DO Reducing Agents

[RushingDuckBrew]

I've been reading about Antiox C and Antiox K from the Brewers Supply group website. The idea sounds intriguing. It says that the active ingredient in it combines with DO to drastically slow down oxygenation. I've never talked to any brewer that has used this. Anyone here have any experience with it? Is it a placebo or does it noticeably increase shelf life?

Dan Hitchcock
Rushing Duck Brewing Co.

[liammckenna]

I guess my first question would be why?

Why would you want to add sulfites or ascorbates to your beer? It is possible, through due diligence and a meticulous approach, to package a reasonably stable beer consistently without the use of such things. Thousands of small, medium and large brewers do this currently.

If you do, will you say 'added sulfites' on the label? There are many consumers (myself included) who are quite sensitive to sulfites.

I have, in previous posts, made my position on additives in brewing. I'll leave off that soapbox for the mo'.

If you do choose to use these products, be careful in dosing. Make sure you are able to able to measure free and bound SO2 (pretty easy titration as I remember). It is easy to overdo it in a 'clean, stable, filtered, low DO' beer. It is also imperative that you follow the instructions for use and make no mistakes in your calculations and measurements. Make sure you have an accurate scale.

Ascorbates can be a tricky thing too. In the presence of free metal ions, they can act as a catalyst for oxidation. Many commercial preps have EDTA (ethylene diamin tetra acetate) added to help chelate the excess metal ions to help prevent this from happening.

Again, it is something I would approach cautiously. In small scale brewing, batch to batch variation could be significant in terms of sulfite binding. Each batch may need slightly different treatment.

Good luck,

Pax.

Liam

[dick murton]

Ascorbic acid will only work to reduce already low levels of oxygen. I have heard, though have not tasted myself, that if added to beer with high oxygen levels, it can produce a worse flavour than simple oxidation / cardboard / paper flavours, much faster. But as I say, I have only heard that, so am not prepared to put my neck on the block

However, surely it is better simply to have good beer production and handling techniques than to spend time and money on additives that then have to be declared

[chaser]

i'll third that. its not too difficult to systematically reduce o2 pickup without taking the easy way out.

[TL Services]

Can't add anything to the advice above; good process control and plant maintenance will do far more for dissolved oxygen levels than any additives.

You will also find your beer very likely tastes fresher, cleaner and all-round 'better'

As Liam mentions, additives will have to be identified on the package which will bring in a whole extra (= costly & unnecessary) level of control, analysis and records due to the levels being strictly limited in the case of sulphites, etc.

The wine industry - which has used additives for years for oxygen control - is beginning to move away from their use because of exactly these reasons.