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Olive oil as yeast nutrient?

MaltLicker

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Zymurgy or BYO had an article last year about using olive oil to provide the sterols needed for yeast cell budding, in lieu of any aeration.  Presumably, the oil provides the cells what they to build the sterols and energy to duplicate just like oxygen. 

Has anyone tried this out? 
 
Hmmm.  I'm wondering how that would work as well.  If it works it would sure reduce the exposure to infection if the wort didn't have to be aerated.  I'm using a paint mixing attachment for my drill now.  Makes me nervous just thinking about it.
 
Chas at Tahoe said:
I'm using a paint mixing attachment for my drill now.  Makes me nervous just thinking about it.

Just so long as you let the paint completely cure  before  using it for beer you should be OK.
For oils  and auto finishes let it set an extra two days.
 
Thanks for that link.  Given the extra steps to reduce the concentration of a single drop of oil, it is easier for me to keep using my s/s air stone.  I thought I could just put one drop in the fermenter. 

It seems easier to use oil on a large scale, and they also have much greater concern for shelf life than does a home brewer.
 
Well the guys who  work the labs for companies producing  many millions a year of income  are in a position to quantify pretty accurately the molecular structure of  yeast the oil and the brew so they can calculate exactly how many molecules of oil might  be needed to bond with the  molecules in the beer.  

One  1 Drop = 0.0648524 Milliliter
The article there stated that you'd need  0.0000833mL  to dose 5 gallons
Or stated the other way round 0.0000833 Milliliter = 0.0012844551628 Drop
So you'd need to slit that drop up rather finely.

If I were going to try it I think I'd take the point of a sterile, fine sewing needle  (a brand new one to minimize the surface abrasion from use) and using a good lens just barely break the surface tension of a drop of oil sitting on some surface.
Then drop the whole needle into the yeast starter culture and strain it out when pitching.

But - and there is always a but - do you  heat the oil to  kill any bugs that might be in it?
I should think you must. But what does heating to boiling do to the oil on the molecular level?


But I am with you on the stone. It's a method you know and which works.




 
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