Aerating method

[Mellow52]

Anyone out there in brewland ever use the paint stirrer sold at lowes / hd to aerate? I am talking about the one that you attach to a drill with a long metal shaft and the hamster cage at the bottom. They are made for 5gal paint buckets and I have used them (in paint) before and they kick ass. Without sounding paranoid I guess the food grade issue will again arise.

 

[runningweird]

yes - I used them for many batches - they are good for aeration after cool down and for minimizing boil over during the boil. just be sure to sanitize them well before using them in cooled wort.

 

[oakbarn]

Do they incorporate air. I would think they are designed so as not to get in air but mix. Frothy paint?

 

[nattron]

For about the same price I bought an bubbler for a fish tank at Walmart. Think it was $4.99.

 

[Mellow52]

Do they incorporate air. I would think they are designed so as not to get in air but mix. Frothy paint?

They create a vortex second to none and on low viscosity wort vs paint it will certainly dump loads of oxygen. I am brewing today and will shoot out to go get one now and report back later.

 

[Mellow52]

yes - I used them for many batches - they are good for aeration after cool down and for minimizing boil over during the boil. just be sure to sanitize them well before using them in cooled wort.

I am getting one now, thanks. Starsan is my friend.

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

They create a vortex second to none and on low viscosity wort vs paint it will certainly dump loads of oxygen. I am brewing today and will shoot out to go get one now and report back later.

it should work fine, man. i used to do pretty much the same thing, but with a wine whip instead of a paint stir, worked pretty well.

 

[unionrdr]

I've been thinking about getting one of those myself. Combined with pouring the chilled wort through my fine mesh strainer,the wort should mix & aerate very well.

 

[friday]

I've used them and they do work. They're stainless mostly and easy to sanitize.

Honestly your over thinking it, just shorten up your tube from your drain valve and let the wort drop into your fermentor. That will give you all the oxygen you need.