Aeration - Is splashing into a fermenter enough?

[drsmurto]

Hello all,

Previous experience form the dark side...for 60 - 200lt lt washes fermenting on grain... we use electric drills and a paint stirrer of the longer shaft type.

it fair belts a wash O2 levels up in no time and little effort....cheap and easy as well.

bt1

How did you measure the DO levels?

 

[Bribie G]

These guys are into yield if nothing else, so worth listening to.

 

[mmmyummybeer]

May be interested in listening to Basic Brewing Radio's podcast episode 07-04-13 NHC Aeration Experiment, To air is human released 3/7/13. It is about a home brew clubs comparisons of different aeration techniques. From memory the shake method wasn't too bad but the paint stirrer didn't fair as well, they were thinking that a paint stirrer is designed to stir without adding air. Sorry I didn't set up a link, but I didn't know how to link podcasts.
.

 

[dent]

I ferment in closed stainless, which has the benefit of being able to put 30 odd psi (of air, or pure oxygen) in there. No air stone required.

Whether I use pure oxygen or just air, the amount of O2 that then can be dissolved in the wort increases massively - no 8ppm air limit anymore. Plus, as the yeast consume it from the wort, more will dissolve to replace it. I'll be sending my oxygen bottle back to BOC when it runs out.

 

[toncils]

Drill heaps of tiny holes into a sanitised hose, fit it onto a bike pump.

...any better?

Thanks all, didn't realise this is such a big issue!

 

[andy@67]

G'day All,

Another simple thing you can do is to aerate your wort and pitch your yeast at a slightly lower temp (say 2 C) than ferment temp. The cooler wort will absorb slightly more O2. It won't make a huge difference but it will make a difference. I got this idea from a very experienced homebrewer that also brews commercially for his day job.
Same principle as carbonating a keg when it is cold.

Regards,
Andrew.


Edited to fix iPad autocorrect issues.

 

[bt1]

Howdy,

just on the paint stirrer...

if you use it as intended holding at the bottom of fermenter true it adds little O2.

Hold it near the top so it sucks air into wash so for a 60lt ferment say 40lt fill and let it rip...seriously the water will whiten up and fiz for minutes after a 5min belting with a paint stirrer attached to a drill.

The long shaft? = suits 30lt, 60lt and 200lt fermenters.

save ur self $4 and and buy the shorter one from Bunnos for 30lt fermenters.

bt1

 

[Tex083]

I was listening to a podcast from the brewing network and from the conclusion dry yeast required less oxygen to survive as they had been dried out in optimal state. Liquid yeasts have to chew through there energy/ foods to stay alive in the packet.
They recommended pure O2 as air pumps cause head causing proteins to react and cause poor head retention in finished beers.
I use pure O2 and a stone. Don't know if it helps but I feel it does.

 

[Pickaxe]

What about a whisk? Bloody sunbeam mixer with beaters attached? Beer meringue?
I'm half serious.

 

[scon]

I use a paint mixer and I get pretty damn good results imho.

 

[jakethesnake559]

I splash about 1/3 of a cube into the fermenter, seal it back up and shake it for a few minutes, then splash the rest of it in.
This allows me to get heaps oxygen into the wort than splashing alone.
Have noticed a quicker start to fermentation since doing this.

 

[dent]

They recommended pure O2 as air pumps cause head causing proteins to react and cause poor head retention in finished beers.

That sure sounds like a load of crap from the BN.

I'm not convinced a shorter lag time = more O2 either to be honest. Lag time is where the yeast consume oxygen. If it is very short, that would imply that there isn't much oxygen to be had. Though there doesn't seem to be much evidence that lots of O2 = long lag time either. I find lag time more a function of temperature and cell count.