Preventing oxidation?

[Doctormcbrewdle]

I've been trying to come up with a good way to prevent oxygen at bottling and just had what I think might be a good thought.

People use sodium metabisulfite to scrub oxygen in mash. What exactly is stopping anyone from using it in a bottling bucket, say. Would this theoretically remove residual oxygen left over from the bottling process?

 

[Danscraftbeer]

Aside from saying: Go to Kegging.
Minimise process. No secondaries etc. Straight from the fermentation vessel into the bottle with correct dose of sugar.
Carb drops are great for this. Minimise the head space. When you transfer the beer it releases co2 that can somewhat purge the headspace in the bottle in the time to get the cap on. Fermentation in the bottle also consumes some of the oxygen in that headpsace etc.
There's not much else you can do for home bottling. KISS theory.

 

[manticle]

Metabisulfite in one form or another, can be used to extend the shelf life of beer or wine on a commercial basis. I doubt that many of your favourite commercial hoppy beers are using it though.

Theoretically, if you get the dose right and are not asthmatic or otherwise sulfite sensitive, it would help. Personally I'd try nailing process before going for additives. You should be able to achieve your target without and I 'm not sure how much free sulfur might remain in the aroma if you slightly overdose - thus interfering with the desired aroma of hop compounds.

If dr smurto is reading this, he'll likely have pertinent info. Maybe lyrebird too.

 

[Doctormcbrewdle]

Cheers guys. Yea, I'm probably over thinking this. Once ny process is down I could be worrying about nothing.

Actually mid mash on my latest XPA now. Here's my new process

1.Boil strike water for 5 minutes to expel o2 (never done this step before)
2.Cool to mash temp.
3.Added salts at 3g calcium chloride and 6g sulphate which is a match to pale ale spec in brewer's friend (previously been using 12g sulphate)
3. Add grain without splashing.
4. Take ph reading, adjusted from 5.8 to 5.2 with 1.5ml lactic acid. (I'd never taken a ph reading before)
4. Aerate wort once cooled (never done this step before)
5. hydrate M44 yeast (never bothered before)
6. Ferment at 19, don't take any samples or touch fermenter (never done this before)
7. don't cold crash (haven't done this in a long time)
8. bottle straight from primary (haven't done this in a long time)
9. Leave caps loose to purge naturally (never done this)

 

[Doctormcbrewdle]

Ps, I'd hate to know what my pilsner ph has been previously.. with pale malt, no salts or acid it's gotta be around 6. Looking forward to noting difference next time round

 

[manticle]

Paying attention to detail throughout each step is a very good way to improve your beer.

What's the concept behind avoiding chilling the beer down though? I missed that one. Is it to do with increased gas absorption in cold liquid or something else?

Also I'm sure this has been touched on but make sure your hops are fresh, stored well before and after you buy (out of light, cool/cold and sealed when not in use).

 

[Doctormcbrewdle]

Thanks mate

I'm just not taking any chances whatsoever this brew. If it works out great I can add one old step at a time to test for any ill effects later. I basically don't want to suck any oxygen back into a cooling plastic fermenter. Also have a sneaking suspicion that water absorbs more as it cools too so that one's a double no-no for now

 

[Doctormcbrewdle]

Ps, I buy 1kg lots of nice fresh aromatic hops at a time and freeze them. Hopefully this is ok. I forgo to add 1x new step which is dry hopping during active fermentation. I don't want to risk o2 from hop matter

 

[manticle]

Nothing wrong with 1 kg lots in fridge or freezer per se.

However because you're trying to target really punchy, fresh aroma and flavour, here's a list of things to watch with hops:

Vintage/harvest year is recent.
Hops are packaged in foil, not plastic.
Hops are stored refrigerated (or frozen but there are many arguments for fridge over freezer) at supply/purchase end.
Hops are vacuum packed on purchase.
Hops are either in resealable foil bag so you can squeeze out air when returning to storage OR you have the means to vac seal remaining portions yourself.

Only remove what you need, when you need it.
Hops should smell bright, punchy, fresh, never cheesy or sock or vomit like.
Hops should look bright and fresh- green, not yellow or brown.
Return sealed remains immediately to fridge/freezer.

1kg lots are very convenient and much cheaper, especially if you buy varieties you use a lot of. However, in the quest for fresh punch, consider some smaller quantity purchases till you iron everything out.

 

[Doctormcbrewdle]

Hmm, good thoughts about the larger lots and constant opening. I've got no means to vacuum seal each time at the moment do will watch what you're saying here

 

[MHB]

I've been trying to come up with a good way to prevent oxygen at bottling and just had what I think might be a good thought.

People use sodium metabisulfite to scrub oxygen in mash. What exactly is stopping anyone from using it in a bottling bucket, say. Would this theoretically remove residual oxygen left over from the bottling process?

The obvious problem is that enough SO2 to remove O2 will stop you yeast from conditioning the beer.
Wine yeast is breed to be tolerant of SO2 up to 50ppm, beer yeast isn't.
Mark

 

[Garfield]

Cold beer will absorb some gas but if you time it right it could reabsorb CO2 at the top of fermenter. This might actually help prevent oxidation.

BTW how bad is your oxidation getting? You're going to great lengths here

 

[Doctormcbrewdle]

I just have OCD

 

[Danscraftbeer]

OCD? Please just spell it out. I am an advocate to just take that little effort just to spell it out for the public reading interest.
Apart from the most common obvious abreviations like IPA. Then again some new brewers out there still wont be aware that it means Indian Pale Ale etc.

 

[Doctormcbrewdle]

Have you been drinking tonight, Sir?

 

[Danscraftbeer]

A couple. I'm on Holidays. Seriously though amuse me. All this text and no clarity. All could have been avoided if you just spelled it out. What does OCD stand for?
Check my sig below.

 

[Danscraftbeer]

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder? Seriously!!!!!!! You are worried about that?????
Its a positive trait for brewers if that is what you meant.

 

[Doctormcbrewdle]

Well, thanks Dan. I guess

I sure am a fussy *******. But only because I'm obsessive about getting that last step in amazingly awesome aroma

 

[Danscraftbeer]

Good traits fellow brewer. Keep it up. Half arsed wont get you there.

 

[manticle]

Multiple question marks are the devil's arsehole