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Author Topic: Show off your foam!  (Read 2697 times)

Offline majorvices

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Show off your foam!
« on: February 22, 2015, 11:56:12 am »
But gonna be hard to beat this one!


Offline Herminator

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Re: Show off your foam!
« Reply #1 on: February 22, 2015, 12:15:51 pm »
Love it.  Cheers!
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Offline HoosierBrew

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Re: Show off your foam!
« Reply #2 on: February 22, 2015, 12:17:49 pm »
Damn, looks like an ice cream cone. What style is that ?  The only beers I've seen with foam like that were high carbed Belgians.
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Offline duboman

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Re: Show off your foam!
« Reply #3 on: February 22, 2015, 12:24:58 pm »
Wow that's some crazy, rocky foam!
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Offline AmandaK

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Re: Show off your foam!
« Reply #4 on: February 22, 2015, 01:11:14 pm »
That's what I call "perma-head"!
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Offline majorvices

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Re: Show off your foam!
« Reply #5 on: February 22, 2015, 01:11:26 pm »
It's IPA. Carbonation tester registered at 2.9 so slightly over carbbed. Ever since I started using a grant my head retention has improved.

On this beer I have to pour, let the foam settle a minute and then top off to get the head to stand up like that. It is really pretty though.

Offline jeffy

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Re: Show off your foam!
« Reply #6 on: February 22, 2015, 01:48:13 pm »
Why do you think the grant helps?  Are you using it between the mash tun and boil kettle?
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Offline majorvices

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Re: Show off your foam!
« Reply #7 on: February 22, 2015, 02:01:25 pm »
Why do you think the grant helps?  Are you using it between the mash tun and boil kettle?

A guy who was working for me went off to brew school and when he left I told him that if he uncovered any secrets on how to make my beer foam better to let me know. When he got finished he said that if I used a grant it would keep the pump from pulling the beta glucans out from the mash into the BK. By golly, it seemed to work. I get better lacing and much more foam positive beer.

If your gravity feeding on the homebrew scale a grant probably isn't necessary but if you use a pump to lauter you might consider putting a grant between you MT and BK.

Offline BrewBama

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Re: Show off your foam!
« Reply #8 on: February 22, 2015, 02:17:50 pm »
That reminds me of Amsterdam. They'd pour a row of beers to the line then use a knife to remove any foam above the edge of the glass. A row of perfectly poured beer every time.

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Offline mabrungard

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Re: Show off your foam!
« Reply #9 on: February 22, 2015, 02:21:24 pm »
Enjoyable for a homebrew, but might be objectionable a commercial venture and to the barman pouring the beer.

I would have to believe that the pump breaks the beta-glucans up. Inserting a grant reduces the stress that the trip through the pump might place on the wort and along with it, a reduction in the beta-glucan destruction. Beta-glucans are terrific head builders. I've produced many a beer with heads that large or greater and they all included a minor percentage of flaked barley (which is full of beta glucans). I've since switched to using a minor percentage of flaked wheat which has less beta-glucan content and also has a nicer flavor.
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Offline denny

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Re: Show off your foam!
« Reply #10 on: February 22, 2015, 02:29:49 pm »
Enjoyable for a homebrew, but might be objectionable a commercial venture and to the barman pouring the beer.

I would have to believe that the pump breaks the beta-glucans up. Inserting a grant reduces the stress that the trip through the pump might place on the wort and along with it, a reduction in the beta-glucan destruction. Beta-glucans are terrific head builders. I've produced many a beer with heads that large or greater and they all included a minor percentage of flaked barley (which is full of beta glucans). I've since switched to using a minor percentage of flaked wheat which has less beta-glucan content and also has a nicer flavor.

But aren't you still running the wort through a pump post grant?  I'm having a hard time seeing what the difference would be.
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Offline majorvices

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Re: Show off your foam!
« Reply #11 on: February 22, 2015, 02:31:08 pm »
It's really not that challenging to pour. I purposely poured it straight down the middle. Regardless, it is all going to be bottled, I just pulled this keg for me.

Regardless, the beer still goes through the pump after the grant so whatever the case may be, it appears that the grant does something before the pump. He was fresh out of brewing school and he specifically said that the grant helps to reduce the beta glucans in the wort because the pump it not pulling on the grain bed. I'll have to text him and ask him what he was talking about.
« Last Edit: February 22, 2015, 02:38:40 pm by majorvices »

Offline majorvices

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Re: Show off your foam!
« Reply #12 on: February 22, 2015, 02:44:54 pm »
FTR there is no flaked barley in this recipe. It is 2-row, vienna and crystal. I do use flaked barley in one of my recipes where I have trouble with head retention due to the oils from one of the ingredients (specifically lime leaves). It does seem to help some.

Maybe it's just the hops. I don't get this kind of foam on my other beers. But I am getting very nice foam and plenty of lacing and it seems to be better and more consistent since I switched over to the grant.

Offline Alewyfe

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Re: Show off your foam!
« Reply #13 on: February 22, 2015, 02:46:50 pm »
Interesting. I sometimes use a grant. I'll have to start paying attention to any difference.
Thanks for sharing.
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Offline majorvices

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Re: Show off your foam!
« Reply #14 on: February 23, 2015, 06:39:01 am »
I was only thinking of beta glucans as the gummy mess that causes stuck sparges. I haven't texted my former emplyee yet. He's working for a brewery in Indianapolis, but I'll try to get in touch with him today.

The only other thing I have been doing different other than using a grant is taking better care of the mash bed, which has also brought my efficiency up to near 80%.

The beer was only slightly over carbbed for draft - 2.9 as opposed to 2.7 in the BBT. When I bottle I try to account for loss of carbonation by carbbing to about 2.9-3.1 and this definitely gives the bottles better carbonation.

This beer does not pour super foamy off draft. Pouring the beer down the side of the glass get's pretty close to a decent pour. Easy to get a decent level pint with only a little extra effort. Of course, some places have their co2 turned up to crazy pressure and if it was at 15 psi serving pressure it probably would be a pain to pour.

I'm sure some of the great head has come from the beer being slightly over carbbed and the serving pressure turned down to between 8 and 10, but the foam is amazing on this beer in particular. The head lasts all the way to the last drink out of the glass - and I don't mean just a little white lace - I mean a 3/4 -1 inch thick! Some of that may be the fancy IPA glass I am using, I having tried it with a standard tumbler pint (and why would I when I have a fancy IPA glass? ;))

 I would like to replicate this every time on every beer I brew because as far as foam goes, it is perfect. Obviously some of the foam enhancement is coming from the high amount of hops.

As I have said, the foam and lacing has improved on all my beers since I started using a grant about 6-8 months ago. If that's not the cause I'd love to know what is!
« Last Edit: February 23, 2015, 06:43:30 am by majorvices »