Wheat question

[nealm]

I brewed a great tasting Dark English Mild but was disappointed on two points. First the brew was a little thin and second the head disappeared in a nanosecond. My thought was to add a wee bit (2%) of wheat to address both issues. Having not brewed with wheat before, I am not sure of what kind of wheat to use. I have available at my LHBS at least 5 kinds of wheat: torrified wheat, flaked wheat, red wheat malt, white wheat malt and caracrystal wheat malt.
Details on the brew: OG 1.040, FG 1.011 ABV 3.4, bottle conditioned, mashed @155f.

Any suggestions about a wheat choice.

 

[Queequeg]

Though wheat will promote head retention you don't need it.

Before adding wheat check;

1)Glass wear is clean, rinsed well and free of detergent residue
2)your pitch rate and yeast health is good
3) your carbonation level is sufficient

For a mild it is more traditional to use Torrified wheat, I suggest 3% is enough. It also adds to best head and lacing of the wheats ime.

As for adding body, you have various options, yeast choice is a big one, as is mash temp as well as specialty malts and adjuncts. English yeasts will add more body, as will mashing high. Oats or Flaked barely can add body, along with a little crystal malt.

 

[nealm]

I alway rinse my glassware before I pour and don't had a head retention with other brews.
I alway use a starter and the carb level is appropriate for an English ale
The. Problem is not that I don't get a head it's that it rapidly disappears (pour the beer nice head, do a quick rinse of the bottle and the head is gone).
Whitbread ale yeast used mash at 155, suggest higher?
Recipe already has 10% c60, more might change the flavor.
Would oat or flaked barley be flavor neutral?

Though wheat will promote head retention you don't need it.

Before adding wheat check;

1)Glass wear is clean, rinsed well and free of detergent residue
2)your pitch rate and yeast health is good
3) your carbonation level is sufficient

For a mild it is more traditional to use Torrified wheat, I suggest 3% is enough. It also adds to best head and lacing of the wheats ime.

As for adding body, you have various options, yeast choice is a big one, as is mash temp as well as specialty malts and adjuncts. English yeasts will add more body, as will mashing high. Oats or Flaked barely can add body, along with a little crystal malt.

 

[BigEd]

Torrified wheat is a traditional British adjunct. Try 5%. It also adds a nice bit of toasty-grainy flavor.

 

[Queequeg]

I alway rinse my glassware before I pour and don't had a head retention with other brews.
I alway use a starter and the carb level is appropriate for an English ale
The. Problem is not that I don't get a head it's that it rapidly disappears (pour the beer nice head, do a quick rinse of the bottle and the head is gone).
Whitbread ale yeast used mash at 155, suggest higher?
Recipe already has 10% c60, more might change the flavor.
Would oat or flaked barley be flavor neutral?

Ok sounds like you have the basics covered.

Torrified wheat is what I would suggest if inlcuding wheat. Torrified wheat is not flavor neutral and is generally by many UK brewers considered to add an undesirable flavor, if you keep the percentage no more than 3% your'll get the lacing but get no flavor. It will however not do much other than add head retention.

Your mash temp is suitably high imo. For darker styles like a Mild its best to mash with a target pH at the higher end say 5.6 and make a thicker mash than standard especially for English styles. This will help promote a malty body.

For yeast I could suggest you try WLP013 London Ale Yeast? Its much more characterful than most other British yeast and adds almost a smokey quality to the beer. Ideal when you have dark crystal or chocolate in the malt bill.

Also whats your malt bill? you ideally need to use mild ale malt and Maris otter as the base.

Flaked barely or oats don't have a hugh flavour impact ime, more a textural impact. Oats can potentially negatively effect head retention, so I would be inclined not to use them. I would personally go for a small amount of Flaked barley, again around 3-5% mark which will add a creamy texture and lots of head retention. If using flake barley I would go for that instead of terrified wheat not as well. No many adjuncts can have the opposite effect on body.

You could also include UK brown malt, which adds lots of unfermentable dextrines and adds a coffee quality to the beer. You can use it in large quantities without ill effect providing you have enzymes in your wort to convert it.