Belgian Experiment: Oxygen and Pitch rates

[TastyAdventure]

I've heard various opinions on how to get the best flavor out of Belgian yeasts, so here's what I'm going to do:

Brew 10 gallons of a Belgian Dubbel.
Split into 4 different fermentors at 2.5 gal each.

Yeast #1 (I'm thinking WLP540)
2.5 gal: Overpitch yeast, under oxygenate
2.5 gal: Underpitch yeast, Over oxygenate

Yeast #2 (WLP530?)
2.5 gal: Overpitch yeast, under oxygenate
2.5 gal: Underpitch yeast, Over oxygenate

This way I can cross compare both yeasts and the affects of pitch rates and oxygen levels.

(I used to love WLP500 (Chimay) but I got tired of its sweetness)

Has anyone tried something similar? Or can you speak to the different yeasts I'm hoping to use?
Suggestions on fermentation temp?

 

[DurtyChemist]

What about over pitch, over oxygenate and under pitch/oxygenate? You could do all four with one yeast and one 10 gallon batch before picking a second yeast to test.

I'd pick a fermentation them in the middle or lower end in case of blow off.

 

[Bassman2003]

I have heard to make a large starter and under oxygenate or do not oxygenate the batch. I don't know if that qualifies as "over pitching" but basically makes plenty of yeast to get the job done but makes them work for it.

 

[TastyAdventure]

What about over pitch, over oxygenate and under pitch/oxygenate? You could do all four with one yeast and one 10 gallon batch before picking a second yeast to test.

I'd pick a fermentation them in the middle or lower end in case of blow off.

I read an article that was discussing the differences between what I originally listed. I want to try 2 different yeasts to kill two birds with one stone

 

[TastyAdventure]

This exBEERiment is underway. OG 1.065.
2.5 gal each of
WLP530 over oxygenated, under pitched
WLP530 under oxygenated, over pitched
2.5 gal each of
WLP550 over oxygenated, under pitched
WLP550 under oxygenated, over pitched

The under pitched got 0.72 mil cells / mL / P
The over pitched got 1.43 mil cells / mL / P

Under oxygenated was shaken for 1 minute
Over oxygenated was shaken for 2 minutes, then another 2 minutes a couple hours later, then 10 seconds 10 hours after pitching.

48 hrs after pitching, all yeasts are blowing through my airlocks

 

[Bassman2003]

Will be interested in the outcome. But I have to say, the difference between 1 minute of shaking and 2 minutes is pretty small. I think you would need pure oxygen to really make a difference. I think the yeast amount will be the focal point of the experiment.

 

[Alain2]

Over oxygenated was shaken for 2 minutes, then another 2 minutes a couple hours later, then 10 seconds 10 hours after pitching.

I do not believe that is over oxygenated at all. Like said before you would need pure oxygen to over oxygen your wort.

 

[TastyAdventure]

Will be interested in the outcome. But I have to say, the difference between 1 minute of shaking and 2 minutes is pretty small. I think you would need pure oxygen to really make a difference. I think the yeast amount will be the focal point of the experiment.

The one was shaken for 1 minutes, the other shaken for a total of 4 minutes, 2 sessions at 2 minutes each.
I know it's not technically over oxygenated, and I wish I would've shaken it even more, but I got lazy after a long brew day and convinced myself I had shaken enough. Either way, there's still some variance there...

 

[specharka]

The one was shaken for 1 minutes, the other shaken for a total of 4 minutes, 2 sessions at 2 minutes each.
I know it's not technically over oxygenated, and I wish I would've shaken it even more, but I got lazy after a long brew day and convinced myself I had shaken enough. Either way, there's still some variance there...

You wouldn't even get to recommended oxygenation rates by shaking. Shaking = 2-5 ppm, aeration via a diffusion stone = 8 ppm max, pure oxygen = 15 ppm max. Chris White recommends 8-10 ppm for optimal oxygen reuptake via yeast adsorption. This is what commercial breweries do on inline oxygen injection systems.

 

[TastyAdventure]

You wouldn't even get to recommended oxygenation rates by shaking. Shaking = 2-5 ppm, aeration via a diffusion stone = 8 ppm max, pure oxygen = 15 ppm max. Chris White recommends 8-10 ppm for optimal oxygen reuptake via yeast adsorption. This is what commercial breweries do on inline oxygen injection systems.

Bummer. I've asked for an aeration system for Christmas

 

[Queequeg]

not sure 0.72 is an under pitch? especially since the normal advice for belgian and british styles is 0.5. I do 0.75 for American styles, for my last Belgian I pitch at 0.5 only because i got scared to go lower.

Also I'm not sure your shaking for 2 mins will equal and over aeration either, even with the repeat. It takes 5 mins to get close to 8ppm. Even if you did 5 and 5 it would only be 16ppm which is only marginal over aeration

 

[505-Brewer]

The one was shaken for 1 minutes, the other shaken for a total of 4 minutes, 2 sessions at 2 minutes each.
I know it's not technically over oxygenated, and I wish I would've shaken it even more, but I got lazy after a long brew day and convinced myself I had shaken enough. Either way, there's still some variance there...

For you perhaps ..........but not necessarily the yeast. But I still applaud the effort.

 

[TastyAdventure]

For you perhaps ..........but not necessarily the yeast. But I still applaud the effort.

You don't think shaking 4x longer would make a difference??
Either way, I pitched twice the amount of yeast in the "over-pitch" as I did the "under pitch"

 

[TastyAdventure]

So I have a question about this. I have bottled and saved the yeast. Which do you think has more yeast? Which yeast culture do you think is healthier for reusing?