Hot side aeration?

[mrsunshades]

My setup has the brew kettle / hot liquor tank up high, then the mash tun below. I drain the mash into 2 buckets, getting 3 gal each. When the sparge is done, I just pour the wort from the buckets back into the kettle and start the boil. My question is this: is pouring the wort back into the kettle going to cause off flavors because of the aeration of the hot wort - I have read this in a couple of places. I'm considering getting a pump and a large enough vessel to catch the runoff, then simply pumping it up. Any thoughts?

 

[HopDr]

It sounds like you have already done it...so does your beer have oxidized flavors?

 

[crackhead7]

The OP may not know his beer is oxidized, even if it is, if this is the only way he has ever done his transfers. I would be intersted in someone sounding in on this who has a constructive comment as to when hot side aeration can be an issue? Post mash? over a certain temp? after the initial hop additions? etc. etc.

 

[Schemy]

Why don't you just drain directly into your boil kettle?

 

[TyTanium]

No worries. HSA is largely considered a myth, and especially so before hops are added.

 

[JonM]

No worries. HSA is largely considered a myth, and especially so before hops are added.

This. RDWHAHB.

 

[Schemy]

We incorporated a similar method a few brew days ago. The pro we were brewing with suggested that it wasn't an issue. I wish I had the science behind it, but I was pretty deep into the barrel aged barleywine he had on tap at his house.

 

[crackhead7]

This. RDWHAHB.

this is what I heard as well, that its after the hop additions that would pose a problem but that it is vertually a non-issue.

 

[BrewerinBR]

Hot Side Aeration is not a myth or a boogeyman. Do small batch home brewers need to be extremely concerned about it? I am not sure, but here is some information:

BT - Troubleshooter: Rice as an Adjunct, Hot-Side Aeration, Sparge-Water pH, Aluminum Kettles, and Malting Methods

and some more:
How to Brew - By John Palmer - Aeration is Good, Oxidation is Bad

And More:

The Brewing Network.com - :

You can do some reading and research and then decide if you need to worry about it or not.

Good Luck

 

[jholen]

Listen to the Brew Strong episode with John Palmer and Dr. Charlie Bamforth on HSA.

Great show, but TONS of information to take in.

 

[JasontheBeaver]

Why don't you just drain directly into your boil kettle?

The way I understood it is his boil kettle is highest. So he would have to lower it down to drain the mash tun into it, then heft up the kettle and entire contents at once back onto the burner. Instead, he chooses to leave the kettle high and only lift 2- 3gallon batches up to pour them into his kettle.

 

[oakbarn]

Hot Side Aeration is not a myth or a boogeyman. Do small batch home brewers need to be extremely concerned about it? I am not sure, but here is some information:

BT - Troubleshooter: Rice as an Adjunct, Hot-Side Aeration, Sparge-Water pH, Aluminum Kettles, and Malting Methods

.....

Another excellent 1993 article. GMAB!

 

[afr0byte]

Another excellent 1993 article. GMAB!

Just because it's older doesn't mean it's not correct.

 

[brandonhagen1]

boiling drives off o2 nuff said

 

[KuntzBrewing]

I do the same method as OP. Ive never tasted any oxidized flavors. I dont think the wort is in contact with oxygen long enough (since boiling degasses the wort) If this were a problem then any way that you could possibly add the grains to the mashtun would cause oxidation on the hot side. Since the grains are poured in (even on professional levels the grains are milled and fall straight into the mashtun) I believe hsa is not a factor unless your brew day lasts longer than a week lol

 

[oakbarn]

Hot Side Aeration is not a myth or a boogeyman. Do small batch home brewers need to be extremely concerned about it? I am not sure, but here is some information:

And More:

The Brewing Network.com - :

Long interview full of chemical speak but what it boils down to in my mind is:

Take sensible precaution when you transfer wort. Ie. Do not waterfall your wort from 5 feet or use a vigorous whisk to foam the wort. Do not get to crazy trying to stop HSA as it may have little to minimal effect on the home brewer. Oxygenation of beer after fermentation is something to worry about.

We keg and we fill out kegs with CO 2 before we transfer from the fermenter. We then purge with CO 2 at least 3 times.