Using a vitamix (blender) to aerate?

I've been itching to try my hand at the Westi 12 recipe from the Candi Syrup people. My stir plate and ferm chamber are coming online now, and my last remaining technical issue is aeration.

I live in Israel, where the don't sell disposable oxygen (forget having someone bring it on a plane - i think that it so illegal that its in the Constitution), and the refillable ones for welders are extremely expensive.

Until now i've mean using my Venturi hose between my kettle and fermentor mixed with some shaking. (BTW, anyone have idea how effective a venturi line is, in ppm?) What i'm wondering is would putting the beer in batches in a high speed blender (2hp epicly fast) aerate it better? Enough for a yeast forward high gravity belgian strong ale? I also thought to put a small aquarium air pump to pump a little air into the blender to get zhooozhed in by the blender.

Any thoughts?

 

How big of a batch? The blender doesn't hold that much, does it? I'd say shaking your fermentation vessel for a bit would be helpful.

And btw, bringing oxygen on the plane is not prohibited by the Constitution. it's bit permitted but I don't think the Constitution covered that.

 

You can also pitch an extra large starter so yeast don't need to multiply as much?


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Yeast reproduction is a good thing, and over pitching can cause it's own problems (from what I've read).

One of the problems with using the vitamix would be the increased chance of infection, I would think. I mean, you'd have to do so many batches of it, that I could see it opening up chances for infection...

Shaking your fermentor around once it's full of your wort might not be the ideal solution, but it's something a lot of people do and it works well enough. I read somewhere (possible How to Brew??) that stirring with a sterilized whisk is an option as well.

Also, you can get an aquarium pump with a filter and just pump air into your beer. It's not pure oxygen, but from everything I've read it can give you the same results, it just needs a bit more time.

 

shaking the fermentor is far better than an aquarium pump. lots of people use those pumps but they are clearly the least efficient method.

 

the vitamix idea is a bad one, better off shaking the fermentor.

 

The blender is 2 liters so for 5 gallons we're looking at ten times.

I will pitch a huge starter but for a beer thats supposed to go from 1.091 to 1.012 i think i really want the yeast to thrive.

When y'all shake the fermentor, are we talking 30 seconds? a minute? five?! TEN?!?!? my back begins to go....

Maybe i can get the hardware store to let me use that paint mixing shaking machine that ought to do it.....

What about those paint mixers people attach to drills?

 

I think you are on to something here. I wouldn't go for the shaking paint mixer though. That just has disaster written all over it, plus it is only designed to hold a 1 gallon paint can. With the drill attachment, just make sure you sanitise effectively!

Another thing that seems to work fine for me is to whip the hell out of the wort with my brewing spoon for about 5 minutes, then pick the thing up and give it a few good shakes. I agree though, shaking a fermenter is a PITA!

 

Can get one of these thats used for wine.Wine De-gasser

 

You my friend need to watch this video.

For a big beer I recommend shaking initially and again 4-8 hours later.

 

I like your vitamix idea if you could heat sanitize it. Determine what you can safety heat it too. Then bake it in your oven for a good while at the highest safe temperature.

 

if you try this let us know, would be interesting.

 

Vitamix has not a lot of places for bacteria to hide, it's quite well made. If you ran some PBW and star San through it I'm sure you wouldn't have any issues. Try it!

Before I got my o2 setup I just ran some bubbles from an aquarium pump through for 20 minutes while I cleaned up other stuff. I shoved the tube it came with down a racking came for precise bubble location in the bottom of the fermenter.

Many batches, zero problems. Give 'er.


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