O2-ing my wort

[_Mick_]

After some advice on getting the right gear to give my wort a nice O2 injection prior to pitching.
I want to get serious with my lagers and this seems like the next step for me.

 

[Florian]

If this seems like the next step for you, then there is plenty of searching to be done. A few different systems available, most of which have been extensively covered.

I myself use the morebeer setup with a 0.5 micron stone on a 700mm long stainless cane, coupled with a disposable benzomatic cylinder (masters and others have them, Bunnings only as special order). the reg is from morebeer also, more like a simple valve without any indication of flow rate. Works well enough but would like a better reg.

There are other systems around like the one MHB used to offer, better reg but only tubing, no ss cane.

Sadly (but for good reasons I suppose) in Australia we can't just buy reusable O2 cylinders (think Co2 bottle but for O2) outright like in the US These are available for hire for trade and health services etc, but the cost to hire make it uneconomical unless you brew heaps and heaps and heaps. With those O2 bottles also come decent regs and attachments (flow rate meters), think hospitals (both wheelchair and wall outlets).
(And no, don't even think about snatching one off a wheelchair, it's a nice thought when you're sitting in the waiting room totally bored, but no, just don't go there)

Safety advice: Take care when handling O2 tanks as serious injuries and explosions can occur when handled with greasy hands etc, please do a search and familiarise yourself with correct handling procedures.

 

[wynnum1]

Hospitals and industry produce 02 on site .I think it is filtered out of the atmosphere not pure but good enough .Portable Oxygen Concentrator may be worth trying

 

[TheWiggman]

I just bought a kit from Barleyman for $140 and it has a flow meter. A good price from what I've seen. Haven't used it on a brew yet but I'm in the same boat as you, taking all necessary steps to nail lagers.

 

[_Mick_]

Anyone thought of just adapting a blowtorch with some tubing and a Ss airstone just screwed onto a benzo disposable O2 bottle?

 

[Dan2]

Anyone thought of just adapting a blowtorch with some tubing and a Ss airstone just screwed onto a benzo disposable O2 bottle?

There are kits available that use those disposable bottles.

I just bought a kit from Barleyman for $140 and it has a flow meter. A good price from what I've seen. Haven't used it on a brew yet but I'm in the same boat as you, taking all necessary steps to nail lagers.

Looks like this setup is based on one variation of those disposables.
I forked out over $400 for a dive O2 bottle (3kg I think) with basic reg to drop pressure, ball valve to slow flow, and one of the Barleyman plastic flow meters to fine tune flow. The flow meter supplied with Barleyman's rig looks hard to tune around the 1/2 - 1 L/min mark which should be where you want it, where as the one they supply separate is perfect for the job.

 

[TheWiggman]

Close Dan2. I gave it one run on a starter earlier this week and found that once the 02 was in it would pressurise the line and continue to leak out for about 30 secs. For something as small as a starter (1.5l) I only had to turn the regulator on until gas came out, then closed it off. If kept on I think it would be easy to regulate at around 0.5l/min. In all honesty the reg does have a cheap feel about it but it was a cheap kit, and is fine for its purpose.

This was on a October use-by of WLP005 and let me tell you it went nuts. I gave the boil a pinch of yeast nutrient and after 48 hours there were yeast solids churning around the stir plate. Like a snow storm inside the flask. I've never seen the yeast coagulate like that in a starter.
All this talk about yeast health is making me damn thirsty for this ESB...

 

[sp0rk]

Bunnings in Coffs has the gas bottles and the regulators to suit, you'll just need to source a stone
I'm thinking when I get mine mine I'll solder a length of copper tube to the stone to use as a sanitizable cane

 

[professional_drunk]

Do a search and you'll find I detailed a build for this. A cane is not necessary for this setup if you store your vinyl tube straight, you'll have no problem reaching the bottom of a carboy.

 

[srm]

Not for everyone but ...

Years ago I imported an Oxygen Concentrator that I won on ebay to replace hired oxygen cylinders for my other-half's LPG/oxygen lampwork torch. An oxygen concentrator continuously takes atmospheric air (80% nitrogen / 20% oxygen) and expels 95% oxygen through a 0 to 5 litres per minute flow meter.

I now use this oxygen concentrator together with vinyl tube, air filter and stone to oxygenate my wort.

 

[mattfos01]

Do a search and you'll find I detailed a build for this. A cane is not necessary for this setup if you store your vinyl tube straight, you'll have no problem reaching the bottom of a carboy.

Mate you did and an awesome how to it is, but the tradeflame brand bottles from Bunnings, like the barleyman kit, take a different size reg to the oxyturbo bottles.

 

[Gelding]

what is wrong with filtered air ?

 

[schoey]

what is wrong with filtered air ?

Nothing, but there's a limit of how much O2 you can get in solution with air. The limit for pure O2 is higher.

 

[Batz]

I just bought a kit from Barleyman for $140 and it has a flow meter. A good price from what I've seen. Haven't used it on a brew yet but I'm in the same boat as you, taking all necessary steps to nail lagers.

That seems a fair deal.

I'm building my own atm, I'll post pics when finished.

I do brew lagers and pilsners now and then and I believe an 02 aerator, or whatever we call them will be a huge help.

Batz

 

[_Mick_]

Bunnings in Coffs has the gas bottles and the regulators to suit, you'll just need to source a stone
I'm thinking when I get mine mine I'll solder a length of copper tube to the stone to use as a sanitizable cane

That's what I had my eye on mate, might give it a go over the weekend when i do my Hog clone

 

[Gelding]

Nothing, but there's a limit of how much O2 you can get in solution with air. The limit for pure O2 is higher.

I hear you but air is free while pure o2 is expensive and when you bubble o2 through wort I'd argue most of it ends up in the atmosphere and not in solution. By definition if bubbles exit from the top of the fermenter thats pure o2 wasted.

I question the economies of O2 injection as such...

 

[Goose]

Oh dear.

I believe people get as passionate about this debate as they do about whether to rehydrate yeast or not.

I did read this in an American , admittedly dated 2006 :

Reading the latest edition of John Palmer's "How To Brew" (great book BTW), and he states that he gets better fermentations using filtered air rather than pure oxygen, and also cites a Zymurgy article that said that wort injected with pure oxygen tasted thinner and weaker than that aerated with filtered air.

Hmm, skimming the yeast section I cant find this, perhaps it was removed in later editions for good reason .... :blink:

 

[schoey]

I hear you but air is free while pure o2 is expensive and when you bubble o2 through wort I'd argue most of it ends up in the atmosphere and not in solution. By definition if bubbles exit from the top of the fermenter thats pure o2 wasted.

I question the economies of O2 injection as such...

Yes air is free and pure O2 isn't, but that's not the point. You can buy cheap malt and hops and replace a portion of the grain bill with cane sugar and still make very good beer and save money. An O2 setup costs around $100 if you buy from the right sources and will last somewhere between 20 and 100 batches depending on the specific setup. I don't use much (if any) pure O2 on every batch but lagers and high gravity ales I do and the results are measurable both quantitatively and qualitatively.

 

[Bomber Watson]

Stupid question, is industrial O2 the **** were after?

I have an oxy/accet setup in the shed....complete with....wait for it...oxy bottle, reg, etc....Already paying rental on the bottle for it to sit there and be used occasionally....

Hmmm, starsan my blowtube and a nice small welding tip and just dunk it in the fermenter with the valve cracked a bit.......(joke)

Cheers.

 

[michaeld16]

Stupid question, is industrial O2 the **** were after?

I have an oxy/accet setup in the shed....complete with....wait for it...oxy bottle, reg, etc....Already paying rental on the bottle for it to sit there and be used occasionally....

Hmmm, starsan my blowtube and a nice small welding tip and just dunk it in the fermenter with the valve cracked a bit.......(joke)

Cheers.

I would give that a go no joke i thought the only difference was something to do with the bottles themselvrs industrial or hospital grade i thought whats inside is the same, happy to be corrected on this one