How to Aerate?

[kfgolfer]

Can someone please explain the best way to aerate (or easiest) and exactly when to do it? Thanks.

 

[Orfy]

Shake the crap out of it.

Unless you have specialist kit.

I use a nozzle with holes in it that draws in to the wort will decanting from my kettle to the fermenter.

 

[Walker]

...and exactly when to do it? Thanks.

After you have chilled it below 90°F and before you pitch your yeast.

edit: I also shake mine.

edit2: I tried a nozzle somewhat like what Orfy uses this past Saturday, but mine clogged up with with break material immediately and I had to revert to shaking it again.

-walker

 

[Evan!]

Can someone please explain the best way to aerate (or easiest) and exactly when to do it? Thanks.

The best way? You could spend the dough on one of those deals where you have to go get new oxygen containers...but, IMHO, here's the best way without spending alot of $$. After I got this kit, my attenuation went up by at least 10%. It's truly improved my brews. Once your wort is cooled down to pitching temps, you just sanitize it, plug it in, and put the stone/hose into the wort for 20-60 mins. Bam, your yeast will now have much better metabolic health.

 

[robnog]

I siphon from my kettle to my primary and squeeze the hose tip so that it sprays and foams quite a bit. I'm not sure if that is an acceptible way of aerating, as I have never read anything about it nor tried either of the two beers I've aerated that way. I've had good fermentation, though.

 

[Orfy]

I use this to stop it clogging.

this is the pipe I use.

 

[Walker]

I use this to stop it clogging.

That bazooka screen is what is at the bottom of my kettle, but it didn't stop break material from getting through. It was the break material that clogged my earator (which is condiderably different than yours now that I see a picture.)

The aerator I was trying to use is literally a $1.50 aerator that is meant to be attached to a kitchen faucet.

-walker

 

[Orfy]

Right.

The Idea is that air gets drawn into the wort through the holes due to the faster moving wort creating a lower pressure. (That's the theory anyway)

Anything chunky can just come through. The hop stopper and the hop bead filter a fair bit of the break material.

It seems to do a half decent job.

 

[Hopfan]

My mini air pump died on my last batch so I just shook the heck out of it (the brew, not the pump). Would anyone see any problem using air from my compressor run at low pressure through the filter to aerate?

 

[frothy]

The best way? You could spend the dough on one of those deals where you have to go get new oxygen containers...but, IMHO......

Be sure to use an air filter on the air line - bacteria and spores are abundant in the air and without the filter you undoing all your careful sanitization & wort protection work by just pumping them straight into the brew.

Matt

 

[Evan!]

Be sure to use an air filter on the air line - bacteria and spores are abundant in the air and without the filter you undoing all your careful sanitization & wort protection work by just pumping them straight into the brew.

Matt

See that square thing in the picture? That's the inline HEPA filter.

 

[zoebisch01]

I kind of like Orfy's setup. What I currently do, is I have this conical strainer made from Aluminum with holes (reminds me of Orfy's tube). This is the type of thing used for straining tomatoes and such. It usually comes with a wooden pin type thing for pushing stuff through the strainer. I just pick up the pot and pour, it does a great job it seems. I can keep the break and the hops out this way fairly easily. It is good if you have that type of strainer laying around imo.

 

[Coastie]

My mini air pump died on my last batch so I just shook the heck out of it (the brew, not the pump). Would anyone see any problem using air from my compressor run at low pressure through the filter to aerate?

I would be very hesistant to use a run of the mill air compressor. I see two problems, water and oil. When the air is compressed, a lot of water gets squeezed out into the tank, that water will get out into the air as it is released. The oil used to lubricate the compressor will get into the tank as well and it can mix with the air. I wouldn't want either in my beer.

 

[feedthebear]

As The Tick would say, "SPOON!"

Stir, stir, stir, change direction, stir, stir, stir, change direction... (repeat until your arm falls off).