Stir plate for primary?

[Irrenarzt]

I have a massive stir plate and I brewed a 1090 DIPA which I was afraid might not come down to as low an FG as I wanted so instead of making massive starter, I pitched 5 packs of S05 and threw the whole batch on the stir plate. Seems to be going hog wild with the bubbling. I never thought to do this before but it seems to be working. I had a stuck fermentation recently so I didn't want to underpitch. Any downsides to using a stirplate during primary?

 

[Doc Robinson]

I don't know anything about the stir plate, but 5 packs of dry yeast! Jesus Christ! Were they 11.5 gram packs? That much yeast is suitable for a gravity of 1.350!

 

[MattHollingsworth]

If you leave it on the stirplate too long you're going to aerate the beer and get oxidation. A stirplate for primary is not necessary, IMHO.

 

[KayaBrew]

5 packs of yeast? What a waste. 2 would have done the trick. Check out this handy pitching rate calculator: http://www.mrmalty.com/calc/calc.html Also, stirplate plus primary equals oxidized beer. Mmmmm...wet cardboard. Take it off the stirplate and let it do it's thing.

 

[Hermit]

I've considered doing this. No airlock for the first 12 to 24 hours depending on gravity. After that, pop on the airlock for and go all anaerobic on their little yeasty axes.....

 

[Hermit]

If you leave it on the stirplate too long you're going to aerate the beer and get oxidation. A stirplate for primary is not necessary, IMHO.

Once the airlock is in place, no air, right? See above post. Also, if it gets slowed down for the rest of the time, or maybe just 'bumped' occasionally you could drive the CO2 out of the beer and keep the yeast happier. No?

 

[Irrenarzt]

I don't know anything about the stir plate, but 5 packs of dry yeast! Jesus Christ! Were they 11.5 gram packs? That much yeast is suitable for a gravity of 1.350!

3 of the packs were over a year old (and were not in the fridge for about 6 months) so I wanted to be sure. Normally I wouldn't go that crazy.

 

[Irrenarzt]

If you leave it on the stirplate too long you're going to aerate the beer and get oxidation. A stirplate for primary is not necessary, IMHO.

Thanks, I left it overnight and now I pulled it off. I ran out of O2 so I was not able to diffuse any O2 in this batch which was a concern.

 

[MattHollingsworth]

Once the airlock is in place, no air, right? See above post. Also, if it gets slowed down for the rest of the time, or maybe just 'bumped' occasionally you could drive the CO2 out of the beer and keep the yeast happier. No?

Don't see the point of this, personally. It's just not necessary. Maybe if you're using an airlock you won't get air in there once there's no O2 in the headspace though, I suppose. Pitch enough yeast and your fermentation is very unlikely to get stuck. Most of the people getting stuck are either making no starter at all, or not a big enough one.

I've considered doing this. No airlock for the first 12 to 24 hours depending on gravity. After that, pop on the airlock for and go all anaerobic on their little yeasty axes.....

I do this. No airlock, with a blowoff tube going into an empty bucket for the first 24-48 hours. Chris White of White Labs recommends no airlock for the beginning of the fermentation, but you'll have to Google that one to see exactly what he says as I'm bottling right now.

 

[Irrenarzt]

Dry hopping this tomorrow as bubbling has slowed, I'll check the gravity first...

 

[Hermit]

Don't see the point of this, personally. It's just not necessary. Maybe if you're using an airlock you won't get air in there once there's no O2 in the headspace though, I suppose. Pitch enough yeast and your fermentation is very unlikely to get stuck. Most of the people getting stuck are either making no starter at all, or not a big enough one.



I do this. No airlock, with a blowoff tube going into an empty bucket for the first 24-48 hours. Chris White of White Labs recommends no airlock for the beginning of the fermentation, but you'll have to Google that one to see exactly what he says as I'm bottling right now.

Actually just listened to the netcast and White says after high krausen. Doesn't come till the VERY end though:
http://thebrewingnetwork.com/shows/The-Jamil-Show/Saison-The-Jamil-Show-09-10-07

 

[MattHollingsworth]

Actually just listened to the netcast and White says after high krausen. Doesn't come till the VERY end though:
http://thebrewingnetwork.com/shows/The-Jamil-Show/Saison-The-Jamil-Show-09-10-07

Great link, thanks!

For anyone that wants to listen, Christ White's on for the end. They specifically talk about not using an airlock until after high krauesen for about 60 seconds starting at around the 1:19:45 mark into the show.

This was not what I was talking about though. Hadn't heard that.

This chat here is what I was talking about. Same information, different location:

cwhite: I don't like airlocks, I don't think they are needed in primary. I say keep them off and only put on when fermentation starts to slow down. Prior to that, some loose foil is all you need on top. end

cwhite: I would not seal the lid, just put loose foil around the sides. You will notice a faster fermentaiton- less CO2 stress. Cheese cloth in the opening is also good.

http://www.brewboard.com/index.php?showtopic=30138

For me, I put my blowoff tube into an empty bucket, then after I see the krauesen start to drop, I pop on an airlock.