Wow, didn’t intend to set off that tangent 
Thanks for all the input guys!
@nikegonz - As I’m sure many would say, you’ll find a lot of knowledge and information here. Take the time to read, learn, experiment, and find what methods you would like to incorporate into your brewing process. And RDWHAHB!
Let us know what happens with that wheat beer. Cheers!
^^^^
Yes, above all RDWHAHB. You can get in as deep as you want, but if it’s not fun – whatever that is for you – it’s not a hobby anymore!
I was simply pointing out that there are those with a very different view on the techniques cited. To each his own. No tangent intended.
Okay I know I should just leave this, but… it’s not really different views on the techniques. That’s like different views on the law of gravity. A shot of CO2 and avoiding splashing does exactly bupkas to reduce oxygen exposure, in this universe with these laws of physics and chemistry, and brewers should know this. But indeed to each his own. It’s absolutely up to you whether it matters or not. Now I’m gonna RDWHAHB.
We are in agreement.
I take your point, but sometimes it’s not a question of deciding whether it matters or not. It’s about doing the best with the setup that you have. I’d love to run a completely closed system from the beginning of the brew until the end, but I’m just not there yet (hopefully someday, small steps). With each new batch I try to make adjustments to do things better. One of my more recent changes was putting a chilling coil in the primary fermenter rather than relying on the temperature of the room. And admittedly there may still be some antiquated steps in my process that I need to adjust. But I do care about the beer I brew, and I usually like it. Otherwise I wouldn’t do it. Like hopefully many others here, I’m still learning something new with pretty much every batch. As always, appreciate the input.
Do What You Can, With What You Have, Where You Are. — Teddy Roosevelt