How Do You Aerate?

[GHBWNY]

It hasn't been until doing some recent reading that I suspect I have under-aerated my beers since starting a year ago. Curious as to method(s) others use to aerate, and what their aerated wort looks like, etc..

I usually pour cooled wort through a strainer into ferm bucket which already has a couple gallons of cool water in it. Takes about 6-8 pours, de-clogging strainer along the way. Then pour topoff water into ferm bucket to bring it up 5 gal., stirring to mix it to get stable temp and OG reading. At pitching I stir yeast in. But that's pretty much it for my aeration routine.

I'm reading that aeration should be so vigorous that 2" of foam should be forming on top. If this is true, I've definitely fallen far short of adequate aeration, which could explain a few things over the year re: different beers.

 

[FloppyKnockers]

With a half full bucket I stir the **** out of it with a 3-foot long whisk...that seems to do it.

 

[chuckcomm]

I would say just pouing it into the fermenter like you do would be enough. I never stir after adding yeast I just float it on top and it works its magic.

 

[TexanRudeboy]

Instead of pouring into your fermenter try pouring into a bottling bucket. Then let it run from the spigot into your fermenter. It takes some time and creates a ton of foam. I've always used this method, taken a couple medals with extract brews doing so.

 

[aprichman]

I use a Fermtech Whip Degasser I got at my local brew shop for $7 - it comes with a bung cover that made it awkward to use, so I just popped it off and now I have an extra universal bung cover Basically it's just a plastic hook that I attach to a drill that allows me to agitate the heck out of the wort.

http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/whip-wine-degasser.html

I just started a fairly high gravity (~1.062) batch last night and forgot to aerate However I was using Danstar Nottingham yeast and in their directions they claim that the wort does not need to be aerated due to the way it's processed. This would only apply if you're using a new packet of yeast but aeration in this case doesn't appear to be necessary. My beer is humming along nicely ~18 hours after pitching.

 

[stlbasementbrewer]

I bought the oxygenation 2.0 kit from northern brewer for 50 bucks and a tank of oxygen from Home Depot for ten. Add shipping and I'm oxygenating for 70 bucks. To me it's a no brainer. The benefit far outweighs the price. Yeast is the most important part of what we do. Treat em right.

 

[Qhrumphf]

I currently aerate 90 seconds via filtered air from aquarium pump for average and low gravity beers, and 120 seconds for high gravity beers. I have been meaning to jump to pure O2, just haven't done it yet.

I would say just pouing it into the fermenter like you do would be enough. I never stir after adding yeast I just float it on top and it works its magic.

The problem with "this is the way I do it and it works fine" is that this flies in the face of understood brewing science.

Pouring into the fermenter is not enough by a long shot, especially for a higher gravity beer.

According to Chris White (of White Labs) and JZ (Brewing Network/Mr. Malty calculator) in their "Yeast" book, beer needs 8-10 ppm dissolved oxygen for optimum health and fermentation, and it is physically impossible to reach that upper end with air alone. The whipping w/ a drill winemaker method should be fine, and transferring multiple times between multiple buckets would also probably be ok. But especially for a high gravity beer, you really need to use pure O2.

Point being, just a simple pour into the fermenter is not enough oxygen.

 

[olotti]

I bought the oxygenation 2.0 kit from northern brewer for 50 bucks and a tank of oxygen from Home Depot for ten. Add shipping and I'm oxygenating for 70 bucks. To me it's a no brainer. The benefit far outweighs the price. Yeast is the most important part of what we do. Treat em right.

This. One of the best buys I've made. 60-90 sec is all it takes and has done wonders for kick starting fermentation and I never have to wonder if I aerated enough.

 

[chuckcomm]

I currently aerate 90 seconds via filtered air from aquarium pump for average and low gravity beers, and 120 seconds for high gravity beers. I have been meaning to jump to pure O2, just haven't done it yet.



The problem with "this is the way I do it and it works fine" is that this flies in the face of understood brewing science.

Pouring into the fermenter is not enough by a long shot, especially for a higher gravity beer.

According to Chris White (of White Labs) and JZ (Brewing Network/Mr. Malty calculator) in their "Yeast" book, beer needs 8-10 ppm dissolved oxygen for optimum health and fermentation, and it is physically impossible to reach that upper end with air alone. The whipping w/ a drill winemaker method should be fine, and transferring multiple times between multiple buckets would also probably be ok. But especially for a high gravity beer, you really need to use pure O2.

Point being, just a simple pour into the fermenter is not enough oxygen.

I have done lots of reading on the subject and there are posts here that state what I posted is enough. Many of us use processes that others disagree with.

I was stating my experience with the process and it works for me.

Not wanting an argument just posting what I do and it has worked fine for me.

 

[titansvol]

I have the same kit as stlbasementbrewer. It works great with the small O2 tanks form Lowes or Home Depot.

 

[beergolf]

To get the proper amount of oxygen into your wort you need to infuse it with pure O2

Shaking does not get to the levels required.
From the book Yeast.



Shaking 5 minutes. 2.71 ppm
30 sec pure O2. 5.12 ppm
90sec. pure O2. 9.2ppm
120 se pure O2. 14.08 ppm

Recommended is 8-10 ppm.

 

[MaxStout]

I use O2 with a 2-micron stone. Had been using the disposable tanks, but moved up to the William's regulator with a 20 cu. ft. refillable tank. It's nice knowing how much O2 is in the tank and not wondering if it's going to run out mid-aeration. It's a big investment, but one fill of the big tank is equal to almost 20 of the disposables.

I blast about 60 sec for lower gravity beers, 90 sec for high gravity.

 

[lowtones84]

Not everybody has money for all of this equipment. If you do, that's awesome, but I don't. Pouring through a strainer works pretty darn well if you ask me. If you pour vigorously you'd be amazed at how much it agitates the wort, and there is quite a bit of foam on top when I do it.

Even after that, I still whip it up a bit though. I have a long plastic mash paddle that is a little flexible, so a whipping motion through the wort gives me an extra bit of agitation. I'm sure an o2 stone or the systems that some people use are better, but my system works pretty well for me.

 

[Gavin C]

60-90 seconds with this. Same setup as others mentioned

 

[northcal]

I add O2 from a tank, and it works great for me. Some of my friends just shake up their pitched to wort and they make great beers. Use what ya got!

It is just beer!

ps. the tank of O2 will last hundreds of batches, probably the best investment I have made in terms of homebrew consumables...

 

[grrickar]

I used to put in a cork and rock the carboy back and forth across my lap. I since moved to one of the oxygenation systems shown above. I think now as to what would have happened if I dropped that carboy, or if it had cracked while rolling back and forth in my lap... :eek

 

[beergolf]

Not everybody has money for all of this equipment. If you do, that's awesome, but I don't. Pouring through a strainer works pretty darn well if you ask me. If you pour vigorously you'd be amazed at how much it agitates the wort, and there is quite a bit of foam on top when I do it.

Even after that, I still whip it up a bit though. I have a long plastic mash paddle that is a little flexible, so a whipping motion through the wort gives me an extra bit of agitation. I'm sure an o2 stone or the systems that some people use are better, but my system works pretty well for me.

You may think it works well but science says otherwise. There are a few thing that will take your brews to the next level. Pitching the proper amout of healthy yeast. So getting stir plate helps you do that. Controling fermentation temp. This is big and can be as easy as using a swamp cooler or as complex as a freezer with a temp controller. Next if proper aeration. This is especially important if you want to brew higher OG beers.. Do those things and your brews will be much better instead of good enough.

The equipment is less than a the cost of a hoppy IPA ingredients. For better beer it is definitely worth it.

Here is what everyone is talking about.
http://www.williamsbrewing.com/WILLIAMS-5-MICRON-OXYGEN-AERATION-SYSTEM-P3668.aspx

 

[tdbc2011]

This is from the Product Technical Data Sheets:
• Munich German Wheat Beer yeast has been conditioned to survive rehydration. The yeast contains an
adequate reserve of carbohydrates and unsaturated fatty acids to achieve active growth. It is
unnecessary to aerate wort.

Should I aerate or not? I use pure oxygen with the Williams regulator with all liquid yeast, but I did not today because of this info on the Munich Wheat Yeast.

 

[lowtones84]

You may think it works well but science says otherwise.

I appreciate all of the advice, I really do. But numbers don't equate to quality either. I'm not saying my method works better or even as well as that equipment, I'm sure it doesn't, but it works just fine for me. Most beers I brew have a starting gravity of less than 1.060, and I typically get quick starts to fermentation, and they are certainly healthy by the attenuation numbers I get and the end results.

That $50 (plus shipping, plus o2 tanks over time, etc...) is easily two batches for me. I'm not trying to discourage use of that method by any means, just offering alternative advice for somebody who may be in the same boat as myself.

 

[khawk95]

I bought the oxygenation 2.0 kit from northern brewer for 50 bucks and a tank of oxygen from Home Depot for ten. Add shipping and I'm oxygenating for 70 bucks. To me it's a no brainer. The benefit far outweighs the price. Yeast is the most important part of what we do. Treat em right.

This is exactly how I do it. no fermentation issues since I started using O2. Plus it's fun. I feel like a mad scientist.

 

[Tbruml]

Need to be very careful if using O2. I top up with spring water that has been ozonated to disinfect (88 cents per gallon at Walmart) and splash when transferring to the primary.

 

[Curtis2010]

Air pump and SS stone. I leave it running for about 30 minutes initially for beer, multiple times for mead. Haven't done the math, but appears to work fine for me per expected attenuation at least.

Works well for starters too. Read somewhere results are similar to using a stir plate.

 

[Gavin C]

Need to be very careful if using O2. I top up with spring water that has been ozonated to disinfect (88 cents per gallon at Walmart) and splash when transferring to the primary.

Careful in what regard?

 

[Qhrumphf]

Careful in what regard?

When using O2 it is possible to over oxygenate.

Oh, and also the potential to make anything combustible that much more flammable.

 

[jbb3]

When chilling the wort, I grab my IC and plunge it up and in the wort until I get a bit of a froth going. Then as my wort temp drops to around 100 deg, I use a drill mounted paint stirrer and make sure to get a good vortex going complete with sucking sound and everything... Kills two birds with one stone. Cools the wort quickly and aerates too. It's good and frothy when done.

 

[masaba]

Everyone who owns an O2 pump for their beer will tell you it is extremely important. But at the same time, it is never one of the things on the top of the list for what makes a beer great: sanitation, fermentation temperature, starter size, and patience.

I personally think that dumping the beer into the fermenter so that it splashes and forms a few inches of foam is plenty of aeration IF you are using a proper size starter. Now, if you are under-pitching, perhaps aerating with an O2 stone makes a difference.

 

[pagrider]

i have had the same stout with O2 and with agitation and it tasted the same. The Williams kit makes things a lot easier then all the other methods. Just drop the stone in and turn on 02 for a couple of seconds and you are done. is it worth $60 thats up to you. I don't think its going to make your beer better though

 

[mrphillips]

I go at it more or less like an neanderthal. I put a sanitized strainer over the top of my bucket and pour it through. I've never had a stuck fermentation (knock on wood), and most importantly...it's simple.

 

[Newsman]

I add O2 from a tank, and it works great for me. Some of my friends just shake up their pitched to wort and they make great beers. Use what ya got!

It is just beer!

ps. the tank of O2 will last hundreds of batches, probably the best investment I have made in terms of homebrew consumables...

LOVE that wand storage thing!

 

[firerat]

I used to use a degassr whip thing on my drill.

I just recently go a pure O2 setup. Used it for the first time yesterday.

If it works, which I can't imagine why it wouldn't, then that will be my new method simply for ease.

 

[pagrider]

IMO thats the reason to go O2 its just easy. It will not change your beer for the better all the techno babble aside. I have brewed about 6 beers since going 02 all were recipes i used when i didn't have 02 and there is no difference. The first one I referenced earlier in this thread where I split the recipe in two just to see if there would be a difference and there wasn't. So was it worth the $60 I say yes because its so much easier and less messy.

 

[masonsjax]

I heated up a paperclip with a lighter and poked a hole in the tubing from my kettle a few inches down from the the valve. The venturi effect creates a nice thick froth in the fermentor with zero energy or cost expended by me. Couldn't get easier than that, and no chance of over-oxygenating!

 

[deuce40]

I used to use the venturi effect method but if the flow stops at any point while siphoning you'll have a big mess. It works great though but im lazy and usually walk away while siphoning.

 

[masonsjax]

I don't siphon, it's from a kettle valve, and it's just a tiny little pinhole. I dunno, in 350 batches or so, I've never had it make a mess.

 

[Natdavis777]

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1421079744.515294.jpg

Venturi aerator from the plate chiller into the carboy. This is new for me though. Only used it on one beer, which fermented out fine. Usually I use a tank with a stone

 

[Hello]

I use O2 with an aeration a stone. I used to sit for 5 minutes and roll the carboy around on a tennis ball but I have horrible shoulders and it would get painful. The stone assembly was the best $50 I could have ever spent.

 

[GHBWNY]

Tons of great info, opinions, methods here. Glad I asked!

My beers in the past have tasted "OK", even "good" and a couple "very good". But honestly, I'm not sure I'd re-order one if I were out somewhere. The higher-gravity ones tend to turn out over-carbed in a couple months, and a couple have had slight off-flavors. My suspicion is attenuation finished in the bottle instead of the ferm bucket. Obviously, that's a problem between me and the yeast, and while it might due in part to inconsistent ferm temps, I know now that lack of adequate aeration has been a definite possibility.

I'm taking a serious look at the O2 setup. I'm looking for both consistency in the brewing process and eliminating the under-aeration = under-attenuation variable. I've been brewing for a year and learning on my own, but only recently have I begun to appreciate the importance of treating the yeast like an honored guest. I like the brewing adage I heard recently:

"We make wort; yeast makes beer."

Now, that's one to take to the bank!

 

[bradforesman]

Since I have not invested in a O2 system, I currently use a sanitized paint mixer drill attachment and mix it up for a few minutes until there is a few inches of foam on top of the wort.

Seems to work fine for me, but obviously O2 would be the best option.

Brad

 

[pagrider]

Pete what made the biggest difference for me was controlling the fermentation temp. get yourself an stc 1000 and a fridge or chest freezer and your home-brew will be noticeably better. The oxygen isn't going to change anything.

 

[TheLiquidBakery]

Let it pour from the spigot of the boil kettle that is on a table and into the fermenting bucket on the floor. Drops about 3 feet which creates a lot of aeration. Simple and easy.