Paint mixer to whirlpool?

[petrolSpice]

I did my first BIAB batch yesterday and noticed quite a bit more fine particle solids than with extract, most of which made its way into the fermenter. I've tried whirlpooling in the past but it didn't help at all. I suspect I didn't do it for long enough or well enough.

Anyone use a paint mixer to whirlpool? Seems like it would work to get a nice fast whirlpool going, but the mixer would have to be in the center of the pot where the trub is supposed to accumulate. Perhaps after removing the mixer the whirling will last long enough for the trub to accumulate?

Here is the one I'm looking at: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Workforce-5-Gallon-Helix-Paint-Mixer-HM5HD/202251543

Looking for some feedback. Thanks!

 

[peterj]

I generally don't worry too much about hot side aeration (HSA) and am usually in the camp of it being somewhat of a myth (at least on the homebrew scale), but I feel like that would just be tempting fate a little to much for my taste. So I would advise against it. Nothing wrong with transferring some of that gunk to the ferementer in my opinion.

 

[petrolSpice]

I generally don't worry too much about hot side aeration (HSA) and am usually in the camp of it being somewhat of a myth (at least on the homebrew scale), but I feel like that would just be tempting fate a little to much for my taste. So I would advise against it. Nothing wrong with transferring some of that gunk to the ferementer in my opinion.

Hot side aeration? Isn't is desirable to oxygenate the wort before pitching the yeast? I figure using a paint mixer in the chilled wort to whirlpool would also be beneficial in terms of aeration before pitching.

 

[peterj]

Oh sorry, for some reason I thought you were talking about whirlpooling after flame out. But yeah after you chill it I think that would work just fine. Just make sure to sanitize the paint mixer.

 

[stoneBriar]

Whirlpooling is less about velocity and more about time. Not the time you're actively stirring, the time you let it settle. I'd say 30min is a good starting point to wait after a few quick revolutions to get the vortex going. Be very careful using a paint stirrer. The ones with metal rods are almost all galvanized and you don't want (that much) zinc in your beer! For me a brewing spoon and elbow grease works just fine, but if you want to bust out the power tools, try using a food grade wine whip.

 

[petrolSpice]

Oh sorry, for some reason I thought you were talking about whirlpooling after flame out. But yeah after you chill it I think that would work just fine. Just make sure to sanitize the paint mixer.

I'm thinking I would whirl pool during chilling (ice bath, not immersion chiller). I would time it so that it hits pitching temp about 20-30 mins after whirlpooling so it has plenty of time to settle.

 

[fearwig]

If you jar the last 2-4 quarts from the boil and put it in a sanitized gallon jug or similar and pop it in the fridge overnight, you'll separate the wort very distinctly from the trub and you can add it to your fermenter whenever you like, or use it for your next starter. You reclaim 50-75% of it this way, sometimes you save a half gallon of beer from a big pellet hop IPA.

 

[oakbarn]

I would NOT put a stirrer in cooled wort. I do not think you could get it cleaned and sanitized after the first use. Easy to whirlpool hot with a big spoon or paddle, then let settle at least 15 minutes. If you have a conical,you can just dump the crud about an hour after putting it in, but the trub does nothing bad as far as we can see.

 

[fearwig]

Yes, trub's only really an issue if it fools with your repitch calculations (if you repitch), so keeping it consistent is more important than keeping it out entirely.