I have always used Carafoam in nearly all my recipes. Why? Who knows. Exactly what is Carafoam and why is it used in so many recipes? I assume it produces a lot of protein??? Is there another malt that will provide the same results?
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It’s a placebo for its promise to promote head production and retention. It doesn’t hurt anything but also doesn’t really help either. When I want creamy head, I reach for wheat or rye instead. Those actually work.
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I used to have it in my brewery all the time and I would add 4-8 ounces of it here or there. Agreed it didn’t really seem to do much and I stopped keeping it. I asked the woman who runs (well, ran) a local supply house here and she told me that maltodextrine (4 ounces added to some water and then added to the brewpot near the end of the boil) was the best way she knew to get better head formation and stability. With that .. I bought some but I haven’t used it yet.
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Carafoam is Weyermann’s dextrin malt to add unfermentable dextrins for body without adding flavor or color. In Europe it’s Carapils but here in the US Briess trademarks the term Carapils so Weyermann has to use the term Carafoam here. It’s the same type malt produced by a different maltster using different barley varieties. Most malsters just use the term dextrin but Briess and Weyermann like to name their malts. Kinda like BlackPrinz ≈ Carafa Special. Most malsters simply call it debittered black
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Carafoam is a light crystal malt. About the same as carapils. Supposedly it enhances foam, but most of us have discovered it really doesn’t.
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I read on this board a long time ago not to bother with Carapils or Carafoam and that Wheat malt is a better alternative for propping up the head on a glass of beer. Over the years however, I have found Spelt malt to be the best foam enhancer, far better than Wheat malt. Buckwheat malt, while a bit harder to find, does a better job than Wheat as well. At least in my experience, with the malt I use.
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All very interesting information. My takeaway is to go with wheat or dextrin if i want to promote head retention. I’m afraid to use Rye as Rye has a strong flavor profile, in my opinion. But wheat or dextrin seems to be a good option.
Great advise! Thanks for your help!!
Cheers!!
The best way to enhance beer foam is with process, not ingredients
My swan neck and sparkler produces a nice creamy head 
Great article!! Thanks Denny!!
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It’s great, overlooked info because the conventional wisdom is to just add carapils or wheat. As the article points out, if you have process issues then protein laden ingredients won’t help much.
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Yes, i agree. I believe my process is sound as i have never really had any foam issues. That said, I’ve almost always added Carafoam to the grist. I’ll be brewing a West Coast IPA soon without Carafoam. I may add a few oz. of dextrin just to be safe; cant hurt!
Another point in the article was “etching on the bottom of the beer glass”. I have read about this in the past, but I’ve never seen it in practice. Is this something that’s commonly done that fly’s under the radar?
So…
Healthy fermentation (Everything starts here.)
Clean glasses
Don’t shake your keg
And if I do all of that already and still want to enhance the foam I’m getting, I’ll add Spelt. 
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Fairly common. I have several like that.
After trial, error, and Carafoam, I found slight undercarbonation and pouring too gently are often the biggest culprits for poor foam in my system. I no longer fear starting with a big heady pour of foam (pouring from a distance, with the beer hitting the bottom of the glass), and then taking my time to fill up the glass. What a difference this made (see below for one example)!
One last foam tip….the more hops, the more foam. The polyphenols in the hops bind the proteins in the beer which increases foam.
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Right. So absolutely no reason to add foam enhancers to an IPA.
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Rest at 163 F. Spund the fermentation with 1 Plato to go. Pour with vigour, let the foam die down some, pour again. I’ve had many lagers in Germany with outstanding foam that is like meringue, and they don’t use wheat or Spelt.
One Weyermannn cara malt I use sometimes is CaraHell. It’s about 10⁰L, has a low sweetness and flavor that enhances some German beers. I use about 5%, so a light hand.
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I have to admit, i had no idea what “Spund” meant. So, i looked it up and WOW! What an interesting concept! I will certainly consider this trick in the future.
Thanks hopfenundmalz!!
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