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Beerducation: Some Head is Better than None

Recently, while at a bar, I negatively commented to a friend that my draft beer had no head whatsoever.  On cue, they asked “isn’t that a good thing?”  To the best of my abilities, I explained how it was indeed not a good thing and they responded with “you should write about that.  I had no idea.”  Good call.

Foamy heads are a characteristic of just about every beer in existence.  Consider this.  Beer is the only beverage in the world that is capable of  retaining and holding its head until fully consumed.  Others can foam up, of course, like champagne and soda, but it’s gone moments later.  Beer contains the magical combo of ingredients to sustain our bubbly friend.  Head, unfortunately, is quite misunderstood, as well.  Many dislike it, say it’s a waste, and feel it’s taking up precious space for additional beer.  Though hard to firmly prove its benefits scientifically, I’m here to disspell such nasty rumors about head.

Before getting into what makes head oh so great, let’s go back to basics.  Head is simply caused by tiny little carbon dioxide bubbles ascending to the glass’ surface once poured.  Beer heads can have as many different looks as Joan Rivers has had faces.  Some are thin and unobtrusive, others are close to an inch thick and frothy, while even more can take up over half the glass and resemble whipping cream.  Colors can also range greatly, from a pure milky white all the way to a deep dark brown.

So what causes all of these differences?  Head formation in beer can vary greatly based on what ingredients are used (wheat-heavy beers tend to produce better head retention), the yeast behavior during fermentation, and how much carbon dioxide gets dissolved in the wort (young beer) during the maturation process. Naturally, the level of carbonation strongly effects the outcome of head as well. Carbonating beer can occur naturally (via the yeast) or artificially. Certain styles of beer are also intentionally brewed to contain different levels of carbonation. For example, Saisons and Hefeweizens are highly carbonated and tend to produce massive head when poured.  English Bitters and Imperial Stouts, however, tend to be lower in carbonation.

So why is head good?  It mainly comes down to the notion that taste is a multi-sensory equation.  Yes indeed, what we consider delicious goes far beyond merely our taste buds.  Let’s start with smell.  A good beer head releases the great aromatics that beer has to offer with each tiny little bubble-pop.  A flat beer will not smell very good.  Smell is heightened as we lift the glass to our face.  Therefore, we’re hit with the aroma before the beer ever touches our lips.  A nice aroma will heighten our enjoyment of anything we ingest, especially beer.

Secondly, head creates a visual palette to whet our beer appetite.  A great looking head gets my mouth watering in anticipation of what’s to come.  Ever see the thick, brown head of a good Imperial Stout?  If not, do so.  It’s a beautiful thing.

Fact is, sight results in our very first impression of anything tangible.  Ever been to a nice restaurant, glance over to the side, and notice how good a complete stranger’s meal looks?  Of course.  And it makes you hungry and crave said food item.  Same principle here.  An appealing head gets our beer-drinking experience off to a strong start.

How do we ensure a good head?  Start with good, clean glassware.  A glass that isn’t thoroughly clean and contains leftover residue from soap or detergent can kill head growth and retention.  Hand wash it gently, and rinse and dry well.  Apparently, a pinch of salt in the water can help also.

Beyond this, simply pour your beer well.  Start with your glass at an angle and pour gently down the side.  As the glass fills, lift it upright gradually and center the pouring flume in the glass.  As the beer nears its voyage out of the bottle, raise the bottle to create more head.  Do this to your liking.  Use caution though.  A good stout or Bavarian Weisse can cause a mega-head to rise in milliseconds!

Play around and determine what works for you.  Once you nail a good head in your pour, get your nose in there and soak up that great aroma and you’re on your way to pure beer bliss.

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