Oxygenation For A Big Beer

[Brew_Bro]

Hi folks!

I've got a big, rich ale going that I'm trying to push to around 14-14.5% ABV, just brewed Saturday afternoon. To help out my little yeasty friends, I would like to use an oxygen injection system, and was about to order one, but I'm wondering how late in the game I can do that. Is it reasonable to assume that as long as fermentation is ongoing, I won't risk off-flavors from oxidation, at least due to the injection (I realize there are a number of compounds which can cause oxidation)?

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks!

-BB

 

[Chadwick]

I wouldn't add oxygen at any point after the yeasts have been pitched. Oxygen needs to be injected before pitching yeast and ideally when the wort is already chilled. Cooler liquids will absorb gases more readily than warm liquids.

All of that aside, I've brewed barleywines in the 14% neighborhood without injecting pure oxygen. I poured the cooled wort into the fermentation bucket in such a way that it was oxygenated pretty good from that. The key is to pitch LOTS of healthy strong yeast with a high alcohol tolerance. I pitched cool and as the fermentation progressed I allowed the temp. to slowly rise. I used US-05 and pitched at 65F and over the course of two weeks allow the temp. to rise to 74F. From there I simply let it set for 5 weeks. During that 5 weeks the gravity dropped an additional ten points.

Bottle and age for 2-3 months and ta-da! Awesome barleywine!

 

[Brew_Bro]

Well, my OG was 1.11-1.12, so I think I've got a good start as far as fermentables go, and I always splash aerate, which I think allowed me to get a Belgian Strong up to 13.5% a few months ago. This is kind of an experiment on my part, and I'm not looking to be drinkable for at least 4-5 months.
My problem may be temperature control, unfortunately. I have no climate control apart from parking the carboy on an AC grate, and I'm so far running about 72-74 degrees based on my strip thermometer.
I pitched Wyeast's Trappist High Gravity 3787, by the way.

 

[Chadwick]

The AC grate can work! Get a cardboard box large enough to cover the fermentation vessel and cut a square out of the top on the opposite corner of where the box is covering the AC grate. This will create a whirlwind air movement inside the box and keep your fermentation vessel cool. Get a thermometer to check the internal temperature. It will take a little bit of trial and error to find the right amount of overlap of your grate to keep the temperature perfect, but it can be done. I know, because I've done this for years.

 

[Hermit]

A professional brewer told me you can oxygenate for up to 48 hours after pitching. Chris White in the yeast book says to add a shot at 18 hours after the initial growth cycle.

 

[GrogNerd]

did a pumpkin barleywine (was supposed to be an imperial, but over-attenuated into barleywine territory) last year based on a recipe in Zymurgy, instructions said "add oxygen 24 hours after pitch" so I presumed it was safe to do it

10 months later and no oxidation-related issues with it

don't think I would go any further out than 24 hours with the technique

 

[Brew_Bro]

Right on, good info all around.

Thanks all!

 

[zoomzilla]

I was under the impression that most yeast- including us05- die at around 11%abv. Have you made this stout with that yeast?

 

[day_trippr]

fwiw, I've pushed an over-pitch of US-05 to 15%, then used WLP099 from there (big barleywine). I was doing additions so it's not like I dumped the 05 on 150 point wort (not actually sure if that makes any difference wrt alcohol tolerance, just putting it out there)...

Cheers!

 

[Cyclman]

You can make a big beer without O2 injection, but it will stress the yeast more. I believe it is cheap insurance if you do lagers or big beers, and all my ferms start beautifully since I started injecting O2.

 

[Brew_Bro]

I was under the impression that most yeast- including us05- die at around 11%abv. Have you made this stout with that yeast?

I have never made this particular brew before, but I've done a trippel at 11%, a stout at 11.5%, and the aforementioned Belgian Strong clocked at almost 13.5% without using O2. I really want this one to hit at least 14.5%, and was wondering if I shouldn't try the injection just because I tend to brew big beers in general.

As I understand it, most yeasties can be pushed well beyond their claimed alcohol tolerance if you're careful and keep them happy.

 

[Falcon3]

I would highly recommend getting an 02 system if you're brewing that high ABV consistently- it really goes a long ways towards making the beer better- not only attenuation, but also cleaning up flavors that are caused by stressed yeast- though I might also tell you to spend money on temp control before o2......

 

[Brew_Bro]

You can make a big beer without O2 injection, but it will stress the yeast more. I believe it is cheap insurance if you do lagers or big beers, and all my ferms start beautifully since I started injecting O2.

This one is off to a really nice start, with the carb going crazy for about 36 hours straight and this lovely krausen. It's a 3.25 gallon batch, incidentally.