MaskdBagel
Member
Also posted on the General forum - apologies if cross-posts are a no-no. I can kill one thread or the other.
I'm using 3724 for a batch this weekend, and I'm wondering the best way to go about it.
Pertinent info:
1. I use a plate chiller, my ground water is ~45 degrees, and I don't have good flow control on the cold side.
2. 3724 likes it WARM, so I would ideally like to pitch at 88 degrees.
3. Agitation or aeration coming out of my chiller hose are currently my only good methods to oxygenate.
4. Target OG is 1.075, so good oxygen will be important to get things started.
If I could chill to exactly 88, I'd just put a spray aerator on the end of my "wort out" hose, get it all nice and foamy, and pitch right away. However, I know I can't. It'll probably be something closer to 55 coming out of the chiller.
Two options, as I see it. First is to aerate as well as I can into the fermenter, pitch at 55, and set my fermentation chamber to get to 88 ASAP - would probably take 10-12 hours. Second option is to go from the chiller into the fermenter at 55, warm to 88, and then try to agitate as well as possible before pitching.
You don't use 3724 because it's neutral (obviously), so I'm wondering if the first hours are crucial enough that I'm going to sacrifice some of that character by pitching cold. On the other hand, I'm unlikely to get as much oxygen dissolved by shaking the fermenter 12 hours after chilling.
What would you do in this situation? Any other options come to mind?
Pertinent info:
1. I use a plate chiller, my ground water is ~45 degrees, and I don't have good flow control on the cold side.
2. 3724 likes it WARM, so I would ideally like to pitch at 88 degrees.
3. Agitation or aeration coming out of my chiller hose are currently my only good methods to oxygenate.
4. Target OG is 1.075, so good oxygen will be important to get things started.
If I could chill to exactly 88, I'd just put a spray aerator on the end of my "wort out" hose, get it all nice and foamy, and pitch right away. However, I know I can't. It'll probably be something closer to 55 coming out of the chiller.
Two options, as I see it. First is to aerate as well as I can into the fermenter, pitch at 55, and set my fermentation chamber to get to 88 ASAP - would probably take 10-12 hours. Second option is to go from the chiller into the fermenter at 55, warm to 88, and then try to agitate as well as possible before pitching.
You don't use 3724 because it's neutral (obviously), so I'm wondering if the first hours are crucial enough that I'm going to sacrifice some of that character by pitching cold. On the other hand, I'm unlikely to get as much oxygen dissolved by shaking the fermenter 12 hours after chilling.
What would you do in this situation? Any other options come to mind?