Oxygenation Poll

[thebeers54]

I just got my williams kit in today.. I wish I could have used it on the oatmeal stout I brewed last night but the yeast already kicked off and I haven't bought the o2 tank yet. I am looking forward to tasting the difference. I haven't heard of anyone who oxygenates and doesn't think their beer improved and that's good enough for me.

 

[ChickenHops]

I just ordered the oxygen kit, so I can see the difference.

I bought a kit in January and started using the small red O2 bottles to oxygenate. After the first batch I was impressed. After the second, third and fourth I was sold. My apparent attenuation has improved.

In the past I used the vigorous stirring method. Using O2 is also a lot easier than stirring. I have a large commercial SS whisk. I used to whip up the wort for at 5 minutes, or longer for high gravity. Now 60 seconds of holding a SS tube with a stone on the end and I'm done.

I particularly like the fact that I'm not introducing as much air from my brewing space -- which certainly has grain dust -- into the wort with my new method. Not that I had a problem with infections before.

I ferment and oxygenate in buckets. I keep the lid almost closed as I oxygenate, and I seal it the moment I remove the wand/stone. The airspace in the bucket still has a lot of O2. I shake the bucket some more as I move it to where ever it's going to ferment.

I don't know where my O2 levels end up, but I'm convinced they're higher than with stirring alone. I can't attribute my higher AA to anything other than going to O2.

 

[ayoungrad]

I'm cautiously optimistic about the O2. But I'm definitely not expected any change in my apparent attenuation.

I just bottled a 1.098 OG IIPA that came in at 10.5% ABV and an AA of 80% with US05.

I think that will be tough to beat.

 

[ChickenHops]

I'm cautiously optimistic about the O2. But I'm definitely not expected any change in my apparent attenuation.

I just bottled a 1.098 OG IIPA that came in at 10.5% ABV and an AA of 80% with US05.

I think that will be tough to beat.

I only use liquid yeast. I don't know if O2 would make that much difference with dry yeast. My AA went from being in the middle range to the high range of the manufacturer's attenuation range. But again, it was liquid.

How big was the batch if IIPA, and how many packets of US05 did you pitch? That's pretty impressive. The last time I used dry yeast was last fall on an IIPA.

 

[ayoungrad]

I was wondering about that re: dry yeast vs. liquid yeast. I use US05 for everything except batches that need specific yeasts.

It was originally a 5.5 gallon batch for which I bottled about 4.3 gallons (TONS of trub and over 10 ounces of hop pellets (4 just for dry hopping)). I rehydrated two 11.5g packets. Then got anxious. My goal OG had been 1.082 but I had changed a few things that increased efficiency by leaps and bounds - that's how I got the 1.098 - so I also sprinkled a third packet on the wort once it was in the fermenter. Kind of overkill but still less than $15 total for the yeast and you can't argue with the results...

 

[Pilgarlic]

If you pour over the Lallemand site you'll find conflicting information. You'll find statements like "aeration isn't necessary for dry yeasts, though it won't do any harm", and you'll find other FAQs that suggest that oxygenation will help. I'm out on this one. For a year, based on info from the Lallemand site, I pitched the reydrated dry yeast without aerating and got great results. Since, I've been using liquid yeasts.