About 2 months ago, I decided to purchase the oxygen kit from Williams Brewing. I have been brewing for a little over two years, and had been really happy with how my process was coming along, and in general, happy with my results.
I pay close attention to sanitization, and I am obsessed with digital temperature control and pitching rates. The only hole in the program was a lack of proper oxygenation; but how much of a difference could it really make? I never had problems with long lag times, or under attenuated beer, so I figured the "splashing wort around in the carboy" method I was using was fine. More than anything else, curiosity propted my purchase.
Well, I just bottled my Dry Stout on Saturday (2nd time brewing the same recipe). It was the first beer to test the merits of 60 seconds of pure oxygen through a 2 micron stone, as suggested in the Jamil/White Yeast book. Four weeks after pitching, I bottled up two cases, and siphoned a bit extra into a pint glass for sampling.
I found myself sitting in my garage; completely shocked. It was BY FAR my best beer to date. Usually I would have a sample on bottling day, and think, "a little green", or "it'll be fine once a couple flavors meld", but this stout was unlike any of my other 25-30 batches. It tasted perfect, right out of the carboy. I wish I had left more behind to sample. This batch crossed the line between BEER and HOMEBREW. This was a BEER. I am even thinking about sending a few bottles into the NHC, and seeing if a a judging panel agrees.
I just wanted to share my findings because the importance of oxygen in a healthy fermentation can not be overstated. The results spoke for themselves.
Has anyone had a similar Eureka! moment from a process change?
Joe
I pay close attention to sanitization, and I am obsessed with digital temperature control and pitching rates. The only hole in the program was a lack of proper oxygenation; but how much of a difference could it really make? I never had problems with long lag times, or under attenuated beer, so I figured the "splashing wort around in the carboy" method I was using was fine. More than anything else, curiosity propted my purchase.
Well, I just bottled my Dry Stout on Saturday (2nd time brewing the same recipe). It was the first beer to test the merits of 60 seconds of pure oxygen through a 2 micron stone, as suggested in the Jamil/White Yeast book. Four weeks after pitching, I bottled up two cases, and siphoned a bit extra into a pint glass for sampling.
I found myself sitting in my garage; completely shocked. It was BY FAR my best beer to date. Usually I would have a sample on bottling day, and think, "a little green", or "it'll be fine once a couple flavors meld", but this stout was unlike any of my other 25-30 batches. It tasted perfect, right out of the carboy. I wish I had left more behind to sample. This batch crossed the line between BEER and HOMEBREW. This was a BEER. I am even thinking about sending a few bottles into the NHC, and seeing if a a judging panel agrees.
I just wanted to share my findings because the importance of oxygen in a healthy fermentation can not be overstated. The results spoke for themselves.
Has anyone had a similar Eureka! moment from a process change?
Joe