Fine series of articles? But only because I practice some of what he says, so I'm possibly "bias"?
No references (at all! I'm pretty bad with references, but not that bad). So, we must believe him based on his reputation. Problem there, who the hell is he? What's he done, etc. He came undone for me by describing "tannin" flavour: It isn't flavoured, he's describing (wrongly, a favourite gripe of mine) a "sensation" (but not taste) known as "astringency".
So, I've never understood why going to the trouble of using "calculators" (I'm glad he mentioned the "calculators" are based on empirical data) I grow enough yeast cells in oxygenated starters to do the job, then pitch it into oxygenated wort to do the fermentation. So, I don't. But do give my larger batches (45, 65L) 40-45 second blast through a SS air-stone (probably only because I have an O2 cylinder, and I'm determined to use it). I do use stir-plates but gas-transparent flask stoppers (if CO2 evolution is so great it interferes with O2 uptake, it's been on that step too long and needs stepping up. I also do daily step-ups instead of leaving it in an over-sized starter for days on end. I do "cold-crash" the finished starter so I can decant some of the spent starter off. It's still warmed and checked for activity before chucking it in. All steps I've "evolved", but good to see someone recommending some of them too.
