5 Gallon Stir Plate

[thargrav]

We just finished designing our 5 gallon stir plate.

That's right, it's 5 GALLONS, not 5 liters.

My motivation? I got tired of high gravity brews stalling so I decided to design something that would keep all of the yeast in suspension.

Anyways, here's a link to the stir plate.
http://towercooler.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=82&Itemid=97

And here's a link to a YouTube video showing the stir plate tearing up a 2 liter flask of water.


Now I have what seems like a odd request - I already have a couple of people testing these - three including me. I need two more "volunteers". There are no strings attached and I'm not selling you anything. I just need two more people who need a stir plate like this to try them out & report back the good, bad and the ugly. Send me your address and I'll send you one - FREE!!! But I do need you to use it and let me know your honest opinion of the stir plate. You also need to be someone who wants to try a high gravity beer on the stir plate or at least very large starters.

 

[R35P3CT]

i wish i could be one of those volunteers that would need/actually use this. That is awesome!

 

[Dirty]

Im in if you still need testers

Rock Chalk
Chris

 

[brewingmeister]

I would be willing to give this a whirl.

 

[mavrick1903]

I'd love to be a tester. I'll pay shipping! I'd tell you high gravity beers are my middle name, but that would make my name crazy long.

Seriously, I'd love to. s

 

[lowlife]

Id use it for multiple gallon lager starters!

 

[day_trippr]

Wouldn't it be simpler to just pitch enough yeast for the gravity of the brew?

Cheers!

 

[HollisBrewCo]

i brew 20 gallons at a time so this would be perfect for me. I would like to test if you still need people check out my system here http://hollisbrewco.blogspot.com/2011/09/brewery-tour.html

 

[thargrav]

Looks like I have three volunteers - emjay needs to contact me. When i responded to your PM I got a error.

Thanks, Tom

 

[emjay]

Looks like I have three volunteers - emjay needs to contact me. When i responded to your PM I got a error.

Thanks, Tom

Hey. Not sure why you had problems responding to my PM

 

[mavrick1903]

We just finished designing our 5 gallon stir plate.

That's right, it's 5 GALLONS, not 5 liters.

My motivation? I got tired of high gravity brews stalling so I decided to design something that would keep all of the yeast in suspension.

Anyways, here's a link to the stir plate.
http://towercooler.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=82&Itemid=97

And here's a link to a YouTube video showing the stir plate tearing up a 2 liter flask of water.
Video Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2BK-F92h9Y

Now I have what seems like a odd request - I already have a couple of people testing these - three including me. I need two more "volunteers". There are no strings attached and I'm not selling you anything. I just need two more people who need a stir plate like this to try them out & report back the good, bad and the ugly. Send me your address and I'll send you one - FREE!!! But I do need you to use it and let me know your honest opinion of the stir plate. You also need to be someone who wants to try a high gravity beer on the stir plate or at least very large starters.

No PM, guessing I diddnt make the list?

 

[BBBF]

That could be awesome for aerating mead. Have you tried testing it with a bucket?

 

[joeybeer]

This thing is awesome ! I'd love to test it out .. I want to keep 10g batches in suspension for fermenting under pressure in a sanke keg ! I'm a pro photographer and can shoot it in the studio if you like..

 

[Regulation]

Brewing this weekend would love to test it out.

[email protected]

 

[CidahMastah]

Yeah but $189 for a stir plate. I mean i get it stir plates are cool, but there is a lot of other stuff I would buy for $189 before I would spend it on a stir plate.

Not to be a buzz kill, just sayin'

 

[thargrav]

That could be awesome for aerating mead. Have you tried testing it with a bucket?

I spun some water in a bucket and the stir plate was loud, I think the plastic bottom was acting like a speaker cone. The 5 gallon carboy spins quiet. I also do mead and will try a mead batch in a 6 gallon carboy later this year.

 

[thargrav]

Yeah but $189 for a stir plate. I mean i get it stir plates are cool, but there is a lot of other stuff I would buy for $189 before I would spend it on a stir plate.

Not to be a buzz kill, just sayin'

You are right, I have these priced at $189.00 each. If you are doing standard brews or trying to grow a lot of yeast for 10 or 20 gallon batches then there is no reason to own one of these when you can buy a smaller stir plate for 1/2 the cost.

But if you like to do very high gravity brews or mead, and I like to do both, having the ability to keep your yeast in suspension is worth a lot. But is it worth $189.00? I don't know, it all depends on your goals and your finances. I know I've spent many days fussing over a brew trying to get a little more out of my yeast. And BTW, my highest record high gravity brew to date is 22% alcohol.

I also suspect some microbreweries will be interested - many of them use 5 gallon starters.

 

[GNBrews]

This thing is awesome ! I'd love to test it out .. I want to keep 10g batches in suspension for fermenting under pressure in a sanke keg ! I'm a pro photographer and can shoot it in the studio if you like..

Unfortunately, the container has to be non-metallic in order for the magnets on the stir plate to couple with the stir bar. The spinning magnetic field will induce an electric field in an any metallic container, which disrupts the magnetic connection to the bar. The container has to be glass or plastic.

 

[microbusbrewery]

How much of a vortex do you have when there's 5 gallons on there? If it's anything like the 2L it seems like you might be dealing with some oxidation issues...or does the super high gravity negate those kinds of worries?

 

[GNBrews]

How much of a vortex do you have when there's 5 gallons on there? If it's anything like the 2L it seems like you might be dealing with some oxidation issues...or does the super high gravity negate those kinds of worries?

As long as the airlock has a good seal, all of the oxygen in the head-space has either been absorbed at the beginning of fermentation (when oxygenation is a good thing), or has been displaced by CO2 created by active fermentation. The atmosphere in the carboy is inert with CO2.

 

[thargrav]

Unfortunately, the container has to be non-metallic in order for the magnets on the stir plate to couple with the stir bar. The spinning magnetic field will induce an electric field in an any metallic container, which disrupts the magnetic connection to the bar. The container has to be glass or plastic.

Follow the link to the article on my www.towercooler.com web site and you will see a picture of a 5 gallon batch. The vortex is very reasonable.

I knew the stir plate would over power the 2 liter flask - what you don't see in the video is before all he11 breaks loose the stir bar opens up a donut shaped hole at the bottom full of air. At that point only the tips of the stir bar are pushing water around.

 

[GNBrews]

Thomas - I think you meant to quote/answer Microbus.

 

[thargrav]

Thanks for the catch - but it's already out there.

Tom

 

[CidahMastah]

You are right, I have these priced at $189.00 each. If you are doing standard brews or trying to grow a lot of yeast for 10 or 20 gallon batches then there is no reason to own one of these when you can buy a smaller stir plate for 1/2 the cost.

But if you like to do very high gravity brews or mead, and I like to do both, having the ability to keep your yeast in suspension is worth a lot. But is it worth $189.00? I don't know, it all depends on your goals and your finances. I know I've spent many days fussing over a brew trying to get a little more out of my yeast. And BTW, my highest record high gravity brew to date is 22% alcohol.

I also suspect some microbreweries will be interested - many of them use 5 gallon starters.

I think for micro brews these make a lot more sense. Don't get me wrong I think your work yields a really nice looking piece of equipment. But as an avid home brewer who doesn't hold his pocket book back for equip, I also wash yeast. Since I do 11G batches (many of them high gravity) I get a lot of yeast after initially building up a starter. I have had great luck with washing yeast for those batches, high gravity or not, running it 3-4 generations and restarting the cycle. So I rarely have to use a starter, since I direct pitch washed yeast.

Just curious, have you ever put a demijohn on that bad boy? I typically only use demijohns for beers.

Again - don't get me wrong, good work on your development.

 

[thargrav]

I have not tried a demijon. I have 5 & 6 gallon carboys and plastic buckets.

 

[microbusbrewery]

As long as the airlock has a good seal, all of the oxygen in the head-space has either been absorbed at the beginning of fermentation (when oxygenation is a good thing), or has been displaced by CO2 created by active fermentation. The atmosphere in the carboy is inert with CO2.

That makes sense. Keep us posted. I'm sure everyone has seen them, but BYO magazine and BasicBrewing.com have teamed up for a lot of experiments lately. I think it'd be cool to see an experiment where a 10 gallon batch gets split in half to see the difference between the half fermented on a stir plate and the half fermented without a stir plate (assuming all other conditions are identical).

 

[Dirty]

That makes sense. Keep us posted. I'm sure everyone has seen them, but BYO magazine and BasicBrewing.com have teamed up for a lot of experiments lately. I think it'd be cool to see an experiment where a 10 gallon batch gets split in half to see the difference between the half fermented on a stir plate and the half fermented without a stir plate (assuming all other conditions are identical).

Im on the list to get one and micro had the same idea i did. Guess ill be extra busy over my vacation at the end of the month. Cant wait to try out the stir plate.

Rock Chalk

Chris

 

[thargrav]

For those of you who are going to test one of these - I'm waiting for more motors to come in. Once they are in we will finish assembly and test. It looks like they will be shipping out by Wednesday or Thursday & I'll post another update then since I did not get everyone's email.

 

[emjay]

Great to hear. Out of curiosity, how many test samples are being sent out anyways?

 

[thargrav]

6 including one I already shipped.