Answers.Body: <p>Directly not. Agitation won't change the properties of the beer enough as such. BUT... when pumping, it is harder to avoid oxygen/air being mixed into the wort/beer. Oxygen is very bad for the beer in most stages of the brewing process. So if you have a pumping system, it needs to be a good one that doesn't wirl air into the wort/beer.</p>
  
  <p>The only stage in the brewing process where you actually want as much oxygen/air as possible is when pitching the yeast. At every other stage you will get oxidation which is one of the top reasons for off flavours, stuck fermentations, etc.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2014-02-27T16:17:06.477Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2014-02-27T16:17:06.477Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: markus
Body: <p>I visited the UK's oldest licensed brewery, <a href="http://www.threetunsbrewery.co.uk/history" rel="noreferrer">the Three Tuns</a>, in Shropshire, which has been licenced since 1642. One of its key features is that all transfers can be carried out using gravity:</p>
  <ul>
  <li>all raw materials are brought to the top of the tower, and then each movement of materials or fluids is carried out using gravity - not pumps</li>
  </ul>
  <p>My question is: does this provide a difference in flavour, texture or other qualities to beers from those breweries that use pumps? I can imagine it might, as pumps cause agitation that won't exist in a simple pipe letting liquid flow downhill.</p>
  <p>(additional information: the Three Tuns is well worth a visit - all the beers on show that day were delicious)</p>
  
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2014-02-20T00:04:51.703Z
Comments.Text: As you say - pumps cause agitation that gravity fed kits wont. Is that going be enough to taste? I don't think so...
Comments.UserDisplayName: scrowler
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2014-02-25T18:08:40.833Z
Comments.Text: less tubing etc to have to worry about cleaning as well I'd imagine.
Comments.UserDisplayName: Bill Rawlinson
Tags: <breweries>
Title: Is there a taste or texture difference between gravity breweries and those that use pumps?
UserDisplayName: Rory Alsop
ThreadText: # Is there a taste or texture difference between gravity breweries and those that use pumps?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2014-02-19)
  
  I visited the UK's oldest licensed brewery, [the Three Tuns](http://www.threetunsbrewery.co.uk/history), in Shropshire, which has been licenced since 1642. One of its key features is that all transfers can be carried out using gravity:
  
  * all raw materials are brought to the top of the tower, and then each movement of materials or fluids is carried out using gravity - not pumps
  
  My question is: does this provide a difference in flavour, texture or other qualities to beers from those breweries that use pumps? I can imagine it might, as pumps cause agitation that won't exist in a simple pipe letting liquid flow downhill.
  
  (additional information: the Three Tuns is well worth a visit - all the beers on show that day were delicious)
  
  **Tags:** breweries
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_1**: As you say - pumps cause agitation that gravity fed kits wont. Is that going be enough to taste? I don't think so...  
  > **username_2**: less tubing etc to have to worry about cleaning as well I'd imagine.  
  
  ---
  
  ## 1 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_3 on 2014-02-27. Score: 3 | Accepted answer
  
  Directly not. Agitation won't change the properties of the beer enough as such. BUT... when pumping, it is harder to avoid oxygen/air being mixed into the wort/beer. Oxygen is very bad for the beer in most stages of the brewing process. So if you have a pumping system, it needs to be a good one that doesn't wirl air into the wort/beer.
  
  The only stage in the brewing process where you actually want as much oxygen/air as possible is when pitching the yeast. At every other stage you will get oxidation which is one of the top reasons for off flavours, stuck fermentations, etc.
  
  
  ---
  
  