Next piece of equipment

[SteveHeff]

I'm currently in a dilemma where I don't know what is more valuable to me right now: Cooling my boiling hot wort or oxygenation for my beers? I was using an ice bath to cool the wort previously but I do not have a tub I can use at the new home, I recently moved to. As for oxygenation, I whisk my wort, then shake the bucket. That's it.

I'm trying to figure out which one of these options would you opt for? Which one of these will improve my beer more? Cooling it or adding oxygen to the wort?

 

[TonyG]

Well, I would probably vote for a basic wort chiller, just for the time savings alone over using an ice bath, especially if you are doing 5g+ batches.

 

[ericbw]

I don't have a wort chiller and I think I would go for that. You can also rig up an aquarium pump with a filter that's a cheaper option.

 

[AQUILAS]

Wort chiller.

 

[Vandulus]

You can find a 3/8" wort chiller on Amazon for around $50 - the best investment I made equipment-wise when I got back into brewing.

 

[heckels]

Chiller for sure. I've always just let the beer trickle into the fermenter from the BK to aerate my wort.

 

[coyotebrew]

Im gonna vote for oxygenation, after temprature controlled fermentation, oxygenation was the singlemost beer enhanciing purchase I've made!

 

[djonesax]

Wort chiller

 

[talos4]

Chiller, one ice bath was enough for me!

 

[govner1]

Wort chiller but ferm temp control would be even better. You can cool overnight then pitch if necessary.
I'd avoid the "whisking"if the wort isn't cooled. Hot side aeration is not desirable.

 

[jpakstis]

I'm a newbie (three batches in so far) and I bought a chiller before my last batch. Its amazing how quickly it gets down to pitching temp! For the prior batch, I used an ice bath and it took about 45 minutes. The chiller got it down to 75 in about 10-15 minutes! Plus it was nice to not have to dump so many ice cubes in and tie up the kitchen sink (I ran the chiller in our bathroom).

 

[BrewerBrad82]

Get both. Seriously though, that is a tough one as both of those pieces of equipment are great to have. If I had to pick one I would go with the chiller - you can get OK oxygenation by shaking the hell out of the fermenter.

 

[Hello]

Hands down, wort chiller.

 

[kh54s10]

Chiller first, then fermentation temperature control if not already handled, then oxygenation of some sort, you can oxygenate by shaking, pouring pot to fermenter etc.

 

[Foosier]

chiller hands down. Oxygenation is important but is so far down the list of things you need to nail first that it is not even funny.

 

[mpcluever]

Chiller. Time savings as well as flavor benefits getting that temp down fast. There's a million ways to oxygenate for cheap.

 

[firerat]

Chiller.

Then get one of those wine whip degasser thingy's for like $10 to aerate.

 

[Mirilis]

+1 for Ferm Temp Control (assuming you dont have it).. I wouldn't buy a single piece of additional equipment until I have my temp control.. then id start branching out..

 

[Vandulus]

Without knowing your budget, I put together a wort aeration system for around $20:

• $15 - Small aquarium pump

• $2 - Tubing

• $3 - 12" aeration stone

I've used this setup for many batches without any issues, just make sure to soak the aeration stone and tubing in StarSan for 5-10 minutes before using. Unless you're doing very high OG beers, the 8ppm you'll get with this system is more than adequate. So for under $100 you could get a wort chiller and aeration system...

 

[kwgriz]

Wort chiller for sure.

 

[hucklb]

Wort chiller. Once chilled, you can pour your wort between sterilized pots/buckets to oxygenate.