National Homebrew Club Ireland

Brewing Discussions => Equipment & Chemicals => Topic started by: bigvalen on November 22, 2016, 11:25:54 AM

Title: oxygenation
Post by: bigvalen on November 22, 2016, 11:25:54 AM

I feel guilty that I never oxygenate as much as I should. At best, I let cold wort fall a distance and splash into the fermenter. For the cider I made recently, I just shook the barrel a bit.

Does anyone use a wee O2 tank, or a pump & airstone ? Are O2 tanks a pain in Ireland, where you have to pay rental ? Seems an airstone + air pump would mostly get you dissolved nitrogen, rather than oxygen though.

John
Title: Re: oxygenation
Post by: Pheeel on November 22, 2016, 11:46:19 AM
It's not a pain. I got an airstone and connected it to a mini tank reg. The reg has a very small output so I slide some small tube over it and then bigger tube over that. I bought two tanks two years ago and still haven't made it through the first one! I put the airstone and tube in boiling water for 15 mins

Tank
http://www.wholesaleweldingsupplies.ie/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=2775&search=oxygen&page=2

Reg
http://www.wholesaleweldingsupplies.ie/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=2863&search=oxygen&page=2
Title: Re: oxygenation
Post by: bigvalen on November 22, 2016, 11:47:35 AM
Interesting. How long do you leave it bubbling, before you consider it aerated ?
Title: Re: oxygenation
Post by: Pheeel on November 22, 2016, 11:49:14 AM
Quote from: bigvalen on November 22, 2016, 11:47:35 AM
Interesting. How long do you leave it bubbling, before you consider it aerated ?

I give it between 30-60 seconds. I should probably get a flow meter but I can't be arsed. Also Kinnegar do theirs by eye so I'm in good company :)

Just don't bloody leave it going like I have. The wife isn't too happy with beer bubbles over the kitchen...
Title: Re: oxygenation
Post by: mick02 on November 22, 2016, 02:24:02 PM
I used to oxegenate the wort when using liquid yeast but after moving to dried yeast I dropped it based on discussions with brewers with far more experience than me.

Apparently dried yeast does not need the wort to have any more oxygen than what's created when transferring wort to the fermenter. I think the science behind it is that by the time the yeast eats through the emulsifier it's in top shape to get to work on the wort.

I haven't had any issues since halting my oxygenating the wort.
Title: Re: oxygenation
Post by: Archsnapper on November 22, 2016, 05:04:52 PM
I bought one of those Brewferm oxygenators- very primitive. After first use I got fed up with the cleaning and sanitation and threw it aside. Back to: From Grainfather to bucket, from bucket to bucket from a height, and finally from bucket into fermenter. I once didn't oxygenate enough ( with dried yeast ) so I swore never again, thus the foaming regime!
Title: oxygenation
Post by: Leann ull on November 22, 2016, 08:08:24 PM
Quote from: bigvalen on November 22, 2016, 11:25:54 AM

  For the cider I made recently, I just shook the barrel a bit.


Not good for AJ you will oxidise it

I have 2 tanks as I used to use 02 a lot.
It's really useful for lagers or beers with gravities north of 1070 but for everything else I just pump into glass carboy, I used to whip the shit out of it with a drill until someone on here told me head retention would suffer?