Bottled Oxygen or Air for "oxygenating" the FV

[naDinMN]

I am so apposed to those O2 containers! Sure, in some areas you can drop them off at recycling directly... but lets be honest. Is anyone actually doing that? Such a waste and so bad for the environment.

I switched over to just using the Jet Fighter Sparge at the end of my transfer hose (fermenter into primary) years ago and the results are just as good as using a carb stone. Infinitely (nearly) reusable. Minimal waste if it does break. Great beer.*

https://www.northernbrewer.com/products/fighter-jet-fly-sparge

*If you make bad beer, that's on you.

 

[BarbarianBrewer]

What I've learned from this thread is that, since I mostly brew mid-gravity ales, aeration should be fine. It's when I brew my annual Wee Heavy, or the occasional lager, that O2 would be beneficial.

Regarding the recyclability of the little Oxygen bottles: Is there a way to make them safe to recycle? Cleaning up the basement and came across one of those cheapo helium tanks. It has instructions on it to make sure it's empty and punch the knock-out with a hammer & chisel. Then it can be recycled. Do the oxygen cylinders have something like that?

 

[naDinMN]

Regarding the recyclability of the little Oxygen bottles: Is there a way to make them safe to recycle? /QUOTE]

Check the website for whomever picks up your weekly recycling. Often, but not always, they will take them if you bring the cylinders to them.

 

[Nosybear]

I am so apposed to those O2 containers! Sure, in some areas you can drop them off at recycling directly... but lets be honest. Is anyone actually doing that? Such a waste and so bad for the environment.

I switched over to just using the Jet Fighter Sparge at the end of my transfer hose (fermenter into primary) years ago and the results are just as good as using a carb stone. Infinitely (nearly) reusable. Minimal waste if it does break. Great beer.*

https://www.northernbrewer.com/products/fighter-jet-fly-sparge

*If you make bad beer, that's on you.

That's one of the reasons I switched to a welding bottle and regulator. Waste reduction.

 

[GFHomebrew]

I think that's why it's a limited use thing you can create explosives with pure o2.
I remember mucking around with this and Acytelyn at Fab School..

 

[ttsalo]

My other hobby is technical diving and there's a lot of diving grade oxygen used in that... Not really a budget option but a gas blender certification for recreational diving is one way to get access to oxygen that's guaranteed to be safe for beer.

That said, I really can't think of any contaminant that could be present in welding oxygen that would be a problem for beer brewing. Almost every contaminant is really bad news already in the production and packaging of high pressure 100% oxygen and every part is meticulously cleaned to avoid oxygen fires and explosions.

 

[Ward Chillington]

So $90 for the wand the o2 cylinder and the regulator yup one for the bucket list.

Hmmm....about 26$ for the regulator, $9 for the 2 mic stone, maybe $5 for the in line HEPA filter...some reused tubing and a 16" hunk of thick gage copper wire to stick in the tube for rigidity and I think I'm ahead of the game! Note to DIY'ers....anyone thinking of a used propane torch instead of $26....the Oxy bottles are reverse threaded.....

I've been giving my batches a 20-30 second dose for about 2 years now and I splash.

 

[Hawkbox]

I think that's why it's a limited use thing you can create explosives with pure o2.
I remember mucking around with this and Acytelyn at Fab School..

I have an oxy/acetylene torch in the garage, I suppose I could just use the torch head with a good cleaning to push O2 into a brew. I won't but I could.

 

[GFHomebrew]

I have an oxy/acetylene torch in the garage, I suppose I could just use the torch head with a good cleaning to push O2 into a brew. I won't but I could.

I rekon you could attach the o2 wand using some different threaded fittings.

 

[Hawkbox]

Oh probably, but I've never oxygenated before and probably won't start now.