Micro oxygenation with a chop stick

[Sasper]

Started my first lambic recently and was debating on good ways to get the micro-oxygen in there that from what I've read makes a big difference in the amount of sourness in the finished beer. I basically saw two camps that are red oak dowels from home depot or long term storage in plastic fermenters.

Well both have risks either from a harsh oak flavor or over oxygenation in plastic and I decided to do something else. I got chopsticks from my favorite chinese carry-out. Drilled a hole in the side of the rubber stopper with a small drill bit. I found it easiest to put the pointy end of the chopstick in the bottom of the stopper so you don't have to fight all the length of the chop stick trying to force it through rubber. Then I left a quarter inch of chopstick above the rubber stopper in the air.

The bamboo will have a totally neutral flavor and is small enough that you don't have to worry about it cracking the neck from swelling while also still allowing you to have airlock in place so pressure doesn't force beer out of the wood stick. And if I want oak flavor I can always add cubes. It isn't as long as a dowel would be but I was able to get it under the first half inch of liquid in a half filled one gallon jug that I have some topping off sour beer in.

I haven't seen this idea posted anywhere and I have a good feeling that this is going to work awesomely. Happy bugging.

 

[TAK]

Interesting idea. Did you do anything to sterilize the chopstick? Do you think the full length of the chopstick is necessary, or would it work just as well to truncate it above the beer so the two don't touch?

 

[sweetcell]

i'm curious to hear how these beers turn out.

i believe that we don't need to encourage oxygenation, micro or otherwise. air locks aren't perfect seals so a little will get in there. i've made some plenty sour beers while keeping them as sealed up as possible... seems to me that recipe formulation, choice of bugs, process (like giving lacto a head-start), access to sugars late in the fermentation, etc are better variable to play with. my fear with O2 is that acetobacter can use it to create sourness, which isn't desirable IMO.

 

[TAK]

For the record, I agree with sweetcell. I do anything and everything I can think off to reduce O2. Nonetheless, this is an interesting take on an existing practice.

 

[Sasper]

Tak,

I just dipped it in sanitizer and didn't worry too much. From what I read the pellicle helps prevent oxygen from entering the beer and most oak dowel hacks suggest getting at least some of the wood under the pellicle. I don't have experience either way to know.

 

[Sasper]

i'm curious to hear how these beers turn out.

i believe that we don't need to encourage oxygenation, micro or otherwise. air locks aren't perfect seals so a little will get in there. i've made some plenty sour beers while keeping them as sealed up as possible... seems to me that recipe formulation, choice of bugs, process (like giving lacto a head-start), access to sugars late in the fermentation, etc are better variable to play with. my fear with O2 is that acetobacter can use it to create sourness, which isn't desirable IMO.

Thank you I appreciate your input, I need to do more batches and experiment with all of those variables. I've seen so many methods and I think they are all worth a shot. This is my first sour brew and just wanted to make sure I'm doing the right things. I digress I am a fan of vinegary characteristics, Flanders Ales are my absolute favorite thing to drink. Not to mention all of my favorite beers are barrel aged. I feel like the science behind oak cubes and a bamboo stick are a pretty decent jerry rigged version of a barrel lol.

 

[thekraken]

Quick, whip up another control batch w/out the chopstick to test the results side by side

 

[Sasper]

Quick, whip up another control batch w/out the chopstick to test the results side by side

Send me some wheat extract and buy me some hot coffee and I will lol it's supposed to snow tonight!