Inline wort aeration build

[SankePankey]

The fitting is a tri-clamp cap. On the inside, there is an extension (like 3") welded to a morebeer barb stone- so as to make the stone as close to the valve as possible (and 'in the way' of the wort). On the outside, there is a morebeer corny bulkhead welded. I then can screw on a corny post. I put a ball lock on the Ox tank. It's a brewershardware job.

I am fairly OCD about making whatever it is that I use 'dual purpose' or multi-use. My fermenters are tri-clamp. Thanks to the ball lock input, I can use the assembly as an in-line carbonation device as well. Haven't done that yet.

That item is the boil kettle output. I have a brewmation electric rig (they're 17.5 gal sinks).

 

[pola0502ds]

Here's what I came up with on mine. I purchased the Williams Oxygenation kit that included the SS wand attached to a diffusion stone. I cut the wand, drilled a hole in a SS plug and then silver soldered it in.

More beer does sell one like it on their website, you just have to have the link. I spent about $30 to build one and they sell them for $50.

MoreBeer.com MPT Oxygen Stone

I don't know to much about soldering, what is silver solder?

 

[pola0502ds]

Sanke,

When you say it's a brewers hardware job, do you mean Derrin got all the parts for you and welded everything?

Do you already have pics of your fermenters posted on another thread? I like to see them with triclamps.

Like i said all the connections on my system are Tri-clamp but i do have a lot of threaded fittings, I just really like the TC method. So many people put it down and say it's over kill. I'd be interested to see what you are using for fermenters and how you applied TC's. I may be interested in doing the same thing.

 

[SankePankey]

No, I mailed him the parts (except the cap).

He's really coming up with some cool stuff for his store now, which explains why he has 'put a halt' on custom work several times since I've been using him.

I recently used a different dude for a custom part - the fella (Aaron) who made my sanke fermenter. Synergymetalworking.com. Same thing though, mailed him parts from McMaster.

If I became a pro brewer, I'd take TIG welding classes first for sure.

 

[bbognerks]

I don't know to much about soldering, what is silver solder?

It's a huge thread, but here is everything you need to know about silver soldering. If you just need a little for doing this, there are small kits you can get for about $8-$11 from some places.

Silver Solder Thread

 

[pola0502ds]

No, I mailed him the parts (except the cap).

He's really coming up with some cool stuff for his store now, which explains why he has 'put a halt' on custom work several times since I've been using him.

I recently used a different dude for a custom part - the fella (Aaron) who made my sanke fermenter. Synergymetalworking.com. Same thing though, mailed him parts from McMaster.

If I became a pro brewer, I'd take TIG welding classes first for sure.

I have been working with Derrin on a bunch of things for the past couple months.. He is such a great guy. He's never made anything custome for me but he's given me lots of advice and we have been talking back and fourth about new products. I bought my RIMS tube, a bunch of fittings, stir plate, and his new trub filter.

He has a bunch of new stuff coming out and if he keeps on putting out top notch stuff his company is going to blow up.

 

[pola0502ds]

That is the 1/4" ID tubing over the 1/4" OD tubing as shown in this picture.

Is that a 1/4" compression fitting? I just got my npt/compression fitting from morebeer to make this fixture and I ordered it to be both 1/2" fittings. I wonder if i can still use it but buy tubing to get me up to that thickness? Anyone this I can do this and not have problems?

 

[Brewmoor]

I made one from spare parts that seems to work pretty good. I can't remember where I got the threaded stone from though. I think maybe morebeer.com but it seems their site is down right now.

 

[pola0502ds]

thats nices, why 2 outlets?

 

[milldoggy]

Think I used a half inch compression, I added some silcon orings, seals up nicely. I was from wayne at bargin, but I got it off the classifieds here on hbt

 

[bbognerks]

thats nices, why 2 outlets?

It's in and out, not 2 outlets. The hose shown is attached to the air stone.

 

[jramirez126]

Wayne at BargainFittings.com made one for me.

Drop him a line. He is very easy to work with.

New Toys

Hey Wayne, where did you get your oxygen tank and regulator?

 

[Wayne1]

The O2 tanks are disposable. The last two I picked up at my local ACE hardware. My local Lowes and Home Depot used to sell them, but no longer. Some of the store still do.

The regulator was purchased many years ago from my LHBS. I believe Williams Brewing Supply and Austin Homebrew sell them.

 

[milldoggy]

My homedepot, the tanks actually got 33% bigger. Same price I think.

 

[emjay]

My homedepot, the tanks actually got 33% bigger. Same price I think.

My bernzomatic oxygen tank from Home Depot has 50% more oxygen now... 2.1oz

 

[Maltose]

Anyone know what kind of LPM a wide open Oxynator (simple turn nob on a disposable O2 tank) runs at?

 

[pola0502ds]

I know a little talk about cleaning the stone has been done in this thread. i did my first batch this past weekend and i built the same aeration stone assembly as Wayne. I used it and it worked perfect but now that i actually used it I have a few questions. Since this fixture comes right after the wort chiller and because I was cleaning and sanitizing the chiller, i noticed that some water and sanitizer had actually made it into the stone (which is good) but past the stone and into the tubing that the O2 flows through. Has anyone else had this issue and is it really a problem?

Next question, how often should I actually remove the stone and really clean it very well? After each brew or after 3-5 brews? If you really clean it every 3-5, what is the best way to clean it after the brew you just aerated and what's the best way to sanitize it before you aerate?

What I did on my first brew day way, I generate steam in a 15 gallon sanke that doesn't have it's top cut off. Attach a tri-clamp to the opening of the keg, run a hose from the triclamp to the opening of my therminator. I let steam pass through the terminator and into the aeration stone fixture. I do this for about 20 minutes. I got this idea from a friend who brews a lot and it works like a champ every time. Does a very good job of sanitizing everything that the wort touches. The only thing my buddy didn't have was this aeration stone fixture. I just wonder if the steam will do a good job of cleaning and sanitizing it.

 

[Wayne1]

In my system, I recirculate PBW through all the hoses, pump, CFC and aeration fitting after each use. I remove the hose from the regulator to allow the liquid to flow into the stone.

I then rinse the system, thoroughly. Before each use, I rinse again and run Sani-Clean through the system, without the aeration fitting in place. I usually end up soaking the entire fitting in Sani-Clean. This does allow the sanitizer to soak into the stone.

Sani-Clean is also an acid sanitizer similar to StarSan but without all the foam. this does work a bit better for recirculation sanitizing. Beer stone (Calcium Oxalate), which is inorganic, is what tends to clog the pores in a stone. An acid is needed to dissolve beer stone.

I would not suggest using steam in a home brewing system. The high temperatures just might melt certain plastics. If you built the aeration fitting using the same parts as I did, the sight glass is not rated for temps above 140F.

There are also certain bacteria that can survive high temps. There are not any I am aware of that can survive an Acid Anionic sanitizer.

As far as not allowing any of the sanitizer into the fermenter, I usually allow the beer to push through any sanitizer before I connect the hose to my fermenter. I also turn on the O2 before wort starts to flow. This will blow out any liquid that may be in the O2 line.

 

[pola0502ds]

Your right about the clear plastic tubing. Prior to brew day i actually just ran water through it and turned the O2 on to make sure bubbles were coming through the sight glass and they did. On brew day, and when i had steam passing through the sight glass, I was actually watching the sight glass as it literally just fell out as if it had no threads. It was so weird, i picked up the plastic sight glass and none of the threads were damaged. But it warmed up so much that it just fell off. I really thought the plastic was rated higher. So being that I knew the fixture worked properly, I just added a stainless nipple to where the sight glass was.

Using steam under pressure is what I am doing. I have a valve after my chiller that i close and open to create pressure. I also have temp gauges that I read while doing this. When i close the valve i can see the temp go way beyond 212 and once i get to a certain point i open the valve back up. There is some risk in this but you just have to know what your doing. I have seen brewers do this for years without having any problems. However, I do like the way you do things. I need to make my fixture removable so i can do what you do.


Thanks for the response.

 

[drmark50]

Anyone recently build this from parts at bargainfittings? Have the prices changed dramatically?

 

[pola0502ds]

I built it recently but I can't remember if the prices changed. You don't have to buy those parts from him. I found each part for this fixture online for different stores. However, i didn't want to pay shipping for 2-3 different companies so I bought it all from him.

 

[jamest22]

Question for you guys who are using inline aeration fittings. How long are you running the oxygen for? For those using sanitary air and not pure O2, does the inline stone provide sufficient aeration for even high gravity beers? A 5 gal batch can be run off through a plate chiller in about five to ten minutes. Common wisdom for sanitary air aeration with a stone is 20 to 30 minutes in the fermenter. Does the inline stone cause more air to be dissovled in the wort in a given amount of time compared to aerating the whole five gallons in the fermenter (due to surface area exposure)?

 

[milldoggy]

I stopped using mine. I did not the gunk that would build up, not worth it. When I did use it I would run it the whole time at a trickle.

 

[dmfa200]

Here's what I did. Maybe you can get some more ideas on how you want to build yours.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/my-version-chill-wizard-inline-aeration-300016/

If you need a stone welded to a fitting let me know. I will do it for free.

 

[jamest22]

I was considering using one of these NPT to Digital Probe compression fittings to insert my Williams Brewing aeration wand/stone into a tee at the output of my therminator. Seems like it would be cheap and easy:
http://www.brewhardware.com/fittings/125-probecompression

But I have started to favor using an aquarium pump and stone for aeration and I was wondering if inline sanitary air could achieve proper wort aeration levels.

 

[sils13]

Question more so for when using the inline stone has anyone had issues with fluid going back through the stone and into the actual air line Sunday was my first weekend on my new brew setup and I have a couple of bugs to work out this happens to be one of them hopefully I can figure something out by Friday when I brew again ill try and post a picture of my setup tomorrow

 

[stevehaun]

I have the O2 line clamped until I turn the O2 on. I pump boiling wort thru my chiller, tubing and oxygenator for 5 min to sterilize. Then, I turn on the counterflow water and wait until I get the wort under 70F and then I turn on on the O2 and open the clamp.

 

[ClaudiusB]

has anyone had issues with fluid going back through the stone and into the actual air line

Can happen without a check valve.
I set my O2 tank pressure above my pump pressure (15 psi) to prevent any feed back.

 

[sils13]

Awesome thanx for the suggestions ill give them a shot this Friday see how things go

 

[Monster Mash]

I built one a while ago. Stopped using it because it was much easier to use a wand to get repeatable results.

I built one also and quit using it. You have to tear it down and clean it often or it gets nasty inside. Also if it starts foaming too much you can't get all of your wort in the fermenter until the foam settles.

It was more of a pain then it was worth so I went back to dropping the stone in the fermenter after it's filled. Much easier to control.