I'm at a crossroads with aeration, where to go?

[harebearva]

So over the past week, I've done an exhaustive search on aeration methods (I've been shaking up to now). I want to go to some form of injection in an effort to take my brewing to the next level. So the 2 preferred methods are of course Air pump or O2.
This is the frustrating part. Information on these methods is ALL OVER THE MAP! Air pumps work and get 8-10 ppm but Palmer says it's 30 minutes to achieve 8 ppm, others say minimum of 45 minutes and then Gregg Doss from Wyeast says 5 minutes, OKaaay. So then...

O2 injection seems to have pretty much the same reported duration of injection across the board (around 30 seconds to 2 minutes) but... Zainasheff says go with O2, air pumps don't cut it and could affect head retention, while palmer says air pumps are the way to go cause O2 can potentially over-oxygenate and cause off flavors among other things.

The air pump method seems to be teh way I'm leaning, a more definitive answer to duration is where I'm hitting a brick wall.

So is anybody right?

 

[goopyquill]

go with pure o2 there is no real risk of over oxygenation as the o2 is used up in the first day or so and an air pump can never give you optimal o2 concentrations

there are also o2 injection calculators out there you can use

 

[Cyclman]

Pure O2, absolutely. If you want to brew high gravity, or even lagers, this is the best way to ensure enough oxygen. Not much more expensive than a pump.

 

[brewmeister13]

I went through the same questions. The problem I saw with the aquarium pump was, for me at least, it wasn't precise enough. There was no way of knowing how much O2 was getting in and opinions varied greatly on what was needed (as you have found). I opted to get a welding tank of O2, dual gauge regulator and a medical flow regulator. I bit over the top and possibly overkill, but I know just how much O2 is being pumped in each batch and can adjust as needed.

 

[harebearva]

Thanks for all the info. One other question... in looking around, most reports for O2 Aeration are based on 5 gallon batches. I typically do 2.5 gallon batches. Wyeast among others, recommends 1 minute to achieve about 12 ppm. Would I use half that time for a half batch?

 

[schematix]

I agree there is a general lack of consensus on the subject, but you can't go wrong going all out. Just use pure O2 with a stainless sintered stone.

Currently I use an inline system when I am pumping from kettle to fermenter: http://morebeer.com/products/stainless-inline-oxygenation-assembly-barbs.html

Get a used 20 cu ft O2 tank (since you'll have to exchange it anyways) and something like this: http://www.emergencyresponderproducts.com/cgoxre.html (i don't have this but i would buy this today instead of a standard pressure regulator)

In the future I'm going to simplify this process a little. I'm going to buy SS conicals, rack my beer, let it settle for a few hours, dump the trub, then screw the stone into it, pump it up with O2, then pitch. That way I can dump the yeast after primary has finished, have clear yeast, and secondary in the same vessel.

 

[Pratzie]

Pure O2, absolutely. If you want to brew high gravity, or even lagers, this is the best way to ensure enough oxygen. Not much more expensive than a pump.

What kind of setup do u have? My pump was 13 bucks and with a tubing and filter im around $30. I haven't seen an O2 tank with wand and tubing that come anywhere close to that...

 

[stvo]

I've got this one....

http://www.williamsbrewing.com/WILLIAMS-OXYGEN-AERATION-SYSTEM-P699.aspx

Tank from HD is about $13-14 last one got 10 batches out of it.

Couldn't be happier, you can boil the stone and sanitize the whole thing I was going to get the one from more beer but that has a hose connected to the stone.

 

[Cyclman]

I use this one: http://morebeer.com/products/oxygenation-partial-system.html

Compared to this: http://morebeer.com/products/aeration-system.html

Including an O2 tank from the big box, it's $30 more, but given the better quality of my brews, a great investment.

 

[tgmartin000]

+1 for the Williams brewing setup. I give all my brews 2 minutes.

 

[theveganbrewer]

. Pure O2 is the way to go. Buy the Williams kit, pick up a tank at Lowes or HD and make great beer.

 

[harebearva]

I typically do 2.5 gallon batches. It seems most literature and recommendations are based on a 5 gallon batch. Would I cut my aeration time with O2 in half or cut the L O2/M in half. Or should I do either? LOL

Thanks for any info

 

[theveganbrewer]

Yes, same flow rate, half the time. 30-60 seconds a batch depending on gravity.

 

[funnycreature]

So far I've been doing well with this technique:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/entries/wort-aeration-how-to-build-a-free-pump.html

Additionally, I have one of these at the end of the hose (and a filter for air intake):
http://www.homebrewing.org/Siphon-Spray-Wort-Aerator_p_3328.html

I made an imperial porter (1.077) and double IPA (1.070) and did not have any issues. However, since I'm also looking at lagers or even a barleywine in the near future I am considering an oxygenation system. I heard on a BN (Brewing Network) podcast that it is beneficial to give a barleywine a second O2 shot on the second day in the fermenter. The Williams Brewing is almost the only option I'm considering.
Cheers!

 

[looneybomber]

I use aeration and let it run for a while. I try to give my big beers >1.100 a few hours of aeration. Keeps the yeast from completely settling, kinda like how a stir-plate works, but not as well.

 

[harebearva]

Well I pulled the trigger and got the Williamsbrewing Small O2 kit. I also found an inline flow meter for $14 online. We'll see how she goes.

 

[two_hearted]

I've got this one....

http://www.williamsbrewing.com/WILLIAMS-OXYGEN-AERATION-SYSTEM-P699.aspx

Tank from HD is about $13-14 last one got 10 batches out of it.

Couldn't be happier, you can boil the stone and sanitize the whole thing I was going to get the one from more beer but that has a hose connected to the stone.

I've got that system too, but I'm getting about 2 batches per O2 bottle... Its getting expensive. I only gas for about 30-60 seconds. I don't know what the deal is.

 

[biestie]

I've got that system too, but I'm getting about 2 batches per O2 bottle... Its getting expensive. I only gas for about 30-60 seconds. I don't know what the deal is.

I was just about to post a big holy **** on the 10 batches until I saw this! I'm guessing I get 20+ beers per tank. I hardly ever buy O2 tanks. Right or wrong, I open the regulator until it disturbs the surface of the wort, not a huge amount of bubbling, more or less a ripple. I'm guessing if it looks like it's boiling, most of the oxygen it's escaping out of the carboy. I could be wrong.

 

[theveganbrewer]

Yeah that's way too few batches a tank. I get 10-12 a tank and do mostly 90 second sessions plus starters for each brew on too of that.

 

[stvo]

Yeah that's way too few batches a tank. I get 10-12 a tank and do mostly 90 second sessions plus starters for each brew on too of that.

Yup 90 sec per batch for me also, and a blast in Starsan after it comes out of the wort.

 

[beersk]

I've got this one....

http://www.williamsbrewing.com/WILLIAMS-OXYGEN-AERATION-SYSTEM-P699.aspx

Tank from HD is about $13-14 last one got 10 batches out of it.

Couldn't be happier, you can boil the stone and sanitize the whole thing I was going to get the one from more beer but that has a hose connected to the stone.

YES. Pure awesomeness. I boil the first 2 inches of the wand for 5-10 minutes, then spray the rest of the wand with starsan. It works amazingly.

 

[Grippe]

Did you have a chance to read threads like this: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/simple-wort-aerator-192661/?

 

[Bensiff]

I tried the aquarium thing and it was a pain as it caused the beer to foam up, so I couldn't just turn it on and leave it. I got an O2 setup a long time ago, before they had the nice SS wand, just a regulator, vinyl hose, and the SS stone. I give beers under 1.065 or so 45 seconds and high gravity brews 1 minute. I swirl the carboy while giving it gas to give the bubbles as much contact time as possible. When done it goes into some starsan and I run a little more O2 out to "clean" the pores of the stone...so far the stone is doing fine after countless batches.

BTW, you can over oxygenate the wort...I can't remember what ppm it happens or what the negative effects are off the top of my head, but it is a real possibility even with our little red cans of O2.

 

[Peppers16]

Just to be the devil's advocate, on a recent episode of basic brewing they conducted an (admittedly not too scientific) experiment where official beer judges actually favoured the beer that was aerated by shaking over ones using air and pure O2:

http://ec.libsyn.com/p/7/c/6/7c64f9...1ce3dae902ea1d01cf833fd9cd58db7d&c_id=5834825

Not saying you shouldn't upgrade based on this if you'd prefer a pump to shaking, but it does cast doubt on the concept of "more advanced equipment = better"

 

[homebrewdad]

Just to be the devil's advocate, on a recent episode of basic brewing they conducted an (admittedly not too scientific) experiment where official beer judges actually favoured the beer that was aerated by shaking over ones using air and pure O2:

http://ec.libsyn.com/p/7/c/6/7c64f9...1ce3dae902ea1d01cf833fd9cd58db7d&c_id=5834825

Not saying you shouldn't upgrade based on this if you'd prefer a pump to shaking, but it does cast doubt on the concept of "more advanced equipment = better"

Lots of scientific looks at this, though. Fact is, O2 of 10-12 PPM will give you reduced esters and better attenuation. You can set your aquarium pump up and run it all night, you won't get more than 8 PPM - same as you get by shaking for a minute or two. There's simply not enough O2 in regular air to dissolve into your wort.

 

[Peppers16]

Lots of scientific looks at this, though. Fact is, O2 of 10-12 PPM will give you reduced esters and better attenuation. You can set your aquarium pump up and run it all night, you won't get more than 8 PPM - same as you get by shaking for a minute or two. There's simply not enough O2 in regular air to dissolve into your wort.

Oh yes I accept that wholeheartedly, I was really just making the point that the extra bit of effort/expense doesn't necessarily always translate to a perceivable improvement in the final beer at the end of the day. But to each his own.

 

[osagedr]

So over the past week, I've done an exhaustive search on aeration methods (I've been shaking up to now). I want to go to some form of injection in an effort to take my brewing to the next level. So the 2 preferred methods are of course Air pump or O2....

So is anybody right?

I could post my $0.02 and tell you what I do and how IMO it's helped me win over 100 brewing medals in the last two years. But I won't.

Instead I'll just say...find out what professional breweries do, and do that.

 

[harebearva]

I could post my $0.02 and tell you what I do and how IMO it's helped me win over 100 brewing medals in the last two years. But I won't.

Instead I'll just say...find out what professional breweries do, and do that.

To be perfectly honest, I didn't research Aeration methods and systems much outside of what I saw at the typical online homebrew stores. LOL, I guess it was an exhaustive search on a somewhat smaller scale. I may have to take a tour of some of the local breweries and do some REAL digging.