How much oxygen do you add to wort?

I picked a diffusion stone and was going to hook it up to a disposable O2 canister from Lowes (once I pick up my regulator). How much O2 do you add to your wort post boil? I know that once fermentation has begun, oxygen=bad! But is there really a limit to the amount of oxygen you should add to your wort, pre fermentation?

There is a limit to how much you can possibly add (saturation) but I don't know how to determine you are at that level. I would run it a couple minutes and call it good. Maybe do some shaking and vigorous stirring first so you don't waste all the O2.


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I generally pour my wort into my Carboy...top off with the water. Once I am sure the temp is right...I pitch the yeast...then shake the crap out of it. I roll it...shake it...and tilt it pretty good for over 5 minutes. I can tell it is very oxygenated by the massive bubbling I am seeing. This method seems to be working very good for me and the Ales, Ciders I am making.

60-90 seconds is all you need if your using a SS micron stone and pure oxygen.
If you are using a aquarium air pump its 5-15 min.
You dont need to open the regulator on full either as the bubbles are so large most are wasted. Keep the bubbles small and slosh wort back and for while hitting it with oxygen.
This is what i do with 10g batches and have signs of fermentation within hours.
Also pitch a nice size yeast starter!

Do you pitch the yeast before aerating? My directions said aerate and then pitch, but that seemed kind of counter-productive to me...

reefriot said:

60-90 seconds is all you need if your using a SS micron stone and pure oxygen.
If you are using a aquarium air pump its 5-15 min.
You dont need to open the regulator on full either as the bubbles are so large most are wasted. Keep the bubbles small and slosh wort back and for while hitting it with oxygen.
This is what i do with 10g batches and have signs of fermentation within hours.
Also pitch a nice size yeast starter!

Click to expand...

What's a "nice size?" I used a Wyeast packet.

I pitch after oxygen

Dunedin_Draught said:

Do you pitch the yeast before aerating? My directions said aerate and then pitch, but that seemed kind of counter-productive to me...

Click to expand...

My brew mentor told me to do this....not sure if it is correct or not. But it has worked great for me thus far. It seems getting the yeasties mixed in would get them to work a little quicker on their duties as a whole.

SeeAliceBrewery said:

My brew mentor told me to do this....not sure if it is correct or not. But it has worked great for me thus far. It seems getting the yeasties mixed in would get them to work a little quicker on their duties as a whole.

Click to expand...

It makes sense. Thanks for the tip!

reefriot said:

60-90 seconds is all you need if your using a SS micron stone and pure oxygen.
If you are using a aquarium air pump its 5-15 min.
You dont need to open the regulator on full either as the bubbles are so large most are wasted. Keep the bubbles small and slosh wort back and for while hitting it with oxygen.
This is what i do with 10g batches and have signs of fermentation within hours.
Also pitch a nice size yeast starter!

Click to expand...

this is my method
size and number of bubbles is the key
the smaller the better
as the bubble pops the oxygen goes into solution so big bubbles waste a lot of oxygen and small bubbles are more numerous and waste less
remember, the yeast needs oxygen to convert into CO2, so the better the supply before pitching the better and faster the fermentation.
boiling the wort boils off oxygen in the wort, this is the best way to get oxygen back in

Listen to this << http://thebrewingnetwork.com/shows/589 >>, there's some great info here.