Hot Side Aeration in Mash?

I have read differing opinions on whether aeration during the mash is harmful or not. I have a process that adds more air to the mash than most, and I am wondering if it is worth changing my process, or if HSA is only a post-boil problem.

My understanding is that HSA in the mash can lead to some long-term storage concerns and staling, but isn't really a big issue. If you detect any cardboard-like flavors, than you might have a problem.

Bear in mind that boiling rids your wort of any oxygen, which will minimize the impact of HSA in the mash. Nevertheless, I would try to avoid any splashing, or adding air into the mash.

There's a Brew Strong episode with Dr. Charles Bamforth of the brewing science program at UC Davis. It's been a while since I've listened to it but what I remember is if you use proper pitch rates and have a normal healthy fermentation, then HSA isn't anything to worry about.

http://www.thebrewingnetwork.com/shows/475

HSA, another theory that has been (or will soon be) thrown into the bin of homebrew myths

I stir the crap out of my mash. How else are you going to be sure to extract the sugars.

Total myth!

microbusbrewery said:

There's a Brew Strong episode with Dr. Charles Bamforth of the brewing science program at UC Davis. It's been a while since I've listened to it but what I remember is if you use proper pitch rates and have a normal healthy fermentation, then HSA isn't anything to worry about.

http://www.thebrewingnetwork.com/shows/475

Click to expand...

This is a really good interview, Dr. Bamforth is a great resource and fun to listen to as well.

On the homebrew scale, hot side aeration is really not much of an issue. though you can get slight color changes in lighter malts, this is a similar process to the browning of an apple after you cut it and the inside is exposed to air. As well as mentioned before long term beer stability is suspected to be shortened somewhat by HSA. but these effects are negligible on a 5-20 gallon scale.

It is a total myth!

Not entirely, but it's really not an issue for homebrewers. Even though we're using pumps, a leak in our system isn't likely to beat thousands of liters of air into near-boiling wort, and HSA is more of a concern for people hyper obsessed with increasing shelf life, which we really aren't.

I have never owned a beer longer than two months, when does this HSA kick in?

Seriously, it's a myth. Even Palmer admitted as such, and he's the guy who informed us all about it.