Hops and head character

[Brewer #422640]

Hi everyone

Have you ever noticed a difference in head character (i.e. bubble size / foam 'thickness', retention) when using different hops?
It's common knowledge that head character (usually retention) can be altered by fiddling with adjuncts, wheat, oats, etc. But I've never read or heard about hops being a factor.

I did an experiment brew earlier this year with a mash which was then split into 8 separate boils to test various hops. Everything else was the same.
When I tested these, after being in bottles for about 2 months, they had markedly different head qualities. It is possible that they underwent different amounts of fermentation in their respective bottles, as I didn't bother measuring the FG of them. But I'm wondering if anyone else has noticed this?

 

[Minbari]

Yes, hops high in lipids will negatively effect head retention

 

[BarbarianBrewer]

Hi everyone

Have you ever noticed a difference in head character (i.e. bubble size / foam 'thickness', retention) when using different hops?
It's common knowledge that head character (usually retention) can be altered by fiddling with adjuncts, wheat, oats, etc. But I've never read or heard about hops being a factor.

I did an experiment brew earlier this year with a mash which was then split into 8 separate boils to test various hops. Everything else was the same.
When I tested these, after being in bottles for about 2 months, they had markedly different head qualities. It is possible that they underwent different amounts of fermentation in their respective bottles, as I didn't bother measuring the FG of them. But I'm wondering if anyone else has noticed this?

I have never thought about this. Thanks for doing the test and posing the question.

 

[J A]

I wouldn't assume an absence of other variables if you're bottling. You don't mention how they were "markedly different". Did you see any sort of pattern? Specific hops having less head retention? Sample sizes?

 

[Dave Y]

I did an experiment brew earlier this year with a mash which was then split into 8 separate boils to test various hops. Everything else was the same.
When I tested these, after being in bottles for about 2 months, they had markedly different head qualities. It is possible that they underwent different amounts of fermentation in their respective bottles, as I didn't bother measuring the FG of them. But I'm wondering if anyone else has noticed this?

It really depends on how tightly controlled your experiment was. There are variables everywhere, how you carbonated the samples, the condition, cleanliness and sanitizing of the bottles, cap and bottling equipment, how similar the 8 separate boils were and the fact that you don't have a FG.

It's not nothing, but it wouldn't withstand a peer review.
I'd be hard pressed to do better, even with kegging. I could force carbonate equally, monitor keg psi and probably still end up with an inconsistency- probably one of my kegs doesn't seal correctly and leaks slowly, I can't count how many times this has happened.