Making a barleywine, will this fish tank air pump work for aeration?

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HalfPint

HalfPint

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The pump is fine. Use it and you'll be cringing down barleywine in no time! As for the duration of aeration... really depends on how big of a starter your using, in my opinion, the larger the better, and in the case of how long to aerate, the longer the better. You won't mess it up.
 
Great stuff guys. Thanks a lot for all of the info.

Also, I usually make starters with my washed yeast, but how big of one do you think I'd need? Do you think a 2L starter will be big enough, or should I step a 2L starter up with another 2L? I know a lot of guys rack right on top of yeast cakes, but I don't know if I'll have a neutral ale yeast cake ready considering I'm brewing saisions and wit's right now. The other option for pitching is a couple of packets of nottingham.

Thoughts?
 
I really like to use disposable plastic airstones. For about 50 cents apiece, I just use them for one starter/brewing cycle and throw them away after each brewday.

Starter size will depend on how much yeast you're using and the gravity of the beer. Try to estimate your cell count by assuming 3.5 billion/mL and 25% viability loss per month (in the fridge):

cells = 3.5*V*.75^t where t is the age in months.

Then plug that number into the viability field of the MrMalty calculator, set it to "stir plate" (assuming you'll be using the pump to aerate the starter) and it will tell you how big a starter you need.
 
a10t2 said:
I really like to use disposable plastic airstones. For about 50 cents apiece, I just use them for one starter/brewing cycle and throw them away after each brewday.

Starter size will depend on how much yeast you're using and the gravity of the beer. Try to estimate your cell count by assuming 3.5 billion/mL and 25% viability loss per month (in the fridge):

cells = 3.5*V*.75^t where t is the age in months.

Then plug that number into the viability field of the MrMalty calculator, set it to "stir plate" (assuming you'll be using the pump to aerate the starter) and it will tell you how big a starter you need.
Click to expand...

Cool, thanks for the formula. Do you get a lot of foam using those air stones?
 
HalfPint said:
Cool, thanks for the formula. Do you get a lot of foam using those air stones?
Click to expand...

I usually aerate 5.5 gallons in the 7 gallon "ale pail" fermenters. Doing that it takes 10-15 minutes before the foam actually touches the lid. That should be about how long it takes to get the wort saturated with air anyway, so at that point I call it a day and pitch the yeast.
 
a10t2 said:
I usually aerate 5.5 gallons in the 7 gallon "ale pail" fermenters. Doing that it takes 10-15 minutes before the foam actually touches the lid. That should be about how long it takes to get the wort saturated with air anyway, so at that point I call it a day and pitch the yeast.
Click to expand...

See, I'm just trying to save a bit of money by not having to buy those stainless steel ones from the LHBS. Also, do you use food grade tubing?
 
HalfPint said:
See, I'm just trying to save a bit of money by not having to buy those stainless steel ones from the LHBS. Also, do you use food grade tubing?
Click to expand...
Most tubing is food grade, I buy all my tubing from Home Depot and they have a chart saying what temperatures each type is NSF approved for.
 

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