duckredbeard
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I use a 2 micron stone and an oxygen source set at 2 liters per minute to oxygenate 2.5 gallons of wort. Too much? Too little?
What dou you guys do?
What dou you guys do?
How much do you oxygenate wort?
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madscientist451
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I don't have equipment to oxygenate my wort, so my response is 
but here's what I do anyway:
I place a funnel in the carboy and pour the wort from the kettle. So I suppose with my method the wort is aerated, not oxygenated. IMO a healthy, active and proper amount of yeast is more important to a good fermentation than using oxygen.
Experiments have been done comparing oxygenation/aeration and there are usually too many variables involved to draw a conclusion for all situations.
but here's what I do anyway:
I place a funnel in the carboy and pour the wort from the kettle. So I suppose with my method the wort is aerated, not oxygenated. IMO a healthy, active and proper amount of yeast is more important to a good fermentation than using oxygen.
Experiments have been done comparing oxygenation/aeration and there are usually too many variables involved to draw a conclusion for all situations.
VikeMan
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I would say they are equally important. Unless you are compensating for the lower level of O2 by (very much) over pitching, O2 is critical in obtaining that "active and proper amount of yeast." If the yeast can't build adequate cell walls, they won't be able to divide as many times as they should.
What are you using for an oxygen source? If you are using an oxygen concentrator at 2 liter per min this would usually achieve an oxygen concentration of 28% (compared to room air which is 21%). In other words, there is a little more oxygen than room air but nothing like a 100% oxygen tank.
I use an inexpensive benzomatic oxygen cylinder ($9 from the local hardware store) with a regulator and an aeration stone for 30-60 seconds. If you used only a 28% concentration of oxygen, you would have to apply this for a long time to achieve a similar oxygen level (maybe even 15-30 min or more). Here is a good comparison of different aeration and oxygenation techniques. There is clearly benefit to oxygenating the wort for good fermentation.
https://www.morebeer.com/articles/oxygen_in_beer
I use an inexpensive benzomatic oxygen cylinder ($9 from the local hardware store) with a regulator and an aeration stone for 30-60 seconds. If you used only a 28% concentration of oxygen, you would have to apply this for a long time to achieve a similar oxygen level (maybe even 15-30 min or more). Here is a good comparison of different aeration and oxygenation techniques. There is clearly benefit to oxygenating the wort for good fermentation.
https://www.morebeer.com/articles/oxygen_in_beer
OP
OP
duckredbeard
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The bottle is 100% Aviator's Breathing Oxygen. It had prior life as a emergency supply of oxygen for flight attendants. Got a couple (full) that were being discarded.
You hit the jackpot if that is 100% oxygen. The problem with the hardware store canisters is that they don't seem to last very long. I would aerate your wort for 30-60 seconds with those canisters at the lowest valve rate to get good bubbling and pitch the yeast. They will be happy.
I also use a whirlpool paddle I made to use with a portable drill. This probably helps me to add some oxygen also.
I also use a whirlpool paddle I made to use with a portable drill. This probably helps me to add some oxygen also.
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OP
duckredbeard
Well-Known Member
Very informative link. Much research was done for our benefit. Thanks for sharing!
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duckredbeard
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Then I hit the jackpot with 10x multiplier.
The target level for most wort or beer up to 1.060 is around 8-12 ppm of DO (Dissolved Oxygen).
This can be achieved in a 5 gallon batch of wort or beer in a standard brew bucket or carboy, with pure oxygen at a rate of 1 liter/minute for 1 minute through a sintered stone with "0.5 micron" pores on the bottom. Moving it around during that time is encouraged.
At that dosage rate chances are you will see a lot of surface bubbling, which is O2 that did not get dissolved. I turn mine down to 1/4 liter/min and oxygenate for 4 minutes. I get very little surface rippling and like the results that gives me.
This can be achieved in a 5 gallon batch of wort or beer in a standard brew bucket or carboy, with pure oxygen at a rate of 1 liter/minute for 1 minute through a sintered stone with "0.5 micron" pores on the bottom. Moving it around during that time is encouraged.
At that dosage rate chances are you will see a lot of surface bubbling, which is O2 that did not get dissolved. I turn mine down to 1/4 liter/min and oxygenate for 4 minutes. I get very little surface rippling and like the results that gives me.
They tend to leak around the "regulator" mount. You can check with a soap solution or bubble juice. Don't use Starsan, it may corrode the assembly.
Some brewers remove the regulator between uses. I've seen reports of getting 16-18 batches from one of such small tanks.
I'd say open them up just enough to see only minor bubbling/rippling on the surface. Then maybe close down a tiny bit to reduce waste. Make sure to check that the stone is still foaming. You can gauge that after a few times.
fwiw, 0.5 lpm (flow metered regulator) for four minutes per 5 gallons here...
CHeers!
CHeers!
shelbymedic
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I have an in-line oxygenation stone right after my exchilerator so I aerate with 100% oxygen at 2lpm for the ten minutes it takes to transfer 10 gallons to my fermenter.
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Same!
[spreads arms] "This much" 
5.5 gallons per carboy, .5 micron stone on a Williams Brewing wand swirled for four minutes with the O2 flow meter set to 0.5 LPM.
Roughly equivalent (but likely a bit more effective) to Chris White's advised 1 LPM for 2 minutes...
Cheers!
5.5 gallons per carboy, .5 micron stone on a Williams Brewing wand swirled for four minutes with the O2 flow meter set to 0.5 LPM.
Roughly equivalent (but likely a bit more effective) to Chris White's advised 1 LPM for 2 minutes...
Cheers!
couchsending
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Average 12-14 plato beer is 4 minutes at .25L/min, .5 micron stone.
Generally gets to around 11ppm DO on my meter but I honestly don’t trust it.
Keep doing it anyways
Generally gets to around 11ppm DO on my meter but I honestly don’t trust it.
Keep doing it anyways
Bilsch
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So many variables...
I've also done testing with a meter and learned there are too many things that effect the level of DO it's simply impossible to just give a generic time and flow. Thankfully though yeast will perform better if you over oxygenate then under. If you don't have a DO meter then try to work it out empirically. Set one flow and adjust the time for several batches and see how it effects your lag time. Do the best you can to keep the other variables the same such as aeration stone depth in the wort, stirring or motion and temperature.
I've also done testing with a meter and learned there are too many things that effect the level of DO it's simply impossible to just give a generic time and flow. Thankfully though yeast will perform better if you over oxygenate then under. If you don't have a DO meter then try to work it out empirically. Set one flow and adjust the time for several batches and see how it effects your lag time. Do the best you can to keep the other variables the same such as aeration stone depth in the wort, stirring or motion and temperature.
Bilsch
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I don't find that hard to believe at all. My experience has shown oxygenation (with pure O2) happens faster then we think.
I've tried oxygen stones and sanitary oxygen, and never knew what I was really doing. Never saw any difference either...so rather than buying oxygen and cleaning yet another piece of gear:
For the last 10 years or so, I've been agitating my fermenter as I chill. I use a carpeted moving dolly with wheels so it moves quite easily and allows plenty of agitation.
I live near Denver at 6240' and have found this to work well. I also do yeast starters with a stirplate to keep that aerated.
I'd go back to oxygen if I perceived an advantage, but I can't really measure the dissolved oxygen, so maybe ignorance is bliss!
BannonB
For the last 10 years or so, I've been agitating my fermenter as I chill. I use a carpeted moving dolly with wheels so it moves quite easily and allows plenty of agitation.
I live near Denver at 6240' and have found this to work well. I also do yeast starters with a stirplate to keep that aerated.
I'd go back to oxygen if I perceived an advantage, but I can't really measure the dissolved oxygen, so maybe ignorance is bliss!
BannonB
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I Chugger pump my wort through a DIY venturi tube into my 60L Speidel fermenter, adding dry yeast about 1/2 way though the transfer and typically end up with about 4-6" of foam on top of the wort in a 10 gallon batch.
Based on Tilt data, fermentation is always well underway in 6 to 12 hours.
Based on Tilt data, fermentation is always well underway in 6 to 12 hours.
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I also use the $10 bottles from HW sore. On my first bottle I was wasting too many big bubbles at the top and got like 5-6 brews. I adjusted and on current bottle I have done 21 brews aerating 35-60 secs. I always remove regulator at the end. For about 50 cents per brew this is a lot better than trying to shake a full 5 gallon carboy of any type. On a one gallon brew I guess it may be overkill.
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