Expert: John Snyder - 2/10/2009

Question
my boyfriend and i make beer alot and we are curious....why are you supposed to oxygenate the wort before you put the yeast in? is it to help activate the yeast? and if so, how does that work? we both know that fermentation is an anaerobic process, so how does the extra oxygen fit into that?

Answer
oxygen is vital to yeast at start of fermentation.It promotes the start of growth and reproduction of the yeast cells.The yeast uptakes the oxygen.Under- aerated wort can result in all kinds of fermentation problems:I.E. sluggish fermentation,hung fermentation,sulfitic taste,excess higher alcohol flavors,etc.

                     John