Paint Mixer Style Aeration

Just curious, is it possible to damage yeast physically if you use paint mixer style aeration after pitching the yeast?

TAK said:

Just curious, is it possible to damage yeast physically if you use paint mixer style aeration after pitching the yeast?

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I'm no expert but I have been using the same type of thing for aeration in my brews for quite awhile now and it has worked great for me, only difference is that I aerate for 5 mins or so THEN pitch my yeast and airlock up. Hope this helps

Maybe, but probably not to an extent you'd notice. Aerate before you pitch if you're concerned about it.

TAK said:

Just curious, is it possible to damage yeast physically if you use paint mixer style aeration after pitching the yeast?

Click to expand...

I suppose in theory, yes. I imagine that it's probably not ideal but not horribly detrimental.

I found one pdf of a study from I think the 1940s that found mechanical agitation killed bacteria, but not much yeast. They did agitation for several hours. Yeast are powerful.

Cool. I was using an actual paint mixer for bucket fermentation. Now I'm starting to move to glass carboys, so I bought one of those mixers that folds up to fit into the carboy and attaches to a drill just the same. When I was using buckets, I always aerated and then pitched the yeast afterwards, while it was still swirling to mix it up. In the carboy, the yeast inevitably doesn't all go straight in but some kinda runs down the inside of the carboy. Not a big deal, but I hate seeing some of it just sit there and dry to the carboy. I figure mixing afterwards helps pick some of that back up. But those mixers are so violent, I wonder if you can actually burst some of the yeast cells.

I've thought of this too as I've pitched then aerated with my mix stir. But I think it's probably not a bad thing and won't harm the yeast. But like another person said, if you're worried about it, just pitch after you aerate.

Highly doubt it, since I don't think on the cellular level it's much different than a stir plate. But for the cost of a batch or two of homebrew you can add enough oxygen to your wort (paint mixers can't) with a pure O2 setup.