Beer is too foamy.

[MemphisGrizz]

As I said in an earlier post, I just started my 4th batch. First 3 have been great, but the main complaint I seem to get from my friends is that my beer is too foamy. I'm guessing this is a natural occurrence from bottling at home, but I figured I would double check with all of you experts out there.

Is this the way homebrew is, or is there something I can do to lessen it? I pour the bottles into a glass and always have to wait for the foam to go down.

I typically condition part of my batch for a week, allowing most of it to condition for 2 weeks before putting it in the fridge.

The instructions that came with my kit suggested 1-2 weeks of conditioning, but I'm reading forum posts saying 3 + weeks.

(Note: So far I have only been brewing with malt extract kits from Northern Brewer...hoping to go all grain soon).

 

[SteveLikesBeer]

You might be able to use less priming sugar but the first things I'd do would be:

1. verify that you are chilling your bottled beer around the proper temp for the style
2. try to pour in a non aggressive way. Start around a 30 degree angle and slowly move to upright during pour.

You might be able to release some of the C02 if needed post bottling. Around the 4 minute mark of https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itrjDXPKEGw there is an example. I've never tried this so I don't know how well it works.

 

[woozy]

I don't know the answer but my beers tend to be seriously underfoamed and head free. So I don't think "that's just the way home brews are". I'm sorry I don't have any thing more.

 

[Jayhem]

1. Ferment your beer for a solid 3-4 weeks before bottling to be sure it is truly finished before bottling.

2. Most 5 gallon extract kits come with 5 oz of priming sugar. 5oz is a lot of priming sugar, most of my recipes only need 3.8-4.5oz of priming sugar in 5.0 gallons.

A properly carbonated homebrew will have head (foam) similar or slightly better than store bought craft beers you have had in the past.

This is just a picture I grabbed off the internet but this is how 90% of my homebrews look in the glass about 20 seconds after I pour them.

 

[boydster]

I second the earlier reply about making sure you have the beer cooled to the proper serving temperature. The CO2 will stay in solution better at cooler temperatures, so if you over-primed your batch, serving it at a cooler temp and pouring carefully will help keep the bubbles under control. You would also probably benefit from using a priming calculator to get the proper carbonation, if you aren't already doing so.
The CO2 is under pressure in the bottle, which keeps it in solution even if it is a little warmer than it should be, but as soon as you crack the seal you are depending on the beer's temperature to keep the CO2 from escaping.
I've had brews that were properly carbed and either A) served too cold - very little head, or B) served too warm - excessive foam at the top.

 

[Johnnyhitch1]

Like others have stated. 5oz of priming sugar is a lot and should only be used for fruit beers and wheats IMO.
Also make sure your yeilding 5gal at bottling time, provided enough sugar to carb a 5gal batch WILL slightly overcarb a 4.5gal batch.

Lastly...STOP following the printed directions that come with the kits.
I dont touch any batch before ATLEAST 2 weeks in primary and atleast another 2 weeks after bottling.

 

[MemphisGrizz]

Thanks for the great responses.

I keep having experienced brewers telling me not to follow the instructions. The instructions tell me to do 1-2 weeks in a primary fermenter, 1-2 in a secondary, and then 1-2 bottled in a warm place.

Then my experienced micro-brewery owning friend (who got me into brewing) mocked me for using a secondary fermenter. Left my last batch in the first fermenter for 3 weeks and then bottled it, and it turned out fine (but too foamy, of course ).

I will take your advice and let it stay bottled for at least 2 weeks for now on.

 

[unionrdr]

Another thing many noobs overlook is how long they're in the fridge. A couple hours to one day many times isn't enough ime. They need to be in there at least a week. This gives time for chill haze to form & settle. It also gives co2 the time it needs to get into solution. Otherwise,it's pressurized in the head space at room temps,which creates nucleation points & it foams up.

 

[Jayhem]

One sure way to tell if your beer is over carbonated is to see if the head continues to rise AFTER you pour the beer. If the head builds up after you pour you are definitely over carbonated.

One way to combat an overly carbonated beer is to pour into shallow, wide glasses instead of standard pint glasses. the wider the rim of the glass the quicker the extra C02 will escape.

 

[MemphisGrizz]

By looking at the very useful similar threads feature, I'm seeing that infection could also be a possibility (though it is happening every time I brew so I doubt it)?

Also, I should've mentioned that I had at least one beer explode in the closet last batch (6 total were broken or unsealed/emptied in the process). I will definitely be more careful about how much I fill the bottles up next time. Hoping to eventually switch to kegs.

 

[MemphisGrizz]

One sure way to tell if your beer is over carbonated is to see if the head continues to rise AFTER you pour the beer. If the head builds up after you pour you are definitely over carbonated.

Oh, it definitely continues to rise after pouring the beer...

Great tip on leaving the beer in the fridge for a week also. When conditioning, I leave them in the same closet I leave my fermenters in; however, I assumed that once they were cold in the fridge that they were ready.

I am definitely a noob.

 

[ingnuty]

http://www.brewersfriend.com/beer-priming-calculator/

This should help you. My first brew didn't have enough head, my second one was 1/2 perfect and 1/2 not enough (didn't fully dilute the sugar) and the 3rd was just right. Haha. Use the calculator and you'll be golden.

 

[unionrdr]

The head will continue to rise naturally after you finish pouring. The action of the pour creats a sort of vortex that builds head till it subsides on it's own.
I've had many beers that look much like a nitro pour,then get this carbonation bubble tornado in the glass. Dang,I wish I'd have got a streaming video of that. One of these days,I gotta show y'all that one! Twister beer...