Forgot to aerate...

Danstar says O2 isn't needed for beers below 5% when using dry yeast. Higher gravity than 5% benefits from using oxygen. The need for oxygen also depends on pitch rate.

http://www.danstaryeast.com/articles/aeration-and-starter-versus-wort

 

Dr. Clayton Cone of Lallemand stated:

“When you produce 3-5% alcohol beer this is no problem. It is when you produce higher alcohol beer or inoculate at a lower rate, that you need to add O2 to produce more yeast and for alcohol tolerance near the end of fermentation.”

When I use dry yeast to ferment higher gravity batches I pitch two dry yeast sachets.

Cheers!

 

The statement "dry yeast does not require aeration" is not always true, so stop saying it.

 

This is essentially the answer to the question I was trying to raise. I too would pitch more yeast. I think starting with more cells is generally preferable to trying to build more cells. My advice was based on my understanding of the OPs situation and where I would go from there. I would oxygenate, because I don't have easy options for getting more yeastt. I have considered starting to oxygenate my dry yeast batches because I find these beers take longer to start fermenting than liquid yeast beers and have wondered if oxygen is key. Since I infrequently have tried to brew the same beer twice and have never done any systematic experimentation, I don't have a sense for how I might perceive differences in the finished product (attention @drewbage - sounds like an experiment); it may or may not matter.

 

Peter, no matter how you 'slice and dice it' your best bet is to ask the experts (i.e., Dr. Tobias Fischborn at Lallemand). Feel free to continue to communicate with me on these threads or contact the experts. This is entirely your choice.

Cheers!

Jack

 

Oh, the irony.

 

I've always just let the cooled wort out the spigot or through knock-out hose to splash into the fermenter. Splashing enough to generate a huge foam roughly 1/4 the size of the 5 gallon liquid volume. This has always worked very well for me.