Head Retention Issues

[Bryan R]

One of my biggest pet peeves is the pontification by the big names that we do not need to follow commercial brewing standards. Commercial breweries are usually very cautious of O2 in the brewhouse.

[Kit_B]

Unfortunately, I spent years believing & posting that HSA wasn't a real problem.
I was wrong.
Is it a problem in an Imperial Stout?
...Probably not.
Is it a problem in a super-hopped American IPA?
...Meh.
Is it something to be extremely careful of, in a helles?
...Believe it.

[Brandon]

[Bryan R]

I think mashing regimen is a big factor as well. A step mashed beer will have much better head retention and formation, due to the alpha rest, which has many foam positive properties. Conversely a rest below 130 will kill it!

And because who doesn't love lacing and foam. Altbier.

[pietro]

[Bryan R]

[pietro]

wow. So cold break/trub = bad in your mind/brewhouse? Is there a thread somewhere on here about why?

We run from kettle through blichmann plate chiller into conical, but typically with lagers, we will chill from about 70-80* out of the chiller down to 50* once it gets to the conical slowly with the chambers cooling mechanism/controller set to temp with probe in thermowell.

Still, some gunk makes it into the fermentation (a LOT more with my BIAB setup). You think that may have something to do with it?

[Weizenberg]

I'd start with improving the mash. It's not suitable for 100% Pima

[Kit_B]

[Weizenberg]

I always run the wort into the fermenter and let it settle over night, then I dump the trub and pitch the yeast. The next day I oxygenate the wort.