Head color

Why is it that my AG Pale Ale had a virgin pure white foamy head while my buddy made a very similar Pale Ale but head on his extract beer had an amber / brownish tint?

I know there are guidelines for beer color but how about head color.

First off, unless you’re competition bound, the guidelines should not be an obsession or deterrent in any aspect of your beer(s). In my opinion, there has been a bit too much emphasis in recent years on the “guidelines”, which are meanginful and applicable ONLY in the competiton arena.

Moving past that, roasted malts can affect the head color. It could be that his proportions of the roasty stuff may have been a a factor. If your friend used any roast unmalted barley, chocolate malt, or even black patent (often used in trace amounts in lighter beers to aid clarity) the head color could be affected. In the end, it’s pretty irrelevant any way…the flavor is more important.

To me, the head color would be a non-issue. I usually won’t even take the first sip until the head settles out anyway. :mrgreen: