Adding fresh wort to an active ferment.

[Bungbanger]

I've acquired a larger fermentor. But will have to brew twice to fill it due smaller brew pot and mash tuns.

Is there anything wrong with fermenting my first batch on day one, then on day 2 or 3 whenever wort is at high krauesen, brew a 2nd batch to add to the active ferment?

I figure oxygenating will be bad at this point. Am i right?

Thanks.

 

[RoundKid]

I've acquired a larger fermentor. But will have to brew twice to fill it due smaller brew pot and mash tuns. Is there anything wrong with fermenting my first batch on day one, then on day 2 or 3 whenever wort is at high krauesen, brew a 2nd batch to add to the active ferment? I figure oxygenating will be bad at this point. Am i right? Thanks.

There is nothing wrong with this plan. Size your yeast pitch to the first batch, and you are right about oxygen in the second half.

 

[junior]

There is nothing wrong with this plan. Size your yeast pitch to the first batch, and you are right about oxygen in the second half.

This addition idea is interesting do to burner/pot size issues that I deal with. Aerating the first batch after 2-3 days in not a good idea, but what about aerating wort you are adding?

 

[junior]

There is nothing wrong with this plan. Size your yeast pitch to the first batch, and you are right about oxygen in the second half.

This addition idea is interesting, do to burner/pot size issues that I deal with. Aerating the first batch after 2-3 days in not a good idea, but what about aerating wort you are adding?

 

[BigFloyd]

Aerating the first batch after 2-3 days in not a good idea, but what about aerating wort you are adding?

I would not do it if you're going to add it to a batch that's already been going a few days. By then, the yeast are beyond their need for oxygen and you would probably end up with beer than goes stale quickly.

 

[BenS]

I would do it. If you're worried about aerating the fermenting wort, I can't believe aeration would hurt the final product. The yeast will have plenty of time and energy to scrub the oxygen out of the solution. I say go for it.

 

[bigelowsbest]

I work at a brewpub, and our 10bbl system has one 20bbl fermenter. We routinely brew a 10bbl batch of IPA or blonde ale (our two most popular) and start them in the large fermenter, then the next day (or two days later) we brew a second batch and transfer it into the already chugging fermenter. Oxidation isn't a huge issue because coming right out of the kettle the wort is very low in O2 after the boil, if you don't go out of your way to introduce oxygen to it, you'll be just fine

 

[dannysk]

This drauflassen practice is fairly common with commercial brewers but it is typically used to grow yeast. It is common to top a day or two later with wort that has been oxygenated to saturation (depending on wort temp, maybe 10 ppm). O2 being a limiting nutrient will be consumed VERY fast so oxidation will be a minimal concern.

 

[philosofool]

Nothing I've ever read suggests that aerating wort during active fermentation will harm anything. In fact, Yeast suggests doing just that 12 hours into fermentation when making strong beers if you don't use pure O2 before pitching. (8ppm is the limit of O2 saturation, but 10-12 is desirable, so adding some more after one doubling of the cell count is a good idea.)

That said, I've never actually tried it.