aeration

duncan · Post by **duncan** » Fri Nov 12, 2010 5:03 am

Wondering what people's methodology for aeration. Would like to pick up some tips, and ideas on improving my aeration.

Peter Collins · Post by **Peter Collins** » Fri Nov 12, 2010 7:00 am

When I transfer from the boil kettle to the primary carboy I just make sure to shake the end of the line in the carboy to get a lot of action in the falling wort. I also don't put the end of the line in the accumulating wort, I just leave it right up near the neck of the carboy so even when I'm not shaking it the wort is falling a good distance and splashing around.

No extra attachments, no extra gear, no extra time.

Easy.

markaberrant · Post by **markaberrant** » Fri Nov 12, 2010 9:57 am

Tests results have shown that shaking carboys/splashing wort do not get O2 levels anywhere near high enough. Wish I could find it online (I have seen it before), but the results are published in the new Yeast - A Practical Guide book.

I have one of these - http://www.homebrew-supplies.ca/viartsh ... tem_id=921

Fast, efficient, easy to use, and the disposable O2 tanks are cheap and last a long time.

bufordsbest · Post by **bufordsbest** » Fri Nov 12, 2010 12:42 pm

markaberrant wrote:Tests results have shown that shaking carboys/splashing wort do not get O2 levels anywhere near high enough. Wish I could find it online (I have seen it before), but the results are published in the new Yeast - A Practical Guide book.

I have one of these - http://www.homebrew-supplies.ca/viartsh ... tem_id=921

Fast, efficient, easy to use, and the disposable O2 tanks are cheap and last a long time.

this^^^^, on the whitelabs site they even state that shaking and splashing can only provide up to 30% of the required amount of oxygen.

i've just purchased the same oxygen system as above and will go to depot to pick up an O2 cannister.

Gedge · Post by **Gedge** » Fri Nov 12, 2010 3:27 pm

I do the O2 tank as well. The adapter is around $40 online and the tanks are about $12 at Crappy Tire.

duncan · Post by **duncan** » Fri Nov 12, 2010 8:21 pm

I know you can over oxygenate. Are the canisters pure oxygen, or air? If oxygen, do you have a rule of thumb on how long to aerate?

markaberrant · Post by **markaberrant** » Fri Nov 12, 2010 10:31 pm

duncan wrote:I know you can over oxygenate. Are the canisters pure oxygen, or air? If oxygen, do you have a rule of thumb on how long to aerate?

1 minute for session ales, 2 minutes for big 'uns.

trub_man · Post by **trub_man** » Sat Nov 13, 2010 8:22 am

Has anyone attempted Olive Oil as an alternative to Oxygen?

Here is a MBAA abstract http://www.mbaa.com/TechQuarterly/Abstr ... 1-0017.htm
Google 'olive oil New Belgium' it and some homebrew forums address it.

Peter Collins · Post by **Peter Collins** » Sat Nov 13, 2010 9:00 am

This is interesting.

Now we're headed down a new constant debate path with homebrewers: Olive Oil vs O2 vs Splashing
Extra Virgin vs Non-Extra Virgin

ad infinitum

markaberrant · Post by **markaberrant** » Sat Nov 13, 2010 9:33 am

I used evoo for about 6 months a few years ago. Thought my beers turned out ok, but decided to go with something a little more proven.

Commercial breweries are always doing experiments (the bigger ones have seriously crazy lab programs), always looking for a way to improve things, so if they tried evoo, but didn't stick with it, they must have been unhappy with the results.

trub_man · Post by **trub_man** » Sat Nov 13, 2010 11:44 am

I bet you anything it came down to cost : benefit
Injecting wort with air in a brewery is cheap, sterile and easly measured not many consumables.
From a home brew stand point you cannot ensure the aeration procedure is sterile and therefore EVO might eliminate a contamination point.
Just be careful not all olive oil is 100% olive oil.

duncan · Post by **duncan** » Sat Nov 13, 2010 4:56 pm

If you read other HB forums about using olive oil. The calculated amount you would need for a 20 litre is so extremely minuscule that there isn't a realistic way of measuring it out. For instance, I do know they use olive oil at Olde Saratoga. I believe they used 60 ml for 170 barrels. You can do the math.