Stir Plate to Oxygenate?

[ere109]

As I've been exploring stir plates lately, and watched several videos of stir plates whirring huge vortexes of oxygen into water, it has made me wonder, could I use a stir plate to introduce oxygen in my wort before I add my yeast? Issues?

 

[MalFet]

Sure, but why? Isn't it easier to just shake it for a couple minutes?

 

[ere109]

I've been struggling with the oxygenation question lately. I don't know if shaking actually works sufficiently. I've been thinking about further aeration methods. Everyone knows that more oxygen and more yeast equals more fermentation, so I'm just trying to maximize the factors I can control.

 

[ere109]

I guess I'm imagining that a stir plate might be able to "super-oxygenate" the wort.

 

[MalFet]

I've been struggling with the oxygenation question lately. I don't know if shaking actually works sufficiently. I've been thinking about further aeration methods. Everyone knows that more oxygen and more yeast equals more fermentation, so I'm just trying to maximize the factors I can control.

Actually, more oxygenation does not lead to more fermentation. Your attenuation is primarily determined by the mash parameters.

I guess I'm imagining that a stir plate might be able to "super-oxygenate" the wort.

Nope. Wort hits saturation relatively quickly, and there's no simple way to get more in there once it saturates. To be technical, what you are doing is not typically called oxygenation, but aeration. Oxygenation would involve pumping pure O2 into the system, which is certainly possible with a bit of equipment. That will allow you to get your oxygen saturation higher if you want to.

 

[theredben]

Laboratory testing has shown that vigourous shaking of the wort will achieve ~8ppm of oxygen. The usual recommendation is between 8-12 ppm for normal beer (ie. not above 1.070 or so), so shaking is a free way to achieve the lower end of the scale for initial oxygen content.

 

[SickTransitMundus]

You would need a fairly large, lab-grade stir plate to support and vortex a 5-gallon carboy. The Stirstarter from your LHBS isn't going to cut it.

For a fraction of the cost, you can buy an oxygen regulator and achieve O2 saturation in a matter of minutes.

 

[jmf143]

Sanitized paint stirrer and a 1/2" cordless drill do the trick for me.

 

[jsmcclure]

I use better bottles and roll them on the ground to oxygenate. I wonder if there is sufficient head space to really do anything in the way of aeration. I do it diligently but think it might be a waste of time. I think it might be time to order a William's rig