEMPSEY]

Sorry doing this on my phone. Did not spot you were talking extract

[irish_goat]

A small % of wheat malt will help with head retention as well.

[Garry]

Any of the Cara* malts should help improve head retention.

If you are bottle conditioning, try priming the bottles with DME instead of dextrose. Better still, use wheat DME.

[banjobrew]

Any of the Cara* malts should help improve head retention.

If you are bottle conditioning, try priming the bottles with DME instead of dextrose. Better still, use wheat DME.

Any in particular that won't add much sweetness?

[Garry]

Carapils 

[Parky]

+1 on the carapils,

Some other suggestions -

I've read you can steep flaked barley. I've only used this in a mash, and can say it does the job nicely for head retention and body. Similar question to your own here - http://homebrew.stackexchange.com/questions/9338/steeping-flaked-barley

Levels of carbonation will certainly help in head formation, and 2.5 volumes works well for me for most styles. (this equates to priming sugar of approx. 6g of sucrose per litre).

If you can source some maltodextrin, this is also a good addition for adding body to an extract brew and improving head retention.

Also, beer heading liquid of compound will provide a tight frothy head, but I've found the head produced by these products isn't great for a young beer, but definitely improves the longer the beer is conditioned.

Hope that's of some help 

[banjobrew]

Carapils 

+1 on the carapils,

Some other suggestions -

I've read you can steep flaked barley. I've only used this in a mash, and can say it does the job nicely for head retention and body. Similar question to your own here - http://homebrew.stackexchange.com/questions/9338/steeping-flaked-barley

Levels of carbonation will certainly help in head formation, and 2.5 volumes works well for me for most styles. (this equates to priming sugar of approx. 6g of sucrose per litre).

If you can source some maltodextrin, this is also a good addition for adding body to an extract brew and improving head retention.

Also, beer heading liquid of compound will provide a tight frothy head, but I've found the head produced by these products isn't great for a young beer, but definitely improves the longer the beer is conditioned.

Hope that's of some help 

Great stuff lads. I don't like the idea of adding anything other than grains or sugars so I don't think I'll try the beer heading compound at this stage.

I'll give carapils a go and try a bit of flaked barley in the next stout.

[molc]

I used to have issues with head retention on my extract brews, but after 2 months in the bottle it used to right itself.

[LordEoin]

+1 for carapils. more head retention and some extra freshness without upsetting the balance of your beer.

[JayMc]

Just wondering, how much carapils are we talking about here?

[banjobrew]

I thought I'd just update you all on the outcome:

So, I went for the 7:2:1 ratio for an extract stout.

That's 3kg pale LME, 0.5kg dark DME, 1kg flaked barley (steeped despite being extract) and 0.5kg roasted barley.

Maximised clarity by racking after 1 week and in secondary for 2 weeks. Bottled for 3 weeks and chilled for 1.

Ended up with a thick, creamy, tanned and sustained head that I could even draw a smiley face in. No need for nitro or any fancy tricks.