Paddle for A Deep Brew Pot

It' s the last piece of my AG equipment puzzle.

What are your ideas for coming up with a long enough paddle to stir a deep, boiling pot of wort. There doesn't appear to be anything long enough in your standard "gadget" sections of the stores, so I though perhaps someone came up with an innovative tool.

The best I can come up with so far is a hunk of untreated 2x4. (Pretty creative...eh?)

How long do you need? I've seen 3-4 foot long spoons online. They are more than long enough for a keggle.

I use a long stainless spoon that I got for about $5 at a restaurant supply store.

I got a 36" wooden paddle from Home Depot for $8 (outdoor cooking section) that I use for mashing. It would work fine in the boil, too. Online they have a SS version for $20, but they didn't have it in the store.

I've also got a long plastic spoon that came with my initial beer equip. I use that during the boil, but it's really too flimsy for stirring the mash good. I assume one like that probably cost ~ $10 from a homebrew supply shop.

Cheers!

Kalvin...are you an all grain brewer? If so, why do you need to stir your wort?

Here is a link for one...and cheap.

http://www.instawares.com/stainless-steel-mixing-paddle.19942.0.7.htm

Dude said:

Kalvin...are you an all grain brewer? If so, why do you need to stir your wort?

Here is a link for one...and cheap.

http://www.instawares.com/stainless-steel-mixing-paddle.19942.0.7.htm

Click to expand...

I bought one of those, but honestly, I don't particularly care for it. It's too much metal, it feels like it'll dig the hell out of my mash tun, so I have a separate long plastic spoon for that, and it's ridiculous to have both a long spoon and a long paddle for the wort. So, it's weaponry in case people I don't like get too close to the beer...

I actually bought a three footer and a four footer for giggles (the shipping was the same whether I bought one or two); I could take someone's head off with the four footer.

It also took FOREVER for instawares to ship it out.

Dude said:

Kalvin...are you an all grain brewer? If so, why do you need to stir your wort?

Here is a link for one...and cheap.

http://www.instawares.com/stainless-steel-mixing-paddle.19942.0.7.htm

Click to expand...

I was really thinking in terms of stirring during the cool down. Plus, I figure I'll raise the curiosity of my neighbors if they see me out there stirring around a big steaming brew pot with both hands around some sort of midieval device.

When they ask what I'm cooking...? "Poodle."

That should keep them away.

i went to a restaurant supply store and bought a pizza paddle used to push and pull pizzas out of the oven. Its solid oak and plenty strong enough, i then drrilled 1/2 inch holes in the end to help stir the mash. I'll have this paddle for the life of my brewing, and every time anyone want to try for the assistant brewmaster position its a smack from all the brewmasters with the paddle. Better than the one the pricipal had in elementary school!!!hahaha

I used one of my inflatable boat paddles,perfect size worked great,until i bought one of those long-ass brew spoons.Just a thought.
Cheers

I have a Moby Mash Paddle. It is one solid peice of wood. It looks like a oar with about 8 holes in it. When people drive by they always turn and check out the 4 1/2 foot brew paddle.

Sorry, had to.

I picked up a stainless steel paddle at a restaurant supply house for $20. It's about 3 1/2 to 4 feet tall and is wonderful. Next to my BarleyCrusher, it's the best $$ I've ever spent.

I use a $1 stirrer designed for opening and mixing 5 gallons buckets of paint. It's more than long enough to scrape the bottom of my 10 gallon pot. And it's useful for opening fermenters.

I went into the woods and cut a birch tree and shaped it into my brew paddle.

I don't use it post boil but it adds a touch of home everytime I brew. It has done me for about 40 or so brews now and has taken on a well used colour from the worts that it soaked and boiled in.

I bought a four foot oar from Wal-Mart for about $8. I plan on drilling a couple of nice size holes in it for whatever reason. Does anyone know if the finish on those will cause off flavors in the mash? Also, would this not be safe to use in the brewpot at boiling temperatures?

I use this 21" stainless steel spoon from Northern Brewer for use during the boil. I made marks on it that corresponds to my boil kettle in 1/2 gallon increments to determine the volume in my kettle.



I use this Mash Paddle from MoreBeer for my mashtun.

Bill Owen, the founder of Buffalo Bill's Brewpub, American Brewer Magazine and American Distiller, used to stir his wort with a canoe paddle. He was noted as saying it made no difference to the beer, but it mad it look like he was doing something!

BierMuncher said:

I was really thinking in terms of stirring during the cool down. Plus, I figure I'll raise the curiosity of my neighbors if they see me out there stirring around a big steaming brew pot with both hands around some sort of midieval device.

When they ask what I'm cooking...? "Poodle."

That should keep them away.

Click to expand...

Funny Story, I first moved into my house right at the start of deer season. About a week later I shot a deer. I do all my own processing, so one night I was in the garage cutting up and grinding all the meat. Several of the neighbors were out in the street looking at me. One came to ask me what I was doing, I told them trying to get rid of my ex-wifes body.

The look on his face was priceless!!!

I use a plastic paddle I picked up at my LHBS for about $4

I got a 1x4 and cut it the length I needed and sawed it into an "oar" shape, sanded her smooth and it works great, also good for swatting pesky wasps that seem to enjoy my sweet sweet wert!!

So I guess it's ok then to use a store bought oar? I was a little worried that the wood finish wouldn't be able to withstand the heat of the mash and boil and would put weird flavors in the wort. I guess it really doesn't matter since I am planning on drilling some holes to help stirring and the breaking up of clumped grain.