Wort Aeration with Oxygen
- barneey
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Wort Aeration with Oxygen
Hi All,
I know several members on here aerate their wort with pure oxygen.
Rather than go down the disposable cylinder route would a normal refillable oxygen cylinder do the job?
Adams gas is 10mins away from me http://www.adamsgas.co.uk/index.php?pag ... &Itemid=54
If so can anyone recommend a cheap reg and flow meter set to use with this cylinder? + I would be buying a stainless stone.
Many Thanks
I know several members on here aerate their wort with pure oxygen.
Rather than go down the disposable cylinder route would a normal refillable oxygen cylinder do the job?
Adams gas is 10mins away from me http://www.adamsgas.co.uk/index.php?pag ... &Itemid=54
If so can anyone recommend a cheap reg and flow meter set to use with this cylinder? + I would be buying a stainless stone.
Many Thanks
Last edited by barneey on Thu Apr 05, 2012 6:28 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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- gregorach
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Re: Wort Airation with Oxygen
Shouldn't matter what sort of cylinder you go for, it's all O2 at the end of the day. Can't advise as to regs, but this is the flow meter I use.
Cheers
Dunc
Dunc
- gregorach
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Re: Wort Airation with Oxygen
I don't know, I'm still on my first cylinder... Not sure how many brews I've done off it without consulting my records, but it's got to be at least a dozen.
Cheers
Dunc
Dunc
Re: Wort Airation with Oxygen
Thanks dunc. Think i'll have a read up on using oxygen..
- barneey
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Re: Wort Airation with Oxygen
Thanks for the replys, the thing that drew me to this cylinder is that £36.00 buys you the equivalent of 13 x 1ltr disposable bottles. So based on gregorach records 13 x 12 = 156 brewdays.
Just have to find a reg now.
Just have to find a reg now.
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- gregorach
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Re: Wort Airation with Oxygen
Yeah, it's the cheaper way to go, provided you don't have to pay cylinder rental and you've got somewhere to keep the bloody thing. Me, I'm on the top floor, so full-sized cylinders are definitely out.
Cheers
Dunc
Dunc
Re: Wort Airation with Oxygen
Hi,
I know the Americans strongly advocate oxygenation, and I've read up on the reasoning but does it really make a difference to your average brew? Do commercial breweries use it?
Regards,
Simon.
I know the Americans strongly advocate oxygenation, and I've read up on the reasoning but does it really make a difference to your average brew? Do commercial breweries use it?
Regards,
Simon.
- gregorach
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Re: Wort Airation with Oxygen
Many commercials do, yes, but by no means all. How much of a difference it makes really depends on what sort of beer you're making and what sort of yeast you're using. I definitely get more reliable, consistent and rapid fermentation after moving to using O2, but the main impetus for me was to go to a completely closed run-off, after I calculated the rate at which spores land in to an open bucket... But if you're using dried yeast, then it probably won't make much difference at all.
Cheers
Dunc
Dunc
- barneey
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Re: Wort Airation with Oxygen
Yep no cylinder rental, but a hefty £55.00 bottle deposit (refundable). Even if I only get a fraction of the brewdays out of it, still works out at £0.20 to £0.30 a brew per £36.00 refill. Quess they wont be seeing that bottle again for a long time 
I`m having trouble sourcing the flow meter, I followed another of Gregorach links cheap enough to buy but £8.00 postage???. If anyone is thinking of buying one let me know I share some of the postage. Unless anyone knows anywhere else to get them?
Thank for your help.
Cheers

I`m having trouble sourcing the flow meter, I followed another of Gregorach links cheap enough to buy but £8.00 postage???. If anyone is thinking of buying one let me know I share some of the postage. Unless anyone knows anywhere else to get them?
Thank for your help.
Cheers
Hair of the dog, bacon, butty.
Hops, cider pips & hello.
Name the Movie + song :)
Hops, cider pips & hello.
Name the Movie + song :)
- barneey
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Re: Wort Aeration with Oxygen
I`ve had a look on ebay for a flow meter anyone know if this would be any good in a more stripped down version?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Twin-Oxygen-F ... 2a1aaff135
Thanks
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Twin-Oxygen-F ... 2a1aaff135
Thanks
Hair of the dog, bacon, butty.
Hops, cider pips & hello.
Name the Movie + song :)
Hops, cider pips & hello.
Name the Movie + song :)
- barneey
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Re: Wort Aeration with Oxygen
Reg and flow meter now sorted
Gregorach with your method of 1 litre per min for a 60 second aeration (pale ale), could you please let me know how this was calculated.
Many Thanks

Gregorach with your method of 1 litre per min for a 60 second aeration (pale ale), could you please let me know how this was calculated.
Many Thanks
Hair of the dog, bacon, butty.
Hops, cider pips & hello.
Name the Movie + song :)
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- gregorach
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Re: Wort Aeration with Oxygen
I didn't calculate it, I took it from data quoted in White & Zainasheff's "Yeast", which was based on studies done by White Labs... I use 60 seconds for ale and 90 seconds for lager. If you want to fine tune it any better it's a long and involved process of experimentation involving D.O. meters and many lab-scale trail fermentations to establish the oxygen demand for each strain you use. And a worthwhile D.O. meter will set you back a few hundred quid at least...
Cheers
Dunc
Dunc
- barneey
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Re: Wort Aeration with Oxygen
I`ve just sent off for a copy of the book you have mentioned to have a read through, early Bday present + reading material. Not wishing to spend anymore funds the 60 or 90 secs will suffice.
Many Thanks
Many Thanks
Hair of the dog, bacon, butty.
Hops, cider pips & hello.
Name the Movie + song :)
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Name the Movie + song :)
- barneey
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Re: Wort Aeration with Oxygen
I`ve done a little more internet reading on oxygen flows, if possible could you check / comment on the below?
If I required 8mg/l of oxygen for a 45ltr batch = 360mg of oxygen = 0.01125 moles of oxygen x 22.4 l/mole = 0.252 litres of oxygen required to supply 360mg at a concentration of 8ppm to 45 litres of wort.
Say a flow rate of 1litre per min x 15 seconds would give this aeration? without any wastage.
Reference for figures taken from http://byo.com/stories/wizard/article/s ... g-aeration
If I required 8mg/l of oxygen for a 45ltr batch = 360mg of oxygen = 0.01125 moles of oxygen x 22.4 l/mole = 0.252 litres of oxygen required to supply 360mg at a concentration of 8ppm to 45 litres of wort.
Say a flow rate of 1litre per min x 15 seconds would give this aeration? without any wastage.
Reference for figures taken from http://byo.com/stories/wizard/article/s ... g-aeration
Hair of the dog, bacon, butty.
Hops, cider pips & hello.
Name the Movie + song :)
Hops, cider pips & hello.
Name the Movie + song :)