oxygenation

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jldc

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What method do most people use to oxygenate the wort prior to pitching? Do you use a different method depending on the beer (or gravity)?
 
A lot of people use the shake method, some use aquarium pumps, and others use pure oxygen.
 
It's very important. I believe that about 90% of water's o2 is driven off during the boil and if I'm not mistaken the yeast eat up the o2 during the reproduction phase of their life cycle. O2 is vital to yeast development and therefore fermentation. However, be careful no to over oxygenate as that can have adverse effects too.
 
I have been brewing for 6 years or so and have never used a stone to oxygenate. However usually what I do is rack my beer post boil into my bottling bucket and put the carboy under it on top of some stacked books or whatever and allow the beer to fall and splash into the bottom of the carboy thus dissolving a bit of oxygen in it. Although I dont have the scientific data to back up my statement I think homebrewers that go so far as to use pure o2 and a stone are going above and beyond what needs to happen...which is cool because its homebrewing....more gadgets=more fun! However..making a starter is generally always advised to ensure swift initiation of fermentation.
 
jldc,
Read this by White Labs

Wyeast Laboratories : Commercial : Breweries : Technical Information : Oxygenation


Best thing I took from that article...
Inadequate oxygenation will lead to inadequate yeast growth. Inadequate yeast growth can cause poor attenuation, inconsistent or long fermentation, production of undesirable flavor and aroma compounds, and produces yeast that are not fit for harvesting and re-pitching.
This too, by John Palmer
http://www.howtobrew.com/section1/chapter8-2-1.html

This too
http://www.maltosefalcons.com/tech/MB_Raines_Guide_to_Yeast_Culturing.php
 
Thanks for those threads.. they were helpful.

If I am adding about 3 gallons of spring water.. I pitch the yeast then stir the hell out of it in my carboy for about 5 minutes.. shouldn't that be good enough?
 
My friends and I have been using a Mix-Stir, a drill-mounted mixer. Just hold it near the surface inside the carboy and whip it for 5 minutes or so. It beats the wort into a froth and looks good.

We've also used the draining from bucket into carboy method to good success.

Whatever method you choose, do something to aerate.
 
Somewhere (I'm not sure where) I read that you could get enough oxygen by shaking the carboy for 15 minutes before adding the yeast. Previously I've shaken the carboy, but for less time. Now I've done the 15 minute method for my last two brews and it seems to work. My attenuation has improved and fermentation has started both times within about 4 hours of pitching.
 
You'll hear a LOT of people give a lot of opinions on this matter and they'll vary from "I've been shaking my carboy since I started brewing and never had a problem" all the way up to "I've always had stuck ferments and poor attenuation until I got the O2 bottle". Dry yeasts seem to have less problems due to the high cell counts while smack packs and single white labs viles either need to be built up with a starter or you have to oxygenate with pure O2.

There are a lot of variables involved. If you brew extract and top up with tap water, there's already some oxygen in there. If you OG is moderate to low, cell count isn't all that important. Frankly, if you're using dry yeast, it's so cheap that pitching 1.5-2 packs and calling it a day is a viable option.
 
How long should you add oxygen using a stone with a five gallon batch? A minute, two, three?

Or what about simple shaking followed by a minute or two of oxygen?

Any basic guidelines to follow?
 
I tilt the sealed fermenter bucket and stick a tennis ball under it, then roll it around and back and forth over the ball for 6 or 8 minutes. So far so good.
 
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