Oxygenation - Help me start

[rimski]

I would like to start oxygenating my wort once it has cooled and before I add the yeast.

I am after advice on what's the best way and what stuff I need to get.

[GrowlingDogBeer]

Add the oxygen while transferring from one vessel to another, just open the tap in the top vessel and allow the wort to drop from a distance into the next vessel. This should add enough oxygen to give the yeast a good start.

[boingy]

I just splash the cooled wort through a sieve balanced on top of the FV (a tip I picked up from Jim's All-grain link at the top of teh page). You end up with a good few inches of froth in the FV and fermentation seems to proceed pretty quickly.

If you want to go further then you need a stainless steel air stone and an aquarium air pump. I think someone also added a HEPA filter to clean the air before it reaches the wort. I'm not sure if I've read of anyone taking it to the ultimate level of using a tank of pure oxygen but I would not be surprised if someone, somewhere has done that!

[Brotherton Lad]

Yes, gravity's good. If you want high tech, then a big spoon is also good or drop it through a clean sieve.

[leedsbrew]

a sanitised/steralised (whatever you want to cal it!) paint mixer



THIS ONE from screwfix is only £3.96

Use an electric drill and you'll have it whipped into shape in no time!

[boingy]

If you do choose to use a paint mixer then choose an unpainted one. You could get all sorts of bad chemicals leeching out of the paint. Ideally you would get a stainless one but a reasonable compromise is probably a galvanised one or maybe a chrome plated one.

[Aleman]

I'm not sure if I've read of anyone taking it to the ultimate level of using a tank of pure oxygen but I would not be surprised if someone, somewhere has done that!

[Brotherton Lad]

I'm quite taken by the idea of an unpainted paint mixer, boingy.

[rimski]

Cheers all

I already drop from about 3 ft after wort has cooled and so far have had good results but I had read somewhere that the faster and stronger you get fermenting started the less chance of infection you have. It looks like Aleman is doing what I am looking into so hopefully he will shed some more light on the pure oxygen subject.

[Hogarth]

There's an interesting article about it here, which says that shaking the fermenter for a few minutes is just as effective as using an air pump. But for maximum aeration, use pure oxygen.

[bosium]

I use pure O2 too

I used to use an aquarium air pump and stone with HEPA filter, but I would always end up with a foam volcano coming out of my FV and mess everywhere. Now I use a small disposable welding cylinder and regulator (got the idea from Mysterio), think it was about £45 delivered. If you already have welding O2, then you're laughing.

Seriously though it is the best solution as you cannot get more than about 8ppm of O2 into solution using air alone (I think). Using pure O2, you can easily get the 30ppm that is supposedly optimal for yeast growth, although it's also quite easy to over-oxygenate. It ensures you get good growth, good yeast health and good attenuation and means your yeast is in tip top shape for repitching.

It's also nice because you can be sure that you're not introducing any contaminants from the air. Having said that, I've made countless batches by just splashing, and then shaking the FV and they all turned out fine.

If for no other reason, it's really convenient. What's easier - shaking the sht out of the heavy fermenter for 15 minutes or simply turning a valve on for 1 minute?

[GrowlingDogBeer]

The idea of shaking 25 litres of beer fills me with horror. I may have a go with the o2 cylinder. I have one at home. It is medicine for divers with the bends. Good for sorting out a hangover too.

[rimski]

So I guess the following shopping list would probably do the job

Aquarium airstone
Silicon tube
Hepa filter
Small oxygen tank

What would be the best oxygen tank to get without breaking the bank and also where would I get it refilled

[bosium]

The idea of shaking 25 litres of beer fills me with horror. I may have a go with the o2 cylinder. I have one at home. It is medicine for divers with the bends. Good for sorting out a hangover too.

You and me both. If you've already got pure divers O2 then you're sorted! Refillable too.

So I guess the following shopping list would probably do the job

Aquarium airstone
Silicon tube
Hepa filter
Small oxygen tank

What would be the best oxygen tank to get without breaking the bank and also where would I get it refilled

Ideally you'd want a stainless steel airstone so you can boil-sanitise, Hop and Grape have them.
Silicone tubing would be great but it's really expensive and standard PVC will work fine.

You also don't need a HEPA filter if you're using pure O2, nothing lives in pure O2. I use an Oxyturbo cylinder and regulator, unfortunately you can't refill these but they seem to last quite a while as you only use a minute or two for a batch. I got mine from DIY Welding, they're a bunch of total pricks but they're cheap:

http://www.diywelding.co.uk/?i=39569
http://www.diywelding.co.uk/?i=39545

Of course if you can get a diving, avionics or welding cylinder, then you can refill these. You will need a tank and a regulator and I've been unsuccessful thus far but will hopefully get there sooner or later.

[Brotherton Lad]

Crikey! I might upgrade to a bigger spoon.