Advice needed after 2nd beer brewed with no head and has flat profile

[davybarman]

Maybe slightly off topic.

Have you considered that it may not be the beer but the glass you are serving it in that may have this affect.

I have found that certain beer glasses will kill the head on my beer very quickly

[Bubbles]

Shanna,
The only advice I can give you is to look closely at your glass-washing regime, as others have said above. Back in the day, I noticed that when I drank my own beer at home, the head formation and retention would be really poor. But when I brought my beer to some other people's houses, there was a marked improvement. Pretty obvious what's going on there.. The Fairy Liquid is a known head killer. You might be better off using a cheaper brand of washing up liquid, one that doesn't leave as much of a sparkle. If you have a dishwasher, try changing your detergent for this also.

You could also adding a little wheat malt and/or carapils to your grist. Also, try brewing a style with plenty of hops and crystal malt, which are known contributors to good head (cough..)

c.

[irish_goat]

Shanna,
The only advice I can give you is to look closely at your glass-washing regime, as others have said above. Back in the day, I noticed that when I drank my own beer at home, the head formation and retention would be really poor. But when I brought my beer to some other people's houses, there was a marked improvement. Pretty obvious what's going on there.. The Fairy Liquid is a known head killer. You might be better off using a cheaper brand of washing up liquid, one that doesn't leave as much of a sparkle. If you have a dishwasher, try changing your detergent for this also.

So you're saying homebrew tastes better outside of South Dublin? 

[Bubbles]

Yes! It's flavour improves when you're surrounded by the country air! 

[Shanna]

Have never left the bottles be washed with any kind of liquid detergent even when I am finished with the beer. I wash the empties out with cold water before storing in the shed. I never put the bottles in the dish washer. A few days before bottling I cold soak in an oxy solution and then wash out with cold water.  Recently though I ditched that step and rinsed in star San. Think this was the problem in residual oxy.

Shanna

Shanna,
The only advice I can give you is to look closely at your glass-washing regime, as others have said above. Back in the day, I noticed that when I drank my own beer at home, the head formation and retention would be really poor. But when I brought my beer to some other people's houses, there was a marked improvement. Pretty obvious what's going on there.. The Fairy Liquid is a known head killer. You might be better off using a cheaper brand of washing up liquid, one that doesn't leave as much of a sparkle. If you have a dishwasher, try changing your detergent for this also.

You could also adding a little wheat malt and/or carapils to your grist. Also, try brewing a style with plenty of hops and crystal malt, which are known contributors to good head (cough..)

c.

[Shanna]

Just realised you meant the beer glass itself rather than the bottle.  Don't think it is down detergent on the glass I am drinking from.  Had three beers from the same glass where the beer with the problem head was the third one. Two others I drank first had proper foamy heads.

Been reading a bit more on this and some sites suggest too high a brewing temp could be at fault where fusel alcohol causes poor head retention.  Will be interested to hear whether the beer has this problem when people sample or at the South Dublin meet.

It was left in my kitchen during hot spell for 10 days while I was in holidays.

Shanna

Shanna,
The only advice I can give you is to look closely at your glass-washing regime, as others have said above. Back in the day, I noticed that when I drank my own beer at home, the head formation and retention would be really poor. But when I brought my beer to some other people's houses, there was a marked improvement. Pretty obvious what's going on there.. The Fairy Liquid is a known head killer. You might be better off using a cheaper brand of washing up liquid, one that doesn't leave as much of a sparkle. If you have a dishwasher, try changing your detergent for this also.

You could also adding a little wheat malt and/or carapils to your grist. Also, try brewing a style with plenty of hops and crystal malt, which are known contributors to good head (cough..)

c.