Kegged Real Ale and Oxygen Exposure

[phettebs]

I've got my Boddingtons Bitter conditioning in a polypin waiting for its turn on the pull. I was reading on NorthernBrewer.com (a US-based home brew supplier and forum) and saw this little tidbit about using polypins. It was in their how-to guide and not something just posted by a user on a forum.

... After carbonation, it is of the utmost importance to introduce oxygen into this
beer at this time. ***PLEASE NOTE - I KNOW THIS GOES AGAINST
EVERYTHING YOU’VE BEEN TAUGHT BUT STAY WITH ME! This
limited oxygen exposure is mandatory to get the true cask flavors. A cask
is basically open to the environment and every pull of the engine draws
more air into it. Because we are using a poly-pin, as we draw pins off, they
collapse ensuring there is no oxygen exposure. This is the benefit to using
them but a hindrance in this instance. We need to get around this. Here is
how you do it:
- Open spigot and bleed off the extra pressure
- Compress the poly-pin to push out as much of the CO2
as possible
- Let the weight of the beer pull open the poly-pin and draw in as much air as
possible
- Close the spigot when its full. It should feel bloated.
- Give the whole poly-pin a good shake to get the oxygen into the beer.
- Wait about a week and serve either by gravity or by beer engine.

So, what are your thoughts on this? Since it's not a continuous flow of O2 with each pull from the engine, it's a finite amount that is introduced. I hate to ruin 19L on an experiment but I think it would be interesting to see if this really makes a difference. He's right that it does go against everything I've been taught. My assumption is that they are trying to replicate the "sweet spot" in a true keg when the beer has come into its own and not yet gone off.

Baz

 

[abeyptfc]

I don't use polypins ut surely if you shake it to get the oxygen back into it the yeast will mix back in again?

 

[phettebs]

Well, yes, you just have to let it settle again for another week or so before serving.

 

[dennisking]

:hmm: Like you Barry I don't want to lose a 23lt brew to an experiment. I have got some 10ltr ones in the loft so might have to bring them down and give it a try.

 

[mattyhall22]

Cask ale in pubs is used up in a couple of days or so, the air shouldn't have time to cause too many problems.

I don't think mixing air into the beer and leaving it for a week or so before drinking it would be a great idea.

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