Oxidation

[captaincleanoff]

After reading a few articles about oxidation, I'm afraid my practices are not up to scratch..

These are things im worried about
-When I transfer from kettle to fermenter, the fermenter is wide open
-When I trasfer from fermenter to cube I'm using hoses that only reach the top of the cube, causing it to splash down.
-Same thing when transfering to from cube to keg.

Are these things I should be worried about? I know these are a easy fix.. Will using longer transfer lines so that there is no splashing solve the major oxidation issues, or are there other things to be wary of too?

 

[Muggus]

You raise any interesting point.

I've never been too worried having my fermenter open when i'm pitching yeast, but of course this is only for a short period of time.
In these cases i'd be more worried about infection from airborne bacteria/particals/bugs etc, than oxidisation.
From what i've experienced, oxidisation is one of those things that takes a while to set in.

Doesn't sound like you have too much of an issue though.

 

[benno1973]

-When I transfer from kettle to fermenter, the fermenter is wide open

Are you transferring hot wort to the fermenter? If not, it's good to add oxygen to the wort for the yeast. I open the fermenter right up, and let the wort dropfrom the kettle at height into the fermenter. As Muggus mentioned, you could be open to airborne bacteria, but as long as you don't leave the fermenter open for too long, you should be right.

BTW - if the wort's hot, yes, try to transfer it quietly. Get a long hose.

-When I trasfer from fermenter to cube I'm using hoses that only reach the top of the cube, causing it to splash down.
-Same thing when transfering to from cube to keg.

Do you secondary in your cube? These are fairly easy to fix by buying longer hose, so if I were you, I'd bite the bullet and try to transfer *quietly*

 

[captaincleanoff]

I'm transferring the wort through a CFC into the fermenter, so its entering at about 24c. Never had a prob with infection, so thats not an issue..

I suppose the main thing I was worried about was splashing when going between fermenter-cube, cube-keg.

Just wondering if that causes enough oxidation to be worried about

 

[cdbrown]

I'm no expert, but the posts I have read about transferring to secondary or 2 keg is that splashing should be avoided as much as possible - get a longer hose so that the beer isn't splashing around and being aerated.

 

[hockadays]

Splashing anytime after the ferment is not good. I let a brew splash into the keg with no CO2 and within two weeks it had lost all hop flavour/ aroma and had the cardboard taste kick in. So it does happen. It was a lager as well so no place to hide flavour wise. I don't splash anymore...

 

[Insight]

Yep, post-ferment you want no oxidation if possible. Get some longer hoses, and purge the cube and keg with co2 before you transfer to them.

 

[Bribie G]

Just a hint with hoses, apart from getting hose that fits right down to the bottom of the receiving vessel with enough spare to coil around so it swirls rather than splashing, make sure that you buy a hose of correct size that fits outside the tap and not inside, amazing how much that speeds up a transfer and reduces the amount of time exposed to the air. Also when 'cubing' to secondary I usually drop in <puts on flame proof suit> a few fermentation drops or a couple of sugar cubes - a trivial amount but just enough to give a few hours of activity that produces some CO2 to flush head space. No doubt paranoid but works for me <removes flame proof suit>

 

[Mitchell]

I use the beer out post to fill my kegs ...with the pressure relief valve open. Easiest no splash method I could think of.

 

[Tim]

Just a hint with hoses, apart from getting hose that fits right down to the bottom of the receiving vessel with enough spare to coil around so it swirls rather than splashing, make sure that you buy a hose of correct size that fits outside the tap and not inside, amazing how much that speeds up a transfer and reduces the amount of time exposed to the air. Also when 'cubing' to secondary I usually drop in <puts on flame proof suit> a few fermentation drops or a couple of sugar cubes - a trivial amount but just enough to give a few hours of activity that produces some CO2 to flush head space. No doubt paranoid but works for me <removes flame proof suit>

Just drop a few bits of dry ice in the cube. The CO2 will displace the oxygen.

 

[captaincleanoff]

I use the beer out post to fill my kegs ...with the pressure relief valve open. Easiest no splash method I could think of.

i've thought about doing this, but wouldnt the transfer times be incredibly slow using the gas/beer line?

 

[matti]

kettle to fermenter-> no chill-> get an extended hose from tap that reach the bottom of cube

when you rack the beer ensure the hose is long enough to coil round the bottom.

when transfer into keg same principal and purge with CO2.

you'll figure it out.
Cortez shows how to pinch the hose with a clamp when racking and transferring beer works
some where in the articles or gallery

 

[dr K]

It is generally a good idea to reduce oxygen contact at all times..except when the cooled wort is prepared for pitching, then you do need oxygen.
You can get oxygen problems even in the mash and then comes the dread HSA, the effects at these stages are not huge and are easy to avoid (carefull doughing in, don't splash your hot wort around).
Slow cooling (apart from the obvious problems with lack of cold-break, chill haze and DMS formation) can cause big oxygen problems, but the biggest oxygen problem is exposure of fermented beer to oxygen, racking, if done at all, should be done under CO2 pressure as should kegging and filtering.
So, be kind to your mash and wort, cool as quickly as possible and keep air away from fermented beer (*except when pouring for immediate consumption) and oxygen will be your friend.

K

 

[Mitchell]

captaincleanoff: i've thought about doing this, but wouldnt the transfer times be incredibly slow using the gas/beer line?

Yup. But everything is all sealed with this approach so I just hook it up, set my brew timer for about 35 mins and go do something else for a while... like check this forum and have a beer. Hefewiezen keg filling as I type this.

Basic process for me is to put some starsan in the clean keg. Seal and shake it. Blow out the starsan with co2. Hook up the beer line and let it rip. The keg stays sealed and sanitised. Beer remains oxygen free.