Aeration not necessary?

[badmajon]

So... It all started when I was asking around one of the major UK home brewer forums on where to get small oxygen cans for aerating wort. They were confused as to why I wanted one and it turns out, a bunch of them, including a guy who had been brewing for 45 years, don't aerate at all beyond pouring the wort from a height into the fermentation vessel.

Now when I first started home brewing I did just that, but I had problems with high fg. Then I tried aquarium pumps and air stones but then I had problems with foam while the pump was going. You have to leave it on for a few minutes and it just produced too much crud. Then I went pure O2 and never looked back.

These guys are saying it's not necessary to use any kind of extra oxygen/air outside of splashing the wort when it goes into the fv... Has anyone on here tried the no extra aeration method with success on a regular basis? Is O2 just snake oil then?

 

[tagz]

It seems like your own experience already answers your question.

 

[btbnl]

I used to just vigorously rock the fermentor for a couple of minutes before pitching and had no problems with FG. I did have problems with my back though, and am much happier with my O2 tank.

 

[sandyeggoxj]

Nope. Not necessary. The yeast will make do with almost anything that you give them. You might not like what they produce but that is an entirely different discussion.

Cheers!

 

[badmajon]

It seems like your own experience already answers your question.

Not really, I had the most ghetto setup imaginable and the poor results could have been caused by a variety of factors.

 

[Calder]

Aeration is supposedly not necessary if using dry yeast.

 

[j1n]

Id rather use it than not use it. yeast takes off faster when i use pure o2.

With really big beers i think it is necessary if you don't want a stalled fermentation.

 

[ChefRex]

My beer is better since I have used O2, yes my procedures are better but at less then fifty cents a batch I'll continue to add O2

 

[Vandulus]

I've been aerating using a sintering stone and aquarium air pump (under $20 US) as an O2 setup seemed a bit expensive. Mainly I do it this way as it's much easier than trying to shake up or roll around a carboy. The yeast definitely starts working earlier

 

[Talgrath]

Proper aeration produces better beer as a general rule, though admittedly it's only one factor. Without oxygen, newborn yeast have trouble growing properly and might not properly bud when the time comes, resulting in stressed yeast. Stressed yeast may produce off flavors or it might fail to fully ferment a beer. Adding O2 via canister is the most reliable way to aerate your beer, though there are other methods that are roughly as effective, such as rocking the fermentation vessel around. The best way to ensure plenty of oxygen is by pumping oxygen into your beer, but it's not, strictly speaking, 100% necessary; but oxygen rich wort makes for happier yeast which makes for better beer so why not spend a little extra to properly aerate your yeast?

 

[flars]

To aerate or not aerate, in a large part, depends upon ABV and yeast preparation. Here is a Danstar article which will answer some of your question.
http://www.danstaryeast.com/articles/aeration-and-starter-versus-wort

 

[badmajon]

Thank you for the article. This might explain why so many UK brewers don't see the need to aereate:

When you produce 3-5% alcohol beer this is no problem. It is when you produce higher alcohol beer or inoculate at a lower rate, that you need to add O2 to produce more yeast and for alcohol tolerance near the end of fermentation. You definitely need added O2 when you reuse the yeast for the next inoculum.

Most beers brewed here rarely exceed 5% save for the ESBs and imperial stouts. Personally, as an American, I like hoppy beers in the 6-7% range in the American IPA style so I'll continue to use O2.

 

[skw]

If I understood that correctly, the answer from Danstar only applies to their own dry yeast (and possibly other dry yeast), but not to liquid or repitched yeast.

 

[masaba]

Here is an article on the subject:http://www.morebeer.com/articles/oxygen_in_fermentation

 

[Gary_Oak]

I'd say if you provide ample conditions for your yeast and pick a strain that doesn't have a high flocculation and use a starter then aeration might not be that necessary but I don't like to take unnecessary risks so the words might not weigh pretty heavily on me

 

[cjgenever]

It is og and yeast starter/health dependant. I think it is important to consider that English brewing traditionally allows for a higher fg and more yeast byproducts such as esters and diacetyl. Fine for an English ipa, but had no place in a west coast style aiipa.

 

[slym2none]

I'd say if you provide ample conditions for your yeast and pick a strain that doesn't have a high flocculation and use a starter then aeration might not be that necessary but I don't like to take unnecessary risks so the words might not weigh pretty heavily on me

What book did you read that out of?

Sorry... sorry... said I'd stop once already...