Aeration

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Beerrific

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I have looked around and this topic has been discussed in passing as to why you do it and how to prevent it, etc.

But I thought it would be helpful to start a thread to discuss various methods. In the past I have cooled my wort in the brew pot and then put it in the fermentor and aerated by dumping the water from gallon jugs into the fermentor from a height. This adds a lot of air for sure. My upcoming brew I am using tap water and was wondering what the best method is (I don't want to buy aeration equipment).

I just wanted to get everyone's opinion and compare methods.

Thanks.
 
Bobby_M said:
Have you seen this thread? https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=20832

If you really don't want to buy anything, shaking the fermenter is probably the next best thing. In any case, the fact that you add topup water makes aeration a little less important because the fresh water carries in some O2.

Thanks for the link, I guess I didn't search that well. Good work by the way.

I will probably give it a good shake.

Thanks
 
I believe strongly that shaking the crap out of your fermenter aerates wort sufficiently. However, for peace of mind, I have taken to another measure, because it is dirt cheap and easy as cake. Steal (or buy) a stainless steel spoon from wherever, bend it back at 90 deg's so that the convex end is facing the handle, and attach the handle of the spoon to the end of your siphon from wort to fermenter, so that the wort passes over the dome of the spoon before it is dumped into the fermenter. The contraption can be sanitized just as simply as if it was just siphon hose alone. I couldn't tell you how much more O2 this incorporates, but I can say that it splashes the heck out of the wort before it hits the fermenter. But I'd still shake the crap out of it, just to be sure.
 
I syphon my wort from the pot to the fermenter on the floor. I straighten out a paper clip, and work it between the hose and the copper pipe (counterflow cooler now . or before that, a copper 'racking cane' type thing that stays put). The flow of the wort will draw in air via the venturi effect. (Those years as a tune up mechanic still pay offf) Don't allow so much air you lose your syphon, just enough to bubble in the fermenter. It is fresh air, so will input more 02 than just shaking the fermenter, since that uses up the oxygen . If it matters that is. Lots of batchs worked fine inspite of forgetting the aeration. Breaking sugar chains gives off O2, but I don't know how much of that goes on in the fermenter.
 
Had a bottling "wand", can't recall what is actually called you know the rigid clear plastic tube that pops into siphon tube with the spring loaded end to release beer upon pressure into bottle, whew!, cut the spring loaded end off, drilled 12 small holes 3/4 way up. It's a variation on the drilled copper tube aerater technique posted elswhere.
Good results, quicker starts than sloshing and alot less of a workout. Only problem noticed is that hops will get stuck at the drilled holes slowing the flow.
fwiw, enjoy.
 
there was a guy on basic brewing radio podcasts that did a bunch of tests on aeriation, shaking although labor intensive worked the best. Better than an aquarium pump with an air stone byt there tests.
I believe it was on one of the three shows about yeast,
 
When my boil is complete and after the wort is mostly cooled. I simply (in the brew pot begin to stir it with a spaghetti spoon. It's the type with "prongs" along the outside edges of the spoon to better grab the pasta and, like a wisk, works well. I have had pretty good looking "froth" and although it takes a little time and "elbow grease" I'm happy with it.
 
I think the Shake vs. Pure O2 answer lies in your trust of your environment. The more you shake (or use an aquarium pump) the better your chances of introducing wild yeast. By using bottled O2, you know that the air you're pumping in is clean(er), thereby giving less chance of contamination or off flavors. Now, the taste difference might not be detectable or could be only ever so slight, but the fact is that if you're worried about contamination you simply must use bottled O2.
 
i listened to an interview with the guys at Wyeast, and they did some studies as well:

-They found that bubbling pure O2 was the best (only need a couple minutes).
-They also found that shaking was just as good or BETTER than using an aquarium pump, given you shake adequately.
 
For every brewer that reads the science behind yeast behavior, listens to expert testimony, tests the theory themselves and ultimately accepts that O2 works best, there are 10 times as many who are just fine with the cheaper methods like shaking and venturi foaming devices. It's a dead horse at this point. The topic comes up about once every two weeks and the answers are all over the map.

You either start with enough yeast (starter) and pitch away or create an environment for yeast reproduction. You can use plain air and get it to contact as much surface area of the wort as possible to maximize O2 absorbtion (are you sure your air is clean?) or you pump O2.

Can anyone refute this logic?


Depending on what deals you find, either one of of the methods can be equally inexpensive.
 
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