Revvy, I understand about when and when not to add oxygen and the effects it has. But if you have a sealed carboy that has been fermenting (i.e. producing CO2, then if you shake it and splash, there will be no introduction of O2 into the wort.
I agree though, it's not something you should be doing as you don't want to risk ruining a batch of beer.
Well that's fine for you to believe. But I hold little faith in the integrity of a stopper or an airlock or a bucket seal.
Plus, unless I a)leave my fermenters alone undisturbed and therefore KNOW there is a nice tight cushion protecting my beers. b) Am fermenting in a corny or a conical
Which are the only TRUE airtiight fermenters I can think of for homebrewers I'm not going to trust the safety in shaking a fermenter.
And also I believe more that the typical new brewer's fermenters are not going to be as safely protected as mine or yours, my experience has been that the new brewers who think they need to shake their fermenters
have already violated it in some way. That I'm going to advocate them NOT shaking it.
That's the distinction I make between your theory
and a typical new brewer's practice. You really can't opt for the safe theory a lot of times, where new brewers are concerned. They often have just enough understanding of what's going on to be dangerous.
Once upon a time, a couple years back when the "Olive Oil Oxygenation" discussions were flying around. Some brewer on their very first batch, and not understanding ANYTHING about the brewing process, and after reading about people using 1 drop of oil, thought "Well if 1 drop of oil works, then 1 tablespoon (or whatever the amount was) must work better." And he started an is my beer ruined thread, but didn't mention that he added the oil. And many of us spent a couple days trying to trouble shoot hos problem. FINALLY he mentioned he added the oil....
And of course the beer was ruined, and had to be dumped....And he did it with NO UNDERSTANDING about anything about the brewing process..
So yeah, I get a little concerned when certain things are tossed about causually, even like this.
Yes in a perfect world of sealed fermenters shaking SHOULD have no effect on the beer,
just like in the perfect world of a sealed fermenter an airlock SHOULD bubble. But I know, most of our breweries and our fermenters and our knowledge is far from perfect...
So yes, you are right in your theory.......but I believe that where a new brewer is concerned, that where things like this are concerned it's better when giving advice to a new brewer, to err on the side of cautious behaviors.