Aeration?

[historybuff]

I made my second 5 gallon batch ever-- a brown ale from an ingredient kit.

While transferring from the fermenter to the bottling bucket, something distracted me and I "bubbled" the beer real good for at least a few minutes.

After bottling conditioning for 3 weeks my first beers are actually quite good, so apparently the oxygenation didn't have much immediate impact on the flavor.

Did I do anything to the shelf life of the beer? If it makes a difference the beer is stored in a dark room at about 66 degrees.

 

[Rockn_M]

It's actually good to aerate the wort prior to pitching yeast. It's after fermentation has started that you do not want aerate the wort, this will cause oxidation.

As for shelf life if you store the beer in a dark cool place, it'll keep for a very long time.

 

[swanwick]

It's actually good to aerate the wort prior to pitching yeast. It's after fermentation has started that you do not want aerate the wort, this will cause oxidation.

I think he was indicating that he aerated AFTER fermentation.

 

[unionrdr]

In that case, they could oxidize in the bottles.

 

[BridgewaterBrewer]

I think the original poster is saying that he accidentally aerated at bottling time. The presence of oxygen in the bottle will cause the beer to oxidize faster (wet paper/cardboard flavor), but since you had yeast in the bottle (as opposed to most commercial beers), they hopefully used up at least some of that oxygen, so you might be OK or you might have shortened the shelf life somewhat. In my experience, a homebrew will start to lose flavor after a couple months at room temp, even if you don't aerate it when bottling. Refrigeration will give you at least a few more months in shelf life.

 

[Rockn_M]

I think he was indicating that he aerated AFTER fermentation.

Ya, you're right. I guess the coffee hasn't kicked in yet.

I would go ahead and drink them quickly before oxidation starts to show itself.