Stirstarters.com

Out of appreciation for Dan at stirstarters.com, I wanted to share this story with everybody.

A few months back, I was getting ready to brew my very first lager and I was preparing a 2 liter starter, which is the largest starter I have made so far. I was heartbroken to find out that my DIY stir plate could not get a vortex going with that much liquid, and would throw the stir bar every time. Panicked, I went online to look for a new stir plate.

I came across stirstarters.com, and watched the demonstration video below. For only $42 + shipping, I felt it was a good deal, considering my LHBS sold stir plates for $110 (!). I actually called the owner, Dan Jeska, on the phone (he supplies his phone number on the front page). I told him I would like to buy a stir plate and have it overnighted to me so that I could make my starter the next morning. He gladly obliged, and within 15 minutes, I had a paypal invoice. I received the stir plate the next day and it worked great.

Just today, I emailed Dan asking if I could buy a replacement plastic lid for the top of the stir plate, since I carelessly cracked mine a few weeks back while moving. He emailed me back saying that he would mail out a replacement tomorrow, free of charge. All he asked was for me to share this experience with others.

For anyone looking for a stir plate, I couldn't recommend this stir plate enough. Great product, and amazing customer service. I wish every seller was like him.

[youtube]uHPTaSoU3iQ[/youtube]

Agreed, I have one myself. The price is great and with lifetime warranty you can't go wrong.

I will be ordering from him very soon. Thanks for the heads up!

Yup, it's simple but does exactly what it needs to do with no futzing around.

Here's the video I think you meant to post:

I bought one a few weeks ago and am very happy with it. Gets the job done and is very quiet.

+1. Great product and customer service!

I have been using one of his for over a year now. I have even used it with a 5L flask and it works great.

the_bird said:

Yup, it's simple but does exactly what it needs to do with no futzing around.

Here's the video I think you meant to post:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHPTaSoU3iQ

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I thought these things were supposed to run quietly. I could put up with that racket for maybe 30 seconds at most. I wonder why such a puny little stir bar is used. I've found that the larger (2") stir bars running at a much lower rpm (200-300) work better and more quietly.

Catt22 said:

I thought these things were supposed to run quietly. I could put up with that racket for maybe 30 seconds at most. I wonder why such a puny little stir bar is used. I've found that the larger (2") stir bars running at a much lower rpm (200-300) work better and more quietly.

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You must live in an hermetically sealed home if you think that this stir plate is noisy (though I do have 4 dogs including a black lab puppy and a teenager (the third teen experience)

I have thought about trying a larger stir bar because at times when the starter gets thick it tends to throw the bar. The majority of the time the stir plate works just fine with the smaller bar.

I forgot to give a shout out to Dan at Stirstarters who is great to deal with and who stands behind his product.

Catt22 said:

I thought these things were supposed to run quietly. I could put up with that racket for maybe 30 seconds at most. I wonder why such a puny little stir bar is used. I've found that the larger (2") stir bars running at a much lower rpm (200-300) work better and more quietly.

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Are you using a flask, or something without a perfectly flat bottom? I use a flask, and you'd hardly know it was on.

EDIT: OH, you're referring to the video that was posted. That looks like a different stir bar than the one that came with my flask. Mine's completely smooth, like a large pill (not *quite* suppository-sized). Like this:



When the video slows down (like at 2:36), you can see the stir bar has what I think is known as a "spinning ring":



Pretty sure that's why it's bouncing around and making that racket.

+1 to this thread, great product for an awesome price!

Montanaandy said:

You must live in an hermetically sealed home if you think that this stir plate is noisy (though I do have 4 dogs including a black lab puppy and a teenager (the third teen experience)

I have thought about trying a larger stir bar because at times when the starter gets thick it tends to throw the bar. The majority of the time the stir plate works just fine with the smaller bar.

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You must be deaf if you think that thing isn't noisy. It's not only noisy, but the sound it makes is exceptionally irritating.

Catt22 said:

You must be deaf if you think that thing isn't noisy. It's not only noisy, but the sound it makes is exceptionally irritating.

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I have found centering the stir bar on your flask makes a HUGE difference. Just move it around a bit and you will hear the sound getting quieter. Keep moving it in that direction until the sound is almost gone.

I love mine! I've had it a while now, and I use it all the time. It is really quiet- it must be the different stirbar in that one. Mine is barely noticeable.

Got mine a couple of months back and I love it.

I've got a stir starter, and am very happy with it. I priced out building my own, and the material costs came in at something like the same as the shipped price of the assembled stir starter. Used it for three or four starters now, and it has done exactly what it needs to do.

I just ordered one from the above site. Crossing my fingers but it sounds like a good purchase.

Yeah I've had one for a year or two now. Very happy with it.

The only problem I had was unrelated to Dan or Stir Starter...paypal had automatically attached my OLD address instead of the updated one to my order, so he shipped it to my old apartment. And whoever was there accepted my package and signed for it. Then when I went over there some drunk guy answered the door and claimed there was no package, even though I could see the open box with my name on the label sitting on the table behind him.

Luckily I got out of there without killing anyone, and my stir plate in hand.

I am loving my stirstarter.

I guess the noise complaints are due to different hearing thresholds and variances in flask manufacturing (and in stirstarter manufacturing to a lesser degree, I beleive these are hand assembled).

I thought it would be very noise, but I have left it running for 48 hours, with the flask I got from Dan, inside the bedroom, the only place that is over 70 degrees in the house, and neither me or my very light sleeper wife have any issues. It is about as loud as the fans and hard drive in my PC.

Then I used it with another flask I got at a garage sale, and the thing is noisy as hell. The weird thing is that the new flask APPEARS to be smoother and flater than the one I got from Dan.

Just for fun I have been trying it with canning jars, growlers, small fishtanks and assorted labware. The best results I have are with the original flask and with a vintage 2 quart canning jar, the noisiest has been with a growler.

+1 to good product, good service.

Mine is practically silent, too.

I got one of these last fall. works great and great price.

Just ordered one with a 2L flask this morning.

FYI, his listed prices include shipping! :rockin:

I finally decided to buy a stir plate, and after seeing other reviews I decided to go with Stir Starters (Dan Jeska).

Without a doubt, you can add my name to the happy customers list. Dan provides every stir plate with a lifetime warranty, and even attaches a little sticker with your name on it! The price can't be beat unless you build it yourself, which Dan actually tells you how to do on his site even though it could possibly cost him a sale.

I immediately plugged the stir plate in to test it and even though I have never used one before, within seconds I had a full on tornado whirling inside my flask. I can't wait to get a good lager starter going on it.

So anyone who is looking for a stir plate, I HIGHLY recommend Stirstarters.com and Dan Jeska's great product!

I have this stirplate and it works great. I actually bought mine through Nikobrew.com but it is from Dan's company.

I could stare at that tornado all day!

I bought one ages ago, when Dan first started I believe. I love it! The price was right, it's fairly quiet and it works perfectly for me. I've been very happy with the stir plate, and I've been very happy with the responses to my email questions when I first got it. I would highly recommend stirstarters.com as well!

Have been looking for a plate for a while and after reading this and visiting the site I decided to order one along with a flask. Now need to find something to do with all my gallon yeast starting jugs.....

I have two of them and couldn't be happier.

sacrifice said:

Have been looking for a plate for a while and after reading this and visiting the site I decided to order one along with a flask. Now need to find something to do with all my gallon yeast starting jugs.....

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Make JOAM! Use the stir plate for starters and the jugs for JOAM and one gallon batches of wine.

Just picked up one of these this week, can't wait to try it with something besides water...

Love my stir plate from Dan. Have had no problems whatsoever in the 2+ years I've had it.

In fact I'm spinning up some almost year old washed yeast as I speak for a brew this weekend.

Love my stirstarter.

Also enjoyed the very quick response to a question abt 2L flasks .. very satisfied

Just received mine today after ordering it last week - very fast shipping and nice packaging, which I am happy about. The stir plate is silent and seems well put together. Have a starter of American Ale going in it now for a stout that I am going to brew this weekend. While it is the first day of use, very satisfied so far.

Just got one, love it, great price, Dan is very easy to contact as well.

I ordered 15 stir plates for myself and my homebrew club and I can say personally it operates as advertised. I would recommend Dan's stir plates to anyone.

Cheers,
Ken

Another happy customer!

My wife really liked the label he made, "Made custom for the Brewery of Jonathan Holen" - she just liked the added touch.

Looking forward to using it

I know theres several threads about Dan's business but I wanted to chime in and say that I am very pleased with my product. I had most of the parts here to build one myself but quite honestly at $42 (with shipping included) and a lifetime guarantee, I felt like buying one was worth saving my time and the extra investment in parts. My stirplate showed up in about 5 days from the time I ordered it, ready to go.

I tested it this morning with tap water and it worked awesome. It was a bit trickier to get the stir bar centered and get the stir started in starter wort this evening but I did get it going and I'll be alot better with a bit more practice.

Thanks Dan!

Just got my stirstarter in the mail running it on water right now. This thing is way more powerful than it's weight would suggest. A lot quiter than my homemade one. Looks like a winner

Another satisfied StirStarter customer here. I received mine last week and immediately put it to good use. The build quality and detailed instructions are impressive. I really liked the personalization sticker ("built for the home brewery of __"). Shipping was quick and painless

He has a great price on Erlenmeyer flasks too.