Oxidation

What went wrong? Was this supposed to happen? Should I throw it out? What do I do now?

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Shaft42
Light Lager
Light Lager
Posts: 20
Joined: Fri Nov 22, 2002 10:33 am
Location: Overland Park, KS, US

Oxidation

Post by Shaft42 »

The last two beers that I have entered into competition have both had comments that oxidation was evident. Both brews were extract with specialty grains and were full boils. I use the Auto Siphon to transfer to various vessels and suspect that it could be a cause of possible aeration (seem to remember bubbles when I transferred). Also, both beers tasted awesome when I bottled them, but did not taste the same (lost flavor) after bottling/min-keg conditioning. I know this is limited information, but any ideas what I am doing wrong?

Thanks,

Brandon
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Mesa Maltworks
Strong Ale
Strong Ale
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Joined: Tue Sep 11, 2001 11:16 pm
Location: Georgetown, Grand Cayman Island

OxyBeer....

Post by Mesa Maltworks »

Well, unless you are unable to detect the oxidization in your finished beer (different people require different levels before detection due to palate differentials) pre-bottling, you have to be picking up the oxygen when transferring from the last sealed vessel to your priming/bottling tank or/and when you are actually filling the bottles.

Some if the possible sources can be air sucking into the beer stream at connection points, air being agitated into solution by not filling the tank from the bottom up and with minimal splashing, splashing the beer when filling bottles or too much of a headspace in the bottles themselves. (.75" is optimum). You can reduce a normal (but not excessive) amount of oxygen that will evolve out of the beer into the headspace by using oxygen absorbing caps.


Hope you find it!

Eric
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