High Gravity 2nd O2 dose, how to avoid a mess?

[E93Bausch]

On high gravity beers I have read it is beneficial to add a second dose of oxygen 12-18 hours after the yeast has been pitched (Yeast by White & Zainasheff). Last year I had a Barley Wine go from 1.103 to 1.017 with WLP007 using this technique.

So today I brewed this years Barley Wine (OG 1.102) and pitched it on top of a fresh WLP007 yeast cake from a stout. Two hours later there was already activity in the air lock. I decided to add more O2 with a stintered stone.

What a mess, a few moments after the O2 started flowing the beer began to foam at an incredible rate. I could see it coming and pulled the stone out and pressed my palm against the carboy opening. I could feel the pressure building and sticky unfermented beer started spraying out. I removed my hand and it went everywhere. To prove I am a dumb ass I figured I would add the O2 at a slower rate and watch more carefully on the other carboy. Same thing happened. I lost the better part of a gallon out of each carboy.

This does not happen every time I add a second dose of O2 but it is not the first time it has happened either. There was 3 eye droppers full of Fermcap-S in each carboy. How can I add O2 and avoid the mess?

Edit to add - The yeast was pitched into 60 Deg F wort, temp controller is set at 63.

 

[sandyeggoxj]

Was it co2 in solution from fermentation that caused the foam once it was agitated with the o2 introduction?

 

[E93Bausch]

Was it co2 in solution from fermentation that caused the foam once it was agitated with the o2 introduction?

Yes, I *assume* that is what is causing it.

 

[Seven]

So today I brewed this years Barley Wine (OG 1.102) and pitched it on top of a fresh WLP007 yeast cake from a stout. Two hours later there was already activity in the air lock. I decided to add more O2 with a stintered stone.

I wonder if pitching on an entire yeast cake from a previous batch had something to do with this. I've oxygenated again 12-hours after pitching using O2 and a stone and didn't experience the foaming you described.

 

[E93Bausch]

I wonder if pitching on an entire yeast cake from a previous batch had something to do with this. I've oxygenated again 12-hours after pitching using O2 and a stone and didn't experience the foaming you described.

I'll bet it does. I have had success with the 12-18 hour oxygen addition in the past. I thought I was doing good pitching on a yeast cake that had just finished but the lack of lag time worries me as well.