I shook for many years and worked fine. Got an aquarium pump and stone and found it too messy and too many variables for contaimination.
Shaking worked fine until I began hard core brewing lagers. Shaking no longer provided enough O2 IMHO. I then on a whim bought the $60 O2 setup and $9 Home Depot oxygen canister. Boom, my lagers achieved their max potential and became consistently so much better.
My 2cents.
Personally, I put more stock in pitching adequate quantities of healthy yeast than I do in aerating. Let me qualify this: I realize the importance of proper oxygenation of wort, but I also realize that it’s possible to overoxygenate wort by using pure oxygen, which can stress yeast and lead to less than desirable results also. That said, I feel that one can garner great results by using proper pitching procedures and adequate agitation. It’s worked well for me with all types of beer, and not dealing with aeration stones, pumps, hoses, O2 bottles, makes less stuff to futz around with in the process.
Think KISS… :cheers:
[quote=“65SS427”]Personally, I put more stock in pitching adequate quantities of healthy yeast than I do in aerating. Let me qualify this: I realize the importance of proper oxygenation of wort, but I also realize that it’s possible to overoxygenate wort by using pure oxygen, which can stress yeast and lead to less than desirable results also. That said, I feel that one can garner great results by using proper pitching procedures and adequate agitation. It’s worked well for me with all types of beer, and not dealing with aeration stones, pumps, hoses, O2 bottles, makes less stuff to futz around with in the process.
Think KISS… :cheers: [/quote]
Totally agreed. Too many people overlook that the reason we add O2 to wort it to ease and promote cell growth. Pitching a proper amount of healthy yeast greatly reduces that need.
This is actually why I like using O2. I’m lazy and seldom get around to making a starter. I usually make a 2.5-3 gallon batch, oxygenate, and just pitch a vial or smack pack into it. It’s an underpitch, but the pure O2 seems to give the yeast what they want and I haven’t noticed any off flavors as a result of the underpitch. Then the yeast cake from the half batch can be used for something else that requires more yeast.
The aeration wand sold by our host is really a nice improvement over the sintered stone on the end of a hose. Easy to sanitize, hook up the oxygen bottle, oxygenate for 60 seconds, rinse, hang to dry, done.
I still shudder at the thought of the wheat beer I made with built-up Bell’s yeast, before I learned the importance of aeration yeast. Clearly I didn’t build up a big enough starter to make up for it. :shock:
[quote=“Denny”][quote=“65SS427”]Personally, I put more stock in pitching adequate quantities of healthy yeast than I do in aerating. Let me qualify this: I realize the importance of proper oxygenation of wort, but I also realize that it’s possible to overoxygenate wort by using pure oxygen, which can stress yeast and lead to less than desirable results also. That said, I feel that one can garner great results by using proper pitching procedures and adequate agitation. It’s worked well for me with all types of beer, and not dealing with aeration stones, pumps, hoses, O2 bottles, makes less stuff to futz around with in the process.
Think KISS… :cheers: [/quote]
Totally agreed. Too many people overlook that the reason we add O2 to wort it to ease and promote cell growth. Pitching a proper amount of healthy yeast greatly reduces that need.[/quote]
Like many things in brewing, there are many different ways to get good results. Pitch enough healthy yeast, and you don’t need to worry as much about if you aerated enough. The flip side being that if you aerate perfectly (not too little, not too much), you can have a healthy fermentation with less yeast to start with. I find that it is easier for me to get the yeast prepped and ready ahead of time with a good starter (which you usually need anyway, even if your aeration is perfect) than to add more steps to the brew process.
I would agree with the yeast starter… There is no way I can tell you ifn O2 or whipping the wort makes a noticeable difference…. Yeast starter on the other hand, 100% assured. There is no way I would go back to dumping in a small amount NOW that i’ve been using a stir plate and getting yeast going at least 6 hours ahead of pitching time…… not to mention culturing/saving some for the next time I brew…Did I say saving money too? Sneezles61 :cheers:
I have always just used a cake mixer to aerate mine. Lately I have been just using the sink sprayer by itself when topping up. It produces 3" of foam on the surface in no time.
Lots of great thoughts and ideas on this one… Forever now I,ve been using A small plastic aerator tip on mykeggle valve… I bought an areation stone and had trouble using the thing… got angry…might have thrown it out.lol I,m still lookin aroun d to try to give it another go :cheers:
I always do a starter and shake. I think I’ll get a mixer for my drill. Thanks everyone.
