Beer Forum

when i airate the wort, do i pitch before or after? and for how long? i think im doing it way to long for 5 or 10 minutes, the surface is bubbled about 4 inches off the surface, and my lag is about 24+, more like 36+ at 68degrees with California ale wyeast

I build a healthy starter on a stirplate, oxygenate my wort, and then pitch. I use pure O2 and have heard about possible complications adding pure O2 after pitching...maybe bull but this is the method I use. This is one of those "hot or cold pitch" no right answer topics if you ask me. This thread dealt with the topic quite thoroughly.

http://thebrewingnetwork.com/forum/vie ... ght=aerate

If your using pure O2, 5-10 minutes is too long. If your using an aquarium pump your fine. I would actually increase your exposure time. I used to run my pump for 45 minutes to an hour, and I know others do the same with good results.

What are you aerating with, O2 or air. Did you use a stone, was it at the bottom of the carboy / bucket, etc. What is your yeast age and did you make a starter. Was the yeast abused (too cold or too hot) before it got to you, etc.

You can aerate for about 12 hours after pitching. The yeast will consume all the O2 in the wort within about 2 hours w/out harm to the beer.

air stone with an aquarium pump, wyeast was a day old since i bought it. no starter, and actually this time i didnt break the inner pouch of the wyeast container... maybe that had something to do with it. i guess that counts as a starter? so, no i didnt do a starter. maybe i should get some dried extract and start making starters...

it already started very low gravity, was an astounding 1030... i overboiled and used to much water, so had to dump some and some overflowed... this is my 10th brew and i seem to be going downhill every time lol.

24-48 (sometimes 72) hour lag time wasn't uncommon for me before I started making starters. I'm sure the beer will be fine.

The little pack in the Wyeast bag really does one thing, it checks to make sure the little guys are still alive, which is important because almost every yeast pack spends a little time in the mail. The age of the yeast can be found on the yeast pack. I got one from the homebrew shop once that was 3 months old and took 2 days to get going even with a starter.

With the stone and the pump, 4-5 minutes isn't too long. Within two hours the yeast will either eat the oxygen or it will come out of solution. You could consider putting the stone in, covering the carboy with aluminum foil, bubbling for 4-5 minutes, and then leaving the stone in. Then bubble it for a few minutes more in a few hours, up to 12 hours after pitching.

Hope this helps,

I was not making starters myself and seeing 24-48 hours lag time. I started making starters and the time dropped to 12 hours. I just bought an aquarium pump from Meijer for $10 and bought a diffusion stone. I saw a 5 1/2 hour lag! So starters and aeration is definitely going into my normal cycle.

I am assuming that an aquarium pump is like the O2 in that the wort should be fermenting temps before you aerate so more O2 stays in solution. Am I correct on that? (what's good for the goose, is good for the gander, eh?)

Garrete wrote:I am assuming that an aquarium pump is like the O2 in that the wort should be fermenting temps before you aerate so more O2 stays in solution. Am I correct on that? (what's good for the goose, is good for the gander, eh?)

Yes, I wouldn't bother aerating until you are down to pitching temp.


Mylo

Don't forget a HEPA filter for those aquarium pumps guys!