Power drill paint mixer attachment for aeration.

I think I might have seen this on here somewhere before, but couldn't find it. Anyone ever have any luck using one of those long paint mixer attachments for a power drill to aerate (whip) your wort? How effective is it, and for how long should I whip it? You think it's easier just to do it in the brew kettle before transferring to a carboy, or try to find one that would fit inside the carboy? If you did do it in your kettle, would whipping all that trub around hurt your wort?

The Squirrel brand makes one that is skinny enough to fit into carboys. I used to use the regular one in the kettle before racking to primary. It didn't seem to be much more beneficial than just shaking. Ideally, I'd prefer to oxygenate every time...

I've been shaking too, but it's getting kind of old. I've also had the fantasticly exciting experience of a wet, full carboy flying out of my hands as I shook it. It was like one of those slow-motion movie scenes as it sailed through the air, with me going "Nooooooooo!"

Maybe it depends on the attachment. The one I tried looked like a propeller. I never felt that I was getting adequate aeration. The attachment never raised much of a foam. I've gone back to shaking and using my mashing paddle Though I think that I might try the aquarium pump/aerator next.

I think I might just bite the bullet and buy a regulator, hose and diffusing stone. How long of a shot of pure O2 do you guys usually give a five gallon batch?

When I started using my CFC, I stopped aerating and haven't seen any difference in my fermentations. When I was using my IC I aerated with a squirrel cage type mixer.

I've used one of these on almost all of my brews:


It really whips things up. In fact, I can only run about half speed on my drill or the wort will fly right out of the bucket. I didn't use it on my last batch and didn't notice any lag in fermentation. Probably because I still use a siphon tip like this:



I think I'll do another brew without the squirrel mixer and see how it takes off. It would be another step in the process I wouldn't mind replacing.

I too have been using one to aerate my wort with and haven't been too impressed with the results. Personally, I think it's better then the shaking method (no risk of sending it flying through the air) but it's by no means ideal. I do think it makes a quick and very effective whirlpool to use after the boil. It really does get the liquid moving around in a circle.

I think I'm going to switch over to a diffusion stone and just not have to worry about it anymore.

benko said:

I've been shaking too, but it's getting kind of old. I've also had the fantasticly exciting experience of a wet, full carboy flying out of my hands as I shook it. It was like one of those slow-motion movie scenes as it sailed through the air, with me going "Nooooooooo!"

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1. Place carboy on ground, preferrably on a folded up towel or soft surface. Even in a milk crate will do.
2. Tilt carboy at angle.
3. Shake at said angle until well shaken.

There's no need to stand up and shake these things.

Soulive said:

The Squirrel brand makes one that is skinny enough to fit into carboys. I used to use the regular one in the kettle before racking to primary. It didn't seem to be much more beneficial than just shaking. Ideally, I'd prefer to oxygenate every time...

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I didn't think aerating hot wort (if that is how you are doing it by using the paint mixer in the kettle before racking) works that well. Hot wort cannot hold much dissolved gas (be it O2 or CO2) compared to cold wort. You need to cool the wort first before getting appreciable gas dissolved in it.

Then there is that whole HSA thing....

broadbill said:

I didn't think aerating hot wort (if that is how you are doing it by using the paint mixer in the kettle before racking) works that well. Hot wort cannot hold much dissolved gas (be it O2 or CO2) compared to cold wort. You need to cool the wort first before getting appreciable gas dissolved in it.

Then there is that whole HSA thing....

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Definitely, but as I said it was right before racking which would mean I was around 78F. I would never intentionally aerate before chilling...

I used to use one (I still would if it hadn't rusted and I wasn't lazy ) and found that running it in reverse worked best...it was splashing more than just making it whirlpool....I think it did a good job but then that's just my non-scientifically backed gut reaction...

I use one also. I was looking at o2 tanks at home depot the other day figuring i could build up an o2 system but i have way to much fun with the paint mixers.

this weekend i did up a pretty big stout OG around 1.090, granted i had a starter for the beer, i also used the paint mixer and got a ton of foam and i had an ton of bubbling after just 2 hours of pitching.

I use one every time - have since the first time I've used it. MUCH better and effective than shaking. Not as effective (or pricey) as an O2 setup, though.

this looks like the guy I use

It's SS and has hard plastic agitators that whip outwards under centrifugal force so they're capable of going inside the neck of a glass carboy. Careful using it on a bucket though... splish splash.