olive oil for aeration

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mikehouts · #1 Post by **mikehouts** » Sun Jul 20, 2008 9:44 pm

In the last two issues of Brew, the topic of using a drop of olive oil instead of aerating wort to feed yeast has been mentioned. Well, I tried it today on my 10 gallons of Irish Red. I did a simple warm water yeast starter for my dry yeast, and shortly before pitching I added one drop of olive oil to about 8 ounces of water and two yeast packets. About 30 minutes after pitching I had bubbling in the airlock, and after two hours I had to add blow off tubes instead of my airlock. I have not usually used yeast starters, just pitched the dry yeast and had to wait about a day for fermentation to start, so Im not sure if its the oil or the starter, but its going like crazy now, and my basement smells great.

Mike

Jensen · #2 Post by **Jensen** » Sun Jul 20, 2008 11:43 pm

Sounds like we have the start of a science project! I am very intrigued by those articles too. I hope others chime in with their results. It all ends in the glass-- let us know how the final product ends up.

Greenblood · #3 Post by **Greenblood** » Mon Jul 21, 2008 9:14 am

I am carbonating 10 gallons of bitter that I used oil with. Fermentation was strong, and fast. Dry yeast Nottingham. Tastes great before carb. I have another 10 gal batch of RyePA, Safale 1056 same fermentation. Going into keg in a few days.

I did not make a starter. I sprinkled the yeast on the wort when it was still on the warm side, sanitized a steel skewer, dipped in oil, let the excess drip of, then dipped it into the wort. Probably half a drop or less of oil.

When I kegged the bitter, I noticed a small amount of oil still sitting on the surface of the beer. Once it is carbed, I will see if head retention was effected.