I regularly ferment 3-4g inside of a 6g fermenter. The only time it has ever been an issue is if I was dry hopping or adding anything during/post fermentation.Is there such a thing as having too much headspace in your fermentor? I’m wondering if that might be contributing to the oxygenation problem I’m having. I brew about 20L/5gal of wort and it goes into a 30L/8Gal fermentor bucket.
I'm typically putting no more than 10 gallons into my 14 gallon capacity conical fermenter without issue. Some batches were about 7-1/2 to 8 gallons going into the conical. No issues for my beers.
How are you packaging your beer? Are you leaving the beer in fermenter (primary) until it gets packaged? IME, there are more ways to oxidize your beer post fermentation than inside primary (or only fermenter for many of us). Many of us also take steps to reduce oxidization risk for our beers once the yeast goes in.
That's what I use with no issues and what I like especially is no need for a blow-off tube. You need some but not too much headspace in bottling.I brew about 20L/5gal of wort and it goes into a 30L/8Gal fermentor bucket.
If you're using a bottling bucket, with the filler wand, following the instructions that typically comes with those things means your headspace (in bottle) is correct. The volume that the wand takes up is used by the yeast to carbonate the beer once bottled (provided you prime it).I don’t do primary/secondary. I just leave it in the fermentor for a couple of weeks and then I bottle. I also bottle directly from the fermentor.
Another brewer mentioned to me on a different thread that I might want to try leaving less headspace in the bottle (?)
First time I have ever seen or heard this. Where is it from?Even with absolutely zero room left, the yeast will create CO2 and carbonate the beverage.
First time I have ever seen or heard this. Where is it from?
Thanks. I'm just looking for the reference.Put another way, what is the yeast taking from the airspace to create CO2?
Wasn't the OP's question about fermenters? Seems you are talking about bottles and possibly kegs for finished beer.The volume of air is a cushion to absorb thermal expansion of the liquid. Even with absolutely zero room left, the yeast will create CO2 and carbonate the beverage
Wasn't the OP's question about fermenters? Seems you are talking about bottles and possibly kegs for finished beer.
A while back, I started leaving just 1/2" headspace when bottling. It seems to help the hop aroma last longer, but I haven't done a side-by-side comparison.Another brewer mentioned to me on a different thread that I might want to try leaving less headspace in the bottle (?)
That's what I use with no issues and what I like especially is no need for a blow-off tube. You need some but not too much headspace in bottling.
Are you getting the known characteristics of oxygenation?
While I said it's not the fermenter beer to space ratio, there are other things--leaks, bad caps, for example. With what you've said--bottling directly from the fermenter--shouldn't be an issue, not to the point of off flavors. Someone above mentioned headspace in bottle.flavour shift from sample to final product.
You won't see a bottle explode based on your post as far as I'm aware. Your method is not inherently dangerous and would need no cautionary statement. The carbonation that occurs with beer that's reached its proper FG and proper sugar added will never make a bottle bomb.And I only know people that only claim to know people that have had them.
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