Wyeast Laboratories on Aerating Your Wort

Wyeast Microbiologist Greg Doss discusses how to properly aerate your wort for sufficient yeast health.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• Northern Brewer
• Homebrew
• Beer
• Wyeast
• Aerating Wort

[migueldeluna]

So you shake on your secondary? What about primary?

[NorthernBrewerTV]

@migueldeluna No, shaking/aerating should be done in the primary fermentor, after the wort is cool and before the yeast is pitched (although for high-gravity beers or very flocculent yeast like Wyeast 1968, a little extra aeration or agitation 1-2 days into fermentation can be helpful). Generally the best practice is to avoid adding oxygen to the beer in secondary or beyond.

[jones3420012001]

what would the recommended shake time be for the "oxygen in the headspace" method be?

[NorthernBrewerTV]

@jones3420012001 Probably about the same as for shaking w/o O2 in the headspace because you're still relying on manual agitation to dissolve the gas into the liquid; the higher ppm comes from having the fermentor headspace filled w/ just O2, instead of ~20% O2 in air.

[ShitMyCatsOnFire]

@StreetMachine18 He works with yeast in a sterile environment.

[StreetMachine18]

One question. Why is he dressed like a nurse?

[enygma3d]

There is a method I've started using, since I do primary in a bucket. I have a stirring rod that I can attach to a drill that has a couple holes in each of the small paddles. When I get the wort stirred, I end up with a large vortex, and applying extra power to the drill will start pumping large amounts of air through the word. Once all is said and done, I end up with about 10" of foam on top of the wort. I've now done 2 kits this way and it works great.

[bradhneal]

The explanation is helpful but a demonstration would be better.