Aeration in a Bucket

[simchuck]

This may be related to my earlier post on re-booting a no-go fermentation. I ferment in buckets (no carboy), and I don't have an air pump for aeration.

In the absence of this sophistication, a lot of people seem to recommend vigorous shaking of the fermenter to aerate the wort before fermentation. Sounds easy if you have a carboy or some other vessel that can be positively sealed, but my lids all have a hole for the air lock, so I can't get too much of a shake without either spraying wort out of the grommet, or risking infection from holding my thumb over the hole.

Does anybody have a good method for aerating wort in a bucket? I have done the "pour and splash" method, but looking for something that I might be able to do after the wort is in the fermenter.

Sorry if this question has been addressed previously, but I haven't figured out how to search effectively through the old forum posts.

 

[RM-MN]

If you use dry yeast you don't need much aeration. The dry yeast contains all it needs to reproduce.

I'll sometimes pour the wort from the kettle to the fermenter from as high up as I can hold the kettle and still hit the bucket, then pour it back to the kettle, then back to the fermenter once more.

 

[scottballz]

I use a 5 gallon paint mixer and a drill. just make sure you sanitize it, obviously.

 

[hunter_le five]

I make sure the wort gets splashed around a lot on the way into the bucket. Seems to work.

I've seen some people literally just pour beer back and forth between 2 sanitized buckets for a couple minutes to aerate. Seems like a simple and cheap way to do it.

 

[Medic218]

I use a 5 gallon paint mixer and a drill. just make sure you sanitize it, obviously.

Same here

 

[flars]

I put a strip of duct tape across the air lock bung to shake up a bucket.

 

[CA_Mouse]

Another way would be to get a lees stir for wine and attach it to your cordless drill. Before I bought my O2 stone setup, I even used a commercial restaurant whisk (got mine at Smart & Final for under $5).

 

[Riot]

Sanitized whisk, stir the crap out of it, then pour it into the bucket. I've also been known to add a tiny amount of olive oil for good measure, but I have never had a problem fermentation with that method.

 

[AerationStation]

Another way would be to get a lees stir for wine and attach it to your cordless drill. Before I bought my O2 stone setup, I even used a commercial restaurant whisk (got mine at Smart & Final for under $5).

I bought one of morebeer's 36" SS whisks for mead making, I bet they'd work well for wort aeration too. And they are easy to sanitize.

 

[chicken]

That's my method. Seems to work fine.

 

[scarekrow]

I've stuck my airlock in the hole and shake, nothing sprayed out. Or stick your hand in Starsan, put you thumb over the hole and shake. Don't over think it.

 

[CUrchin]

Hand blender/stick blended.

 

[cjgenever]

All good options.

FWIW, I wash my hands real good and then scrub in with starsan for two min. After which I've been known to pick up a 5 gal glass carboy and shake it with my finger over the bung hole. It's a hell! of a workout. No infections, but just waiting for one to break mid shake and put my insides on the out.

Sent from my SCH-R970 using Home Brew mobile app

 

[Beernik]

I bought a stir rod. Just attach it to my drill.

 

[MrMeans]

I use the stir rod, but if you want to shake your fermentor just get a non drilled stopper for the airlock hole, shake the bucket, then replace with a drilled stopper and airlock

 

[Anders9962]

I got a $2 rubber plug for the airlock but with out the hole in it. Just plug n shake