Beer Aeration Idea

[bassplayer142]

First off I would like to thank everyone for suggesting the plate chiller as it has worked AWESOME. My next step is a better aeration system that offers little to no more work.

Before I offer a plan, I want to iterate that my current system gravity feeds the hot wort into the plate chiller and then into the 1/2 barrel keg that I ferment in.

My goal is to aerate the beer without having to shake or do anything manual. I know there are those aquarium style air pumps that I would like to implement. I'm aware that they are usually put in the bottom of the fermenter and let loose for a while.

My idea is to have the air output in a T style copper fitting inside the hose between the plate chiller and the keg. This way, as the gravity fed wort comes through the plate chiller cooled to room temperature and into the keg, the air bubbles will be travelling up through the plate chiller towards the boil keg.

Does this sound like an idea that could possibly work efficiently. Thanks for any help!

 

[BBL_Brewer]

Honestly, I don't know that this will work as well as you'd like it to. Assuming you have enough pressure to keep air bubbles from reaching your hot wort, I don't think you really have enough time to properly saturate the wort with o2. I don't know how big of batches you're doing, but I believe that most people using aquarium pumps aerate 5 gallon batches for about 1 hour. If you were to use pure oxygen instead of ambient air, your idea might work beautifully. My 2 cents anyway.

 

[bassplayer142]

An hour? I guess I didn't know too much about the aquarium pump idea in the first place... Thanks man.

 

[Calder]

An hour! I think I'll stick with shaking for 5 minutes.

 

[chumpsteak]

I just installed a vacuum T from the local auto parts store in the hose between the kettle and fermenter. It creates a type of venturi effect that sucks air into the wort as it goes into the fermenter. Seems to work great.

 

[samc]

Plenty of set-ups do what you are proposing, although usually with O2 & an air stone for fine Oxygen bubbles. I don't think your method would work and you would be better off with the idea in post#5, just adding a filter on the tee.

 

[WestCoastHopper]

There are a couple of threads here about in-line gravity fed Venturi aeration systems. I just built one myself, but have yet to test it with wort, so cannot give a solid recommendation. Given the very low cost of the homemade Venturi it may be worth a shot.

 

[bassplayer142]

Awesome, thanks guys, now I know what to look for.