Pure O2 Equipment

[Hanglow]

Good topic.

How about drawing it in through a venturi tube on transfer to fv, so inline oxygenating? Worth trying?

[Jocky]

Good topic.

How about drawing it in through a venturi tube on transfer to fv, so inline oxygenating? Worth trying?

Not sure how to do that from a pressurised bottle. Certainly like the idea if someone can improve upon my setup.

[Matt in Birdham]

Looks good Jocky, and a good tip on the gas connection.
A question for you: how vigorous was the bubbling from the stone @ 1L pm? (a video would be nice!) I have taken my FM out of the loop because it was simply unreliable (it was, frankly, a piece of crap - seems that you may have got luckier). So I'm "judging" on bubbles, which is to say I am peeing in the wind. Although I think to a large extent that is what we are all doing with O2 oxygenation, flow meters or not.

[Jocky]

It was quite vigorous - as I said at the end of the post I was definitely getting in the region of 1 LPM out. I can see with the flow meters that it's easy to unscrew the barbs and cause a leak in the whole thing.

I'll try and put a video up over the weekend of the bubbling.

[johnmac]

Has anyone perceived a benefit from oxygenating, or is it just a theoretical thing?

[chris2012]

I've wondered about that johnmac, it'd be interesting to do some kind of blind comparison with additional oxygen fermented wort, to without additional oxygen

[orlando]

Has anyone perceived a benefit from oxygenating, or is it just a theoretical thing?

Yes & No. It is particularly important when you are using, or rather, reusing yeast from a previous brew. Fermentation's are more vigorous. The question of course is how much more advantageous is pure O2 to splashing etc. In my system I can aerate without using the air, which always contains some of the stuff I don't want in the beer. A good healthy dose of yeast can out compete usually, but anything that is compromised needs all the help it can get.

[McMullan]

It is true that yeast can function and grow without O2, albeit at a lower efficiency. Extended lag phases should be avoided. Most home Brewers probably under-pitch unhealthy yeast. In this situation, aerating wort is highly recommended. Using pure O2 is not essential, but it makes it a lot easier, especially if brewing more than, say, 5 Gal and/or a big beer.

[Jocky]

I plan to do some experimentation to try and see the difference myself. One of my main reasons for taking up Pure O2 was to try and remove the very slight fruity ester I was getting in a Helles Lager.

Definitely the biggest issue I perceive from faulty beers at the club is weak fermentation.

[chris2012]

Cool Jocky, would be very interested to see how it goes.

[Hanglow]

Doesn't it depend a lot on the yeast as well? Sierra Nevada for example only use filtered air to aerate as their yeast doesn't need much. Also why us05 is bomb proof for homebrewers

But then you get lots of english yeasts that need rousing or dropping etc to finish. I seem to remember some of the yeasts in the national yeast bank have a classification on how much dissolved o2 is needed for them to reach complete attenuation - some of them need more than you can get from just shaking

[orlando]

Doesn't it depend a lot on the yeast as well? Sierra Nevada for example only use filtered air to aerate as their yeast doesn't need much. Also why us05 is bomb proof for homebrewers

But then you get lots of english yeasts that need rousing or dropping etc to finish. I seem to remember some of the yeasts in the national yeast bank have a classification on how much dissolved o2 is needed for them to reach complete attenuation - some of them need more than you can get from just shaking

If you are talking about the dried version of US05, dried yeast doesn't need aerating. But you are right about some yeasts need more others not as bothered. McMullan's point about the state the yeast is in is more pertinent. With Pure pitch yeasts you can get away with much more.

[TheSumOfAllBeers]

Has anyone perceived a benefit from oxygenating, or is it just a theoretical thing?

The beer finishes quicker, like in 4/5 days just like the pros. Less likely to get any stalling issues.

[Matt in Birdham]

The beer finishes quicker, like in 4/5 days just like the pros. Less likely to get any stalling issues.

I have noticed faster ferments since going to an O2 setup, especially for bigger beers. I've got a beer fermenting now that started at 1.062 and has now hit 1.013 within 72 hours - which is nuts even by the standard of WLP002 (and nearly 80% AA). Also it didn't have a crazy short lag time, which is a good thing IMO - still something like 10 hours - or a huge initial pitch rate (about .75m/p/ml). I think you are right in that most pro brewers would expect to hit FG for an ale within 3-5 days tops.

[Rhodesy]

I have been following since it was initially posted and have today purchased the bits and bobs to move to an o2 set up. I have started to move away from just doing pales and looking to do more lagers and bigger beers which obviously require more oxygen.

I have also moved to a SS Brewtech Brewbucket which being 7 US Gallons has less head space than my old 30/32L FV's meaning the splash method would likely result in an overflow/hard to gauge final volume. I do plan to get the domed lid which can retro fit to allow for more headspace for vigorous ferments/pressurised transfers and feel that going down the o2 route is the way to go.