invested about $25 in an aquarium pump at Petco. Aerated for 30 minutes after cooling wort, pitched the yeast and 4 hrs later, fermenting chugging away heavily. probably best new technique ever tried. strongly recommend as many others have done here. big difference start of vigorous fermenting time.
I always aerate with a pump. It has helped my beers finish faster and at the correct final gravity. I also highly recommend it.
I just had a batch "chug away in 4 hours" also...not because I did any special aerating, but because it started at 68*F...not the usual 62*F.
I just use a pure O2 set up. It's easier, faster, cleaner and my beers have turned out the best for it since then.. Well, that and a dedicated fermentation freezer... I also will note, I hope you used a filter on the airline.
And here all along I thought having full-fledged fermentation fire up in under 12 hours was not such a good idea. Don't lotsa good stuff happen during the lag stage? What's the hurry?
"Although a brewer may find it reassuring to see fermentation activity within one hour, it is not the optimal condition for the yeast... Too much cell growth often leaves the cells in less than optimal shape...from Yeast (J & Z) Lag phase, shwag phase...something tells me it is not that distinct, with billions and billions of yeast cells doing their thing, it's not like they just magically switch over to the exponential growth phase in unison at T+X hours.
I have also read the book Yeast, And in deed the professionals recomend that a lag is good. I surely hope you used a in line filter!
I used about a half gallon starter that was growing for 5 days before pitching. it was stinking hot in AR and even after the wort chiller and the half hour aeration time, still put it in the bathtub with cold water for another couple of hours to get it cooled to house temp of 72-74 degrees. Pitched that sucker around 8 PM and by midnight bedtime it was chugging away. big ABV BW so have hope for it. added some yeast nutrient as well and with the starter and aeration swear it got going faster and more vigorously then any beer I've brewed.
Why go to all the trouble of aerating and then ferment at ambient of 72-74? Try a Walmart tub and some 2 litre soda bottles filled with ice and a wet T-shirt next time (at least to start).
+ 1 to what GreenKrusty101posted: · You made tremendous effort (over 5 days) to build up a BIG starter · You added yeast nutrient · You performed aeration And then you pitched at 72-74 degrees!?! Why did you work so hard at achieving the above three bullets but not a commensurate level of effort to pitch at a temperature lower than 72-74 degrees? This makes me think of the old adage that a chain is only as strong as the weakest link. Cheers!
HerbMeowing said: ↑ And here all along I thought having full-fledged fermentation fire up in under 12 hours was not such a good idea. Don't lotsa good stuff happen during the lag stage? What's the hurry? White Labs... "Normal fermentation will begin 5-15 hours after pitching the yeast..." Normal fermentation...not 'full-blown fermentation' which I interpret as the wort having more than a foam-over©. Maybe the OP overstated his case. More from WL in BYO (1999)... "If too much yeast is pitched, this will decrease the lag phase, and each individual cell will not be as healthy at the end of fermentation. Although it may be reassuring to see fermentation activity within one hour of pitching, it is not best for the yeast." This is the same article where Chris White states 3 - 15 hours is all good.
If you are using an immersion chiller hooked up to ground water during the summer I would consider getting a sub pump. I hook my chiller up to the ground water until the temp gets to around 90-100. Then I switch the hose from the ground water to my sub pump that is sitting in a container of ice water. Two small bags of ice get me down to around 65 fairly quickly. Last summer without it I could not get under 75-80 and it would take forever to get it in there. I think this is the one I have. http://www.amazon.com/Superior-Pump...=UTF8&qid=1374068535&sr=8-1&keywords=sub+pump Here's a picture of my setup. I've started using a smaller container to be more efficient.
