Oxygenation

[jalc6927]

A couple of questions

1. Is it necessary to use an oxygenation stone with dry yeast?

2. Was told never to touch the stone with fingers as it leaves oils, etc?"

3. If touched how is it cleaned?

Anything you guys can share would be wonderful

 

[h22lude]

1) No dry yeast don't need nearly as much O2 as liquid. I have an email from Fermentis stating there is no need to oxygenate wort using their yeast. I would still give it a good shake for a few minutes.

2) Not sure this is a question but yes that is correct.

3) Try to boil it.

 

[jalc6927]

Thank you

 

[doug293cz]

I clean my stone with hot Oxyclean (unscented.) PBW would work as well, or better. My stone is permanently attached to a plastic racking cane. I clean the stone at the same time I clean my 5L Erlenmeyer flask. I rinse the flask as well as I can, and then fill with hot Oxyclean solution. I place the stone end of the racking cane in the bottom of the flask. Solution slowly works its way thru the stone, and fills the cane up to the level of the flask. I then remove the cane and drain out the open end. Takes some patience and shaking to get it drained well. I repeat this 4 or 5 times.

Then after rinsing out the flask, I fill with clean rinse water, and repeat the tube filling and draining process another 4 or 5 times. Not a quick process, but an be done during commercials, etc. I then let the stone and cane air dry.

When it's time to oxygenate some wort, I stick the stone + cane into a bucket of StarSan. Then connect the O2, blow the StarSan out of the cane, and insert into the wort.

Method removes any residual wort from the stone, and should work on finger oils as well.

Brew on

 

[phyllobeddo]

I've never cleaned the stone. I've never touched it either. I dip it in Star San before oxygenating the wort and then blow the Star San out before putting it in the fermenter. I use it every batch, 30 to 60 seconds before pitching yeast.

 

[Timberline]

Just to tag onto this thread, I just made my second batch of an IPA I'd made once previously. I made a starter again and the only thing I did differently this time was that I aerated the cooled wort before pitching. Holy smoke, what a difference! My 5 gallon batch in a 7.8 gal bucket took off with an active fermentation last time. But this time the same size was pushing krausen into the airlock ~18 hrs after pitching. I switched the airlock to a blowoff tube and it's still gurgling happily away. I'm a believer in aeration now! Can't wait to see the difference in the final beer.

 

[DurtyChemist]

I wear gloves when I handle my stone. I store it in StarSan between uses. The pH will kill the oils easy. It’s the easiest way to make sure I don’t touch it and it stays clean. The only times I’ve had problems are when I don’t make sure to get all the liquid out before trying to push air through.