Should a beer have a head?

Should a beer have a head?

Jeff Evans (Freelance beer Writer) gives expert video advice on: Can I get a taster before committing to a beer?; What should I look for on a bottled beers label?; What should I look for on a beer's hand pump? and more...

Whether it's right for a beer to have a head or not really depends on the customer, and where you grew up or how your beer preferences have developed over the years. In Germany, for example, or anywhere where you serve traditional pilsner, that's meant to have a big, thick, foamy head. In the north of England, where they serve ales with a thick head, that's what the customer preference is there. In the south of England, beer drinkers prefer beer not to have such a big head, just a light lacing of foam on the top. That means there's more carbonation maintained inside the body of the beer. It's not all knocked out into the head. If you drink a northern-style ale, you'll find that the head is very bitter and very creamy and very foamy, and underneath that there's only a very soft prickle of carbonation. With southern-style beers, that carbonation is maintained in the beer, making it a slightly more gutty drink.