Do you aerate before or after pitching yeast???

Just curious. I have no air stone, so I just shake it before I pitch. Should I be shaking after I pitch???

I aerate first, pitch yeast, then stir or shake the wort briefly.

The first time I brewed I pitched then shook the pail. After I shook it I was worried that a lot of my yeast might have stuck to the sides and top of my pail, but everything fermented fine.

Aerate first. The last step for me is to pitch the yeast, give it a gentle stir, pop on the blow off tube, and then wait.
Good Luck...

I don't see how it would make a difference either way. I only recently got an oxygen system, before that I would always shake after pitching simply because I didn't want to have to open the fermenter up again.

I aerate first with the O2 wand and then I pitch the yeast. Not sure if it make a difference or not that is how I always done it.

I aerate first as well but think it doesn't make a big difference either way.

I'm a shake first kind of guy.

ibbones said:

I'm a shake first kind of guy.

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me too. One of these days I'll get an aeration kit though.

I aerate after. No real reason, that's just what I've always done.

I pitch and then aerate with the O2 stone. I figure that will mix everything around real good.

So the short answer is:

It doesn't really matter. It all gets the job done, and makes great beer!

RDWHAHB!

To aerate with O2 can you use just a ordinary stone, or do you need to get a stainless one. I want to get one, so I don't have to shake it anymore.

shrades said:

To aerate with O2 can you use just a ordinary stone, or do you need to get a stainless one. I want to get one, so I don't have to shake it anymore.

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The stainless stone is easier to clean and sterilize. Even with the stone you still need to shake it.

In fact it may be just as effective to pump CO2 in there without the stone and then shake it. I honestly don't think the stone is all that important. The shaking is where the magic happens.

Personally, I use O2 and a stainless stone for 60 sec. Then seal up the carboy and roll it around on the floor for 60 sec.

maida7 said:

Even with the stone you still need to shake it.

In fact it may be just as effective to pump CO2 in there without the stone and then shake it. I honestly don't think the stone is all that important. The shaking is where the magic happens.

Personally, I use O2 and a stainless stone for 60 sec. Then seal up the carboy and roll it around on the floor for 60 sec.

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You're gonna have to explain that, none of it makes sense to me. Using a stone creates a ton of surface area where the O2 is absorbed, why would you still have to shake it?

ibbones said:

I'm a shake first kind of guy.

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aren't you suppose to shake afterward to get all the pee out? Doesn't seem like it would work if you did that first :cross:

Scimmia said:

You're gonna have to explain that, none of it makes sense to me. Using a stone creates a ton of surface area where the O2 is absorbed, why would you still have to shake it?

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Cause the bubbles float right up to the surface and very little gets absorbed. When you shake it you stir the bubbles into the liquid over and over and over. That's my theory and I'm sticking to it.

I guess you can believe whatever you want, but it really makes no sense. The relatively small surface area while rolling or shaking isn't going to absorb much at all in comparison to the massive surface area of the countless tiny bubbles rising to the surface.

It doesn't matter when you do it on out scale. I know a professional that aerates while chilling and pumping into the conical on top of the yeast. I always pitch and then aerate though.