I completely underestimated role of oxygen

[msa8967]

How many of you are still using your O2 setups regularly?

I use it every time I brew. It makes a great difference in the final product but I do notice that my lag time for the yeast to show activity has become longer.

 

[govner1]

I oxygenate after pitching my yeast ALWAYS! Any perceived lag is merely the early aerobic respiratory period during which the yeast rapidly reproduces (thanks to the O2) before beginning the anaerobic stage during which EtOh and CO2 are produced.

 

[meadowstream]

How many of you are still using your O2 setups regularly?

I use it every time and am convinced that it makes big difference.

 

[humblehops500]

I haven't brewed in many years but plan to start up again shortly. I am fortunate in that I already had a medical O2 tank someone gave me a long time ago. When I moved to the east coast, I emptied it and shipped it to my new home. It sat in my basement for a very long time, way past it's hydro test date. Recently I took it to a welding and medical gas supply business where they swapped it out for a full tank of medical grade O2, no questions asked, no Rx needed. I also bought a brand new regulator, the pin type not screw fitting, on Amazon for about $20. It has a nice supply guage and a flow meter that can regulate from 0.2-15 LPM. I consider this one of the best values in my growing arsenal of equipment accumulation. Lesson here is look around for a cheap O2 tank- CL, EBAY, pawn shops (I've seen CO2 and nitrogen tanks there), even tag sales, estate sales, etc. The gas supply store should be able to swap it out and then just find a cheap regulator and you're in business.

 

[djt17]

I stopped using O 6 batches ago; I haven't noticed any difference. But, I use either dry yeast or pitch a large slurry of 1 week old harvested yeast.

 

[Pilgarlic]

O2 whenever I use liquid yeast.

 

[riderkb]

Has anyone seen a chart/read about diffusion rates with a 2 micron stone as compared to a .5 micron stone?

Joe

When I bought mine I asked the manufacturer about this. They said the pore size has little to do with how long it takes to saturate the wort. Fine stones just waste less gas because the small bubbles dissolve before they float up to the surface. They also need higher pressures and get clogged up easier. They told me that 10 psi for 2 minutes should saturate the wort with a 2 micron stone.

 

[Helly]

Same experience here. My beer has definitely improved since I added the cheap and easy oxygen stone and $10 bernzomatic welding tanks. $60 total and it takes a minute every batch. Easy and it's been a great tool. I'm a believer.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[wobdee]

Just placed my order in for an o2 system from Williams. I brew 2.5-3 gal batches and I'm wondering how long I should aerate for? I brew mostly lagers in the 1.050-1.060 range. Is there some kind of scale or chart for this or do you all just guesstimate?

 

[dcbw]

Lagers need more oxygen. And any bubbles you see are wasted oxygen, so don't turn it up enough to foam much. Just make sure the wort is moving around from the O2 flow.

For a lager I would do at least a minute, probably a bit more. The yeast need more help when colder. For ales 30 or 45 seconds is fine.

 

[wobdee]

Lagers need more oxygen. And any bubbles you see are wasted oxygen, so don't turn it up enough to foam much. Just make sure the wort is moving around from the O2 flow.

For a lager I would do at least a minute, probably a bit more. The yeast need more help when colder. For ales 30 or 45 seconds is fine.

Thanks, I'll start out at 60 seconds and go from there.

 

[hartlesj]

What kind of system and tank do you use? I saw this tank today at HD and was wondering if this would work? Any thoughts? View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1420763844.518772.jpg

 

[Helly]

Exactly what I've been using and it's working great for me.

 

[Rev2010]

Same tanks I use as well. Heck, I think they are the tanks the fair majority of us use.


Rev.

 

[nyer]

https://spacecoast.craigslist.org/hab/4830450238.html. Hopefully this attachment works I'm wondering if anyone could tell me if this o2 setup would work for a home brewer. It seems cheap enough.