Aeration and OG

Ingredients
1

So, I just got a new aeration system, and I tried it out yesterday. This is the system I got: Aeration System. I was so enthusiastic to begin aerating the wort that I forgot to take my OG reading beforehand.  After 30 minutes or aerating, I took the measure, and it was 1.056.

Now, it makes sense to me that the gravity should drop after aerating, which means that I should have to add a couple points to my OG to correct for that.  Does anyone have any idea how much I should correct for after 30 minutes of aeration with the pump linked above?

2

I don’t think aerating your wort caused a drop in gravity.  And I wouldn’t worry about being a couple of points under your target.  That could just be the error in your measuring device.  Pitch the yeast and be happy!

3

yeah I’m no expert on this, but doesn’t seem to me that adding O2 would change your gravity. after all, you’re not diluting your wort, just adding O2.

4

And did you mean thirty MINUTES of aerating?  If you did, that is WAY too much.  By that I don’t mean to imply you’ve ruined anything, just that you’ve wasted your time.  A lot of really good beer is made without aerating anything under ~1.070.

Another question: what method are you using to determine OG?

5

Minor difference if any.

6

I think it would take some pretty sensitive measuring equipment to actually see any difference in OG before and after aeration. In any case, the difference would be inconsequential for our purposes.

7

I can’t imagine why the OG would drop after aeration.

8

I don’t think it would drop. Aeration is adding dissolved oxygen (and other elements/compounds, like CO2), so if anything, it would raise the OG. But again, I’m thinking the difference would be so small, there would be very little measurable difference, at least not that would be detectable a basic hydrometer like we use for homebrewing.

9

Wow, thanks for all of the discussion here, everyone!  To answer your question, yso191: I’m using a normal, glass hydrometer.  As far as how long I aerated the wort, I went for 30 minutes because that’s what the instructions with my pump told me to do.

10

Aeration is not going to change your hydrometer reading. I don’t think 30 minutes of pumped air to too much but from experience I can imagine you had quite a bit of foam. I’ve left it before to come back to foam all over the inside of my fermentation chamber.

11

The maximum level of O2 solubility into wort is 8 ppm using air. You aren’t going to see any difference on your hydrometer.