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You are here: Home --> Forum Home --> Brewing Forum --> Brewing Discussion --> Method of Oxygenation

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chino_brews
Charter Member
Eden Prairie, MN
301 Posts


Does anyone oxygenate their wort really slowly so that tiny O2 bubbles are formed, but don't make it to the surface?

I had the impression most people just blasted O2 with the regulator wide open for 60 seconds or so.

But, then I'm reading Lewis ‎(Mr. Wizard) in the July/Aug BYO, and he says he uses a 2-micron stone on wort in his brewery's yeast propagator and runs O2 at 20ml/minute (to achieve 7ml/L of wort, or 10 ppm DO). He says the bubbles should rise but not breach the surface. He's using a pediatric regulator to measure the flow rate.





Posted 34 days ago.

Necropaw
Charter Member
Central WI
608 Posts


Ive done various speeds.

If im pitching healthy pitch rates (or even close to them with yeast thats ready to go) it doesnt seem to mater much.  It just doesnt seem to need much to take off like its on roids.

On Tue, Jul 14, 2015 at 10:29 PM, chino_brews <[email protected]> wrote:
Does anyone oxygenate their wort really slowly so that tiny O2 bubbles are formed, but don't make it to the surface?

I had the impression most people just blasted O2 with the regulator wide open for 60 seconds or so.







Posted 34 days ago.

Necropaw
Charter Member
Central WI
608 Posts


I borkded it, Olan.  Aaaaaaah.

I sswear ive only had about 2.5 liters of beer tonight.  Thats it!




Posted 34 days ago.

testingapril
Charter Member
Atlanta, GA
595 Posts


When I used pure o2 I ran it barely fast enough for bubbles to reach the surface.


I figured the harder I ran it the bigger the bubbles were and the less surface area and therefore the less dissolution.


This is a huge variable and one of the reasons I'm still not a huge believer in o2 for homebrewers. If you aren't using a regulator with L/min the actual amount of dissolved o2 is a complete mystery.


What does Lewis say?






Posted 34 days ago.

CentralCalBrewer
Fresno, CA
89 Posts


I just make sure I get one huge bubble and call it good.




Posted 34 days ago.
Edited 34 days ago by CentralCalBrewer

KidMoxie
Charter Member
San Elijo Hills, CA
405 Posts


That's full circle, Holmes.






Posted 34 days ago.

chino_brews
Charter Member
Eden Prairie, MN
301 Posts


@testingapril

Ashton Lewis says the same as you: having bubbles that coalesce and ones that break the surface is self-defeating, so that's why he runs it super slow for 7 minutes to get tiny bubbles that don't leave the wort.

I'm debating whether it would be better with my new O2 setup to just void the headspace and then rock/shake.




Posted 34 days ago.

testingapril
Charter Member
Atlanta, GA
595 Posts


7 minutes? Holy heck. I was doing 60-90 seconds like that.


If you void the headspace, just remember that as o2 dissolves, gas must be pulled in otherwise you are working with a slight vaccuum and getting less dissolution. Some folks don't think about this when shaking with air and an airlock on.






Posted 34 days ago.

vinpaysdoc
Charter Member
High Point, NC
321 Posts


I have to run it pretty slow. If you turn the volume to 11 I get foam up to the bung and have a messy time pitching the yeast. I'm adding a quart of wort/yeast that has been on the stir plate during the boil. It's a real pain when the head space is filled with foam and I'm trying to pitch. I do run it so some of the bubbles make it to the top. That way, I know that the tank hasn't run out.....




Posted 34 days ago.

Aaron62
Louisville,Ky
3 Posts


I actually just strain my wort into my bottling bucket cool it and allow it to drain the spigot into my primary.  It seems to work really well in adding O2 to the wort.



Posted 34 days ago.

uberg33k
Charter Member
The Internet
314 Posts


The BYO article gave me an idea that I didn't have time to follow up on, but maybe one of you would want to have a go.

So, yeast seem to prefer nutrient to be JIT rather than dumped in all at once, right?  That's why you do step additions when doing a large beer.  So why not do the same with O2?  How?


Give that a watch.  Very simple and you can calculate the exact amount of O2 you'll be injecting into the beer by figuring out the O2 released.  Hook an airtight container up to your diffusion stone, drop the stone in the wort after pitching, and you've got an O2 trickle for the next 4-24 hours.  That should lead to better utilization of O2 by the yeast, you can control the O2 better by knowing how much you're actually injecting, and it sort of keeps things stirred, so the yeast keep moving.

Edit : if someone wants to double check this, feel free, but 3% H2O2 should release about 10x it's volume in O2 when fully decomposed.  You need about 1L of O2 for 5 gal to reach 9ppm.  So, accounting for some loss, you'd only need about 3.5oz of 3% H2O2 to get you the proper amount of O2.  That would make the cost significantly cheaper then canned O2 if you happen to have potatoes in your house.




Posted 34 days ago.
Edited 34 days ago by uberg33k

ingoogni
nl
314 Posts


www.meheen.com/wp-content/uploads/201...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRXwLchVFG4
discussions.probrewer.com/showthread....

These are about carbonation and I see no reason not to apply it similar to oxigenation.

Also, when working with a bioreactor there is generally relative little control over the amount of O2 added. The trick is to control the amount of dissolved oxigen by the stirrer speed, it makes the contact time between the O2 and the medium longer or shorter. (Also the reason why we stir and add air to a starter) Every bubble that reaches the surface is lost.




Posted 34 days ago.
Edited 34 days ago by ingoogni

uberg33k
Charter Member
The Internet
314 Posts


I'm not really sure I catch your point.  What I'm taking from it is low and slow is better because it allows time for the gas to go in solution, which I agree with.  Was there something else?  I'm sure all the proponents of quick carbing don't really like those links.



Posted 34 days ago.

chino_brews
Charter Member
Eden Prairie, MN
301 Posts


> JIT ... That's why you do step additions when doing a
large beer. So why not do the same with
O2?

I'm not sure it makes a difference. Yeast will scavenge astonishing amounts of O2 within 30 minutes. A second shot a 12-18 hours is all you need for a really big beer. 

Anything more seems to complicate the brewing/fermenting process.





Posted 34 days ago.

Chal
Wenham, MA
45 Posts


I am intrigued by the Oxygen discussion as I have been mostly a carboy shaker from the start. I'm a little embarassed to admit it here, but I guess a little confession is good or the soul (and perhaps the beer).
It also does have the advantage that it is good for the biceps and the abs, but now I worry that it is one reason my beer to good but not great.  
I've only been brewing for 10 months and made about a dozen batches. So far the yeast seems to have been very happy through a very active prmary fermentation phase. 
What am I risking by not using O2 and just saturating the wort with air?




Posted 34 days ago.

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