Brewday

Nope no worries. I brew accordIng to the Reinheitsgebot 99% of the time and specialize in German lagers. I don’t add any findings nor do I filter, so I rely on process to get me my results. The bulk of the low oxygen stuff is just tried and true professionally taught practices. Most people are using some form of sulfites (antioxidants) to help scavenge oxygen in the brewing process However I don’t because of that whole RHG and since I am a glutton for punishment and get pride from brewing things the “hard way”.
So for me my brew day is about like this:
Preboil all my brewing water, this is because boiling water does not hold any oxygen, and because water is saturated with 8-12ppm of it.
My system is all SS and this is also important because copper and aluminum contain ions that can lead to fenton reactions ( basically super oxidizing).
So I chill that water as fast as possible under a lid, in my HLT that is purged with nitrogen. While this is happening I am purging my grist in the mash tun with nitrogen under a cap as well.
When strike temp is hit, the strike water is underlet into the mash tun. I then have a gasketed cap that fits on top of the mash, where then mashing is then commenced in an enert environment.
Acidification is all done by sauergut
I step mash all my beers ( dough in at 130, then ramp to 142,144,148,163 and 170. Time and temps vary due to malt lots)
After mashing the beer is underlet into the bk which is also purged with nitrogen and under a cap, once the wort reaches a boil the cap is removed, a soft boil is achieved (6% boil off) hops added.
10 minutes remaining another dose of sauergut is added to drop pH to around 5 to help with cold break and yeast lag.
The wort is cooled asap via a whirlpool, and then allowed (under a cap) to settle. The brilliantly clear beer is then racked to the fermenter where the yeast (2.5ml pitch rate) is ready to start chomping.
Fermentation takes place at 45f for about 5 days.
With about 3 points remaining in the beer, it is racked to the keg and capped(spunded) to naturally carb. On day 7 the beer is at FG and fully carbed.
It then lagers for 2 weeks around 29f. I use 2206 or 835 which floc well. Since I am very picky about my trub seperation, all I need to settle is yeast and that happens fast at my lagering temps. 3 weeks from brewday with these processes I get the beer from the pictures.

By omitting oxygen using the methods I use, I see a 35% color reduction in the beer, I don’t get sickly sweet caramalts (just body enhancing), and great hop flavor and aroma. The beer has a beautifully soft malt and hop presence with lingering fresh grain flavor( like chewing on raw malt).
There are other methods to limit oxygen in the process but they are not RHG compliant and like I said I prefer it the hard way as I like a challenge!

Whew! Sorry for the long post!

 

Nope, I really love my day job. So I consult (with breweries) on the side. It’s the best of both worlds. Thanks though!

 

Thanks!

 

You certainly can, using an O2 stone and a pump, even better when you pull vacuum. It's quicker for me to boil and cool though.

 

Yea, its PLC based, and automated. I have to add grain to the mash tun, and clean it out. Otherwise the rest is done automatically. With my cleaning routines I have never had any issues with the threaded fittings on the the hot side.

 

Had some last night, Lovely beer with fresh lingering malt and nice hops. No fining or filtering, 13 days from brewday.

 

My website:
http://www.lowoxygenbrewing.com/

My references:
http://www.lowoxygenbrewing.com/uncategorized/list-of-brewing-references/

My paper on methods:
http://www.lowoxygenbrewing.com/low-oxygen-methods/

My forum:
http://www.lowoxygenbrewing.com/forum/


Should get you started

 

Here we are 3 weeks from brewday!

Prost

 

Fermented @45 for 5 days. Then on to spund for another 2 (7 total). Then Lowered to 27 for lagering for 10 days(17 days). Then moved to serving and served today (21 days from brew day). This is my standard lager schedule.