Head Retention Issues

[pietro]

[Bryan R]

I believe Nico is referring to the single infusion. You have to remember Nico was born and raised in Munich. The Germans will flat out tell anyone you can't make a beer with single infusion. However Nico's worldly so he will only tell you you can't make a lager with one.

[Weizenberg]

[pietro]

Wow see I was told 5.4 was too high so we ended up adjusting down. Here is a pic of the beer after about 1 minute, poured with a 1" head. Definitely not glassware, as the tulip was cleaned with a paste of salt and baking soda, then rinsed thoroughly and hand-dried.

Doesn't really show the clarity because of the condensation, but the beer is Rabe-clear

One of those beers that I love so much, and will likely not be around long: graham cracker/floral aroma, medium mouthfeel, crisp all the way around with some lingering hop bitterness (which seems to be a point of contention as to whether it belongs).

All that said, after spending some time on this forum, I feel like this beer is barely scratching the surface of what these beers can be.

[Bryan R]

Well, Nico is a decocter, so keep that in mind. Some recent information suggests that 5.5 is more of decoction pH, and infusions may be lower. However, if I got a 5.4 mash pH, and I was infusion mashing I don't know I would adjust anything (in the mash), boil pH is another story.

Well, it goes back to homebrewers and their goals. If you loved the beer, great!

The problem however, is about 99% of what you hear about these German lagers is mis-information. You have to unlearn EVERYthing and start over with a different mindset. That mindset is... Do.Simple.Perfect.

[Weizenberg]

The perfect middle ground for both amylases is actually a pH of 5.6! Some decocters (is this a swear word?) choose 5.4. Many award winning brews used that one too.

But the problem here is severe lack of body and a mash schedule that doesn't particularly favour the creating of "Gerüstsubstanzen" (body building substances?) and a pH which is way too low for alpha amylases to perform optimally (5.2). I don't think I was too far off with my suggestions in order to address the issue of not enough body in the results.

However, I forgot to mention that another--and easier--option would be to add 10% of Carapils. Amongst the caramalts it has a bit of a special place and it contributes plenty of maltose (due to the low conversion temperatures when it was malted).

Brewing is a machinery with loads of wheels turning. Understanding the impact of each and using their properties to achieve the desired results is a bit like cooking a five star dinner.

It's an art.

[Brody]

A followup on Nico's carapils suggestion: Besides proper brewing techniques have you guys experimented much with carapils, chit malt, flaked barley (assuming ones not worried about the Reinheitsgebot), wheat, etc in Pils or Helles?

I'm guessing if you used something like a flaked barley or Chit it would lower the grain bills Kolbach and affect the mash schedule?

[Bryan R]

I have used A LOT of chit. You are right on all accounts! My recent enhanced double decoction Vienna had 13%.

[Weizenberg]

If one is interested in replicating the taste of German beers, then not sticking to the RHG is a bad idea since it defies the purpose. I am not saying that one cannot make great things with other ingredients, but stuff like flaked barley is never used and doesn't belong in there.

Chit malt is useful in adjusting for yearly variations in malt, but it won't suddenly make the grain bill less modified. If Chit malt is the sme as "Spitzmalz" then that's certainly used.

Carapils is often used in Pils and Helles to regulate foam and mouthfeel.

[Bryan R]