[davidgzach]

I typically use O2 for lagers and really big beers and the mix-stir for everything else.

Dave

[punatic]

You guys are missing the obvious.  If you aerate before, the yeast settle into a nice happy home ready to go.  If you aerate after, the yeast swirl around, getting bruised and dizzy.

Which yeast scenario do you think makes for happy yeast?  They are living beings after all!    

[Joe Sr.]

I'm starting to think I might like Belgian ales with filtered air better than pure o2. Pure o2 seems to leave less ester profile behind.

I have found this also.

I may have to give this a whirl.  Just did 10 gallons of a Chimay-ish dubbel that seems to have less Belgian character than I would like.  I've been attributing that to the cool fermentation temps (peaked at about 66) but I also aerate with O2, so maybe it's a one-two punch.

[kgs]

You guys are missing the obvious.  If you aerate before, the yeast settle into a nice happy home ready to go.  If you aerate after, the yeast swirl around, getting bruised and dizzy.

Which yeast scenario do you think makes for happy yeast?  They are living beings after all!   

Quite honestly, I know this may sound silly, but I actually wondered about the second scenario (not that the yeast would get "dizzy" but that the yeast's blooming might be affected by the turbulence of the aerating wort).

[majorvices]

If anything I think blowing the yeast around would help get them active, not the other way around. Just don't use pure o2 to do it.

[dzlater]

I was recently looking at the Safale website, trying to decide it I wanted to bother rehydrating some dry yeast.
They recommended that if you don't rehydrate that you should sprinkle the yeast on top, wait 20 minutes and then aerate.