Oxygen Help!

[DPveritasGold]

So I brewed a belgian wit yesterday and after getting it into the fermenter I went to oxygenate the wort only to find that my O2 tank was empty. I have another tank, but the regulator would not come off the old tank so I was stuck. At this point I don't know whether I should try and get a new regulator and add the O2 ASAP or if I should just leave it alone. There is action in the blowoff (a few bubbles per second) so maybe it's fine, but I'm just not sure. So what do you guys think? Have you ever fermented a beer sucessfully before without aerating/oxygenating it? Any help is appreciated. Thanks!!!

 

[jrgtr42]

I've never oxygenated my beer. The closest is the splashing when I pour it into the fermenter.
If you have blowoff action, you're good things are happenning.
Wits tend to be lower gravity so you will be fine - if it was high gravity beer, a quad or something, the yeast may poop out before being finished, but that's not the case here.

 

[waldoar15]

Did you try to unscrew it in the opposite direction? They have left hand threads.

 

[VikeMan]

At this point I don't know whether I should try and get a new regulator and add the O2 ASAP or if I should just leave it alone. There is action in the blowoff (a few bubbles per second) so maybe it's fine, but I'm just not sure.

Since you brewed yesterday, I would not recommend oxygenating at this point. Your fermentation is probably past the point where the yeast would actually use it for growth.

Have you ever fermented a beer sucessfully before without aerating/oxygenating it?

I oxygenate most worts with pure O2, but there are some where I don't. It depends on what you want to accomplish.
A consequence of not oxygenating is that the yeast won't be able to bud as many times as they would otherwise, limiting growth. Your fermentation may take longer than usual. And/or it might be a bit under-attenuated.

 

[DPveritasGold]

Did you try to unscrew it in the opposite direction? They have left hand threads.

Yeah I did. I think the thread is galled to the point where there's no way I'll be able to get it off now.

 

[waldoar15]

Yeah I did. I think the thread is galled to the point where there's no way I'll be able to get it off now.

OK, just checking. Sometimes people forget. I usually take the regulator off as soon as I'm done because I don't trust them to not leak down over time.

 

[Qhrumphf]

I've added secondary oxygen a day later for mammoth beers (the 15% ABV types) and occasionally with lagers. With something ester-forward like a Wit, if it's fermenting I wouldn't be too concerned.

 

[hottpeper13]

O2 has right hand threads other gases without oxygen are left hand, ya know, acetylene, propane,ect.

 

[waldoar15]

O2 has right hand threads other gases without oxygen are left hand, ya know, acetylene, propane,ect.

If he's using these with a wand, they are left hand. Read the specs at the bottom.

OX9 - 1.4 oz. Oxygen Torch Cylinder

 

[MikeCo]

Just leave it alone. My first beers were oxygenated by shaking the carboy or just from straining wort into It. I assume the wit is a low to moderate OG beer and will ferment out fine. Adding oxygen later just risks oxidation for this beer IMO.

 

[Jag75]

Heck I've heard people get banana notes by underpitching or not aerating. Really depends on yeast as well. I never areate dry yeast . Just sprinkle it in and let er rip .

 

[DPveritasGold]

Well, it spewed a lot of yeast out of the blow off tube and now the fermentation had slowed down. So, the fact that fermentation got strong enough to do that I see as a good sign. Also this is WLP400 which foams up heavily.