Problems with aeration

[motman]

Hi all,
looking for some thoughts from those of you who have aerated with an aquarium pump - I failed to get any air into my kolsch last night 'cos the air wouldn't pass through the filter (figured this out after failing to aerate and giving up and pitching rather than stuff around more and infect the brew).

I've tried two pumps and a couple of filters (all bought in one batch off ebay though). I'm using a 0.5um stainless stone that works well without the filter but barely at all with it.

I'm wondering if I need to get different filters, a better pump or look into a different air filtration method (I think I heard something about ethanol soaked cotton wool in line).

The filters are these:

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/10PCS-Diameter-13mm-0-22um-Blue-PES-Disposable-Syringe-Filter-/201148753152?pt=AU_Business_Industrial_Medical_Scientific_Equipment2&hash=item2ed5666500

Any ideas would be brilliant before I go throwing some more cash at the issue.

Cheers,
Tom

 

[brewermp]

Hey mate instead of spending money on aquarium pump get one from a brew store. At least if it doesn't work you can send it back.

Here is a link for one
https://www.craftbrewer.com.au/shop/details.asp?PID=692

Or

http://kegking.com.au/magento/filtration-aeration/wort-aerator-air-pump-kit.html

 

[Trevandjo]

I got a filter and air stone from grain and grape + eBay aquarium pump. Same problem with the filter. Not a bubble.

 

[Camo6]

Can you blow through the filter with your mouth? If not I'd chuck em and go one from Kegking or CB.
I originally used a $15 aquarium pump and had no airflow whatsoever. Checked the airstone and filter with an air compressor - it bubbled, must be the pump. Upgraded to a bigger pump - still no air flow. WTF?
Placed the airstone in a jar of metho and ran the pump...hallelujah! Washed all the residual surfactants off and was good to go.
Now, before I use the airstone (upgraded to o2) I give it a spray of metho then dip the whole lot in starsan with the o2 flowing.
May not be your problem but try cleaning the airstone with metho JIC.

 

[slcmorro]

If you're not using oxygen, I fail to see the point in using a pump. Not that I ever have, but I've enjoyed my results with just pouring into an FV from a height.

 

[Camo6]

Chill or no chill Slc? When I chill I don't get much aeration in to the FV as I fill slowly to leave hot break and trub behind. With NC I get heaps of aeration pouring from the spout of the cube but by then hot break is not an issue. I used a pump and stone for a while and found it worked well enough. Was it better than a vigorous stir with a paint stirrer? Probably not but was a hell of a lot easier!

 

[slcmorro]

No chill normally, but I don't find it hard to get a good foamy splash when I do chill either. I don't get much trub and stuff in either.

 

[tugger]

http://youtu.be/75gpehf_6Gk

 

[Camo6]

No chill normally, but I don't find it hard to get a good foamy splash when I do chill either. I don't get much trub and stuff in either.

Cool. My rig's relatively low and because of the pick up, and to keep out nasties, I use silicone hose to fill through a pre-drilled lid into the FV. I used to fill at full flow and didn't mind the odd bit of trub getting in so as to maximise the amount of wort collected. But I reckon one of the biggest improvements I made to my beer was slowing the flow out of the kettle so as not to draw the trub cone into the tap. It takes a bit longer but I recover more clear wort than when I drained quickly. Different horses for courses of course.

 

[slcmorro]

To be honest, a bit of trub in the FV doesn't bother me, since I crash chill and cold condition 90% of my brews.

 

[Camo6]

Yeah, same. Like I said, it works for me.

 

[trevgale]

Yeah, those filters are too small. I had one a similar size for constantly aeration of starters. Get one from one of the sponsors that are about 60mm diameter and you shouldn't get any noticeable reduction in flow.

 

[motman]

Gold! Thanks Trev. Will be donating more cash to the lhbs and see how that goes.

 

[motman]

If you're not using oxygen, I fail to see the point in using a pump. Not that I ever have, but I've enjoyed my results with just pouring into an FV from a height.

I can't seem to get my wort any cooler than about 30c in brisbane at this time of year with my plate chiller, so am trying to avoid hot side aeration. Can't be stuffed with O2 at this stage and am making 50lt batches, so shaking not an option for me..

 

[Dunkelbrau]

I think a lot of people underestimate (and overestimate) their processes.

A pump is good because you are able to consistently aerate each brew. And you can't get more than a certain amount of oxygen into the wort this way. Oxygen is good, but expensive and you need to know flow to be able to consistently reproduce results. This also changes with temperature. (Ale vs lager etc)

Yeast growth is related to oxygen content and yeast growth is one of the biggest flavour changers in a beer. Too many esters and its wrong, not enough esters and again, its wrong.

You also want reproducible results, splashing is better than not, but for a few dollars, I'd rather just throw a pump on and pitch the correct amount of yeast to get the very similar results each time. This also allows me to change other things and accurately see results.

 

[Wrayza]

I accidentally bought a 0.5 micron stone for my air pump, had similar disappointing results.

Purchased a 2 micron stone, huge difference. I then read a lot of guides on air stones and they all suggested the same.

I now run a Benz-o-matic oxygen tank and regulator with the 0.5 micron stone.

 

[waggastew]

Another quick and dirty option is to use aquarium stones. They are plastic, cheap and hence disposable (I go through one about 10-15 brews) when they get skanky. As a filter I rigged up a small sample tube into which I put cotton wool soaked in Starsan. I bought a fancy stainless jobby and an inline filter but was a right pain

 

[dr K]

There are very good reasons for pumping up the O2 levels in your wort before pitching but your beer will not fail simply because of lacking.
Monitored pure O2 is the best but failing that pouring from a height (forget HSA its a pre-boil thing and your wort should be cool anyway evn at 35C), or the problematic (cleaning) airstone are far better than nothing.
There are very good reasons for fast chilling your wort before pitching but your beer will not fail simply because of lacking fast chilling.
K

 

[antiphile]

Another option, if using an aquarium air pump and a fine SS air "stone", is to place it (all connected and the pump going) into a pot of boiling water for about 15 seconds. After a few seconds it will almost always clear any blockage or air-lock, then place into wort. Hasn't failed me yet.

 

[Kingrat]

Here is a summary of what I do and I have never had a problem

1) Boiled wort to cube - cool at room temp for 1 day and then in fridge to pitching temp
2) Pour into FV
3) Shake FV for a few minutes (sit in seat and lay across legs with sanitised/gloved finger on opening for airlock)
4) Pitch yeast starter slurry (be sure enough yeast is pitched for opening gravity of the wort)
5) Ferment - I leave in primary under temp control for 2-3 weeks with a diacetyl rest for lager
6) Cold crash in Primary
7) Keg or bottle - if I bottle I add table sugar (solid) to each bottle 4.5g per 750mL depending on beer style and condition for at least two months at 22c - style dependent
8) Store at 7c after conditioning/lagering

I tend towards bigger beers of a Belgian style so I tend to add adjuncts - sugar, golden syrup, treacle, honey, brown sugar etc
I generally add these as a strong solution after two to three days of fermentation (boil with some water and cool to wort temp)
I find by doing this I avoid a lot of problems with under pitching and shocking the yeast etc.

I used to use an aerator but I have found no difference in quality using the above steps with the adjuncts pitched after two to three days.