Primary - Agitation

[edb]

When the beer is in the primary, at what point do you agitate the beer?

Is it something that needs to be done only once?

I purchased a lazy susan spin plate and put my carboy on it. After the first 24hrs I gave it a couple spins and it really seemed to kick the yeast into action.

Ed

 

[bradsul]

Once the yeast is pitched you don't want to agitate at all. The only exception would be if you get a stuck fermentation you can swirl the primary slightly to rouse some of the yeast. I imagine the action you got just coincided with the onset of the regular fermentation process.

 

[Beerthoven]

When the beer is in the primary, at what point do you agitate the beer?

Is it something that needs to be done only once?

I purchased a lazy susan spin plate and put my carboy on it. After the first 24hrs I gave it a couple spins and it really seemed to kick the yeast into action.

I think you might be referring to aeration, which is getting oxygen into the wort so the yeast can reproduce. Its essential to a healthy fermentation.

Normally, people aerate before pitching the yeast. Once fermentation starts you do not want to aerate as it will oxidze the beer and make it taste like cardboard.

Aeration is commonly achieved by vigorously shaking the fermenter, using an airstone and pump, or an oxygen tank (the method I use).

Read more here...http://www.howtobrew.com/section1/chapter6-9-2.html

 

[edb]

Thats good to know.

Thanks for the replies.

 

[david_42]

I like the lazy susan idea for rousing the yeast in a stuck fermentation or when you have a very flocculate yeast. Get it spinning , then stop it quickly. No chance of dropping the fermenter or aerating.

 

[moger777]

I don't think you need to agitate unless you have a really high fluctuating yeast. I know one of the british bitter yeasts need to be agitated but most other beers don't really need it.