Beer head

Beer head (also head) is the frothy foam on top of beer which is produced by bubbles of gas, typically carbon dioxide, rising to the surface. The elements that produce the head are wort protein, yeast and hop residue. The carbon dioxide that forms the bubbles in the head is produced during fermentation. The carbonation can occur before or after bottling the beer. If the beer continues fermenting in the bottle, then it naturally carbonates and the head is formed upon opening and/or pouring the beer. If the beer is pasteurized or filtered then the beer must be force carbonated using pressurized gas.

The density and longevity of the head will be determined by the type of malt and adjunct from which the beer was fermented. Different mash schedules and cereal sources influence head retention. In general, wheat tends to produce larger and longer-lasting heads than barley.

Importance

Consumers tend to place a lot of importance on beer heads: too much of a head is undesirable because it detracts from the mass of the drink (similar to carbonated soda drinks), on the other hand a poured beer is viewed as incomplete unless it has the specific form of head expected for the type of beer. Some view the head on a beer as important because it helps provide the aroma of the beer. Another opinion is that it is important for the aesthetic look of the beer. The commercial significance of the head has led to academic studies.

Beer, Devon

Coordinates: 50°41′53″N 3°05′35″W / 50.698°N 3.093°W / 50.698; -3.093

The village of Beer is in east Devon, England, on Lyme Bay. The population of the electoral ward called Beer and Branscombe was 1,824 at the 2011 census.

Location

The village of Beer is situated on the 95-mile long Jurassic Coast, England's first natural World Heritage Site and its picturesque cliffs, including Beer Head, form part of the South West Coast Path.

Beer lies about two kilometres west of Seaton, about 35 kilometres east of the city centre of Exeter and 13 kilometres east of Sidmouth.

The village

The name is not derived from the drink, but from the old Anglo-Saxon word "bearu" ("grove"), referring to the original forestation that surrounded the town.

It is a pretty coastal village that grew up around a smugglers' cove and caves which were once used to store contraband goods. These are now part of the attraction of the village. Many of the buildings are faced with flint, a hard glassy stone found in the local chalk rock.