fermentation agitation without contamination

animus_divinus · Apr 11, 2011

ive noticed some topics on here of people discussing what they should do to agitate their fermenting beers and ales... some shake the bucket.. others twirl it.. i guess some might even try to stir it...

anyway, many people on this forum have helped me, so im going to try to help people looking for an easy, effortless, and contamination proof means to agitate their brew

its called a magnetic stirrer... you take a PC case fan connected to a 12v AC adapter... on atleast two opposing blades (for balance) you glue or screw on a strong permanent magnet... then you drop a sanitized stainless steel rod into the bucket itself

when you want to agitate the beer.. flip a switch, this will turn on the fan and the magnets underneath the bucket will grab and spin the stainless steel rod sitting in the bottom of the bucket and create a gentle vortex, agitating and mixing your yeast without ever having to open, or lift the fermentation vessel

bruin_ale · Apr 11, 2011

most of us are already using this exact thing as stir-plates for our yeast starters. I'm not sure how well that would work in a 5 gallon bucket though. Have you tried it?

I use an aquarium pump fitted with a filter and a stainless air stone to get my wort aerated.

azscoob · Apr 11, 2011

I run my beer through an aerator when pumping into my carboys. I also use a stirplate for making starters. I have however never had a need to use a stirplate during fermentation.

On a side note, a stainless bar wouldnt be magnetic, or at least not enough to be effective as a stirbar.

malkore · Apr 11, 2011

You still have to make a base for the bucket to sit on which houses the motor inside.

its great for a starter stir-plate...

but for a bucket...well if you're doing things right to start with, its just SNUP for the primary. better off with the O2 tank and airstone.

having to stir primary is uncommon. even with a big beer, you pitch right and you shouldn't need to mix it up again.

mrk305 · Apr 11, 2011

You really need to see one fermenting in clear fermentor. I have a half gallon whiskey bottle sitting on my kegerator with some "extra" beer bubbling away. The yeasties are churning in there like a blender on low speed.

When I brew more than will safely fit in a bucket, I put the extra in whiskey bottles. I have it as a center piece on my kegerator. It is good for an extra 6 pack.