stir plates

[halister]

For the lack of sounding dumb what are they for?

 

[Lechien]

Growing your yeast to the proper number for pitching the proper amount. Check out Mrmalty.com proper pitch rates will give you healthier unstressed yeast for better fermentation and better beer.

 

[halister]

Thanks

 

[pabloj13]

Thanks

When you're growing yeast, they need oxygen to reproduce. If the starter is just sitting there, the yeast near the top are the only ones that can really access the oxygen. If you stir them, you keep them all in suspension and increase oxygen exchange by constantly exposing them to the surface. Thus more growth.

 

[halister]

Ok now I'm a bit confused. Obviously I'm new at this but I have read books on you shouldn't stir your yeast in your wort but yet stirring is aggressive at keeping it growing strong?

 

[Euphist]

But in this case, you objective isn't to make beer, it's to make more yeast...you don't care what the "beer" will taste like.

 

[Cranny04]

The stir plate is just for yeast starters..

Check out this page it may help: http://billybrew.com/how-to-make-a-yeast-starteryeast starter

 

[msa8967]

Keep in mind that is you are doing 5-6 gallon size brews and using dry yeast there is no need for doing a starter because the amount of yeast cells in most dry yeast packets will be plenty for most size brews (unless you are doing high OG brews, mr malty is great for figuring out how much yeast you need.)

Starters are used more for preparing liquid yeast to pitch into the wort.

 

[halister]

I'm only done one kit so super newb. I'm just filling the noggen with info. I'm a go for it type person but I like to be educated at the same time..

 

[WeaponTheyFear]

Can you use an oxygenation system to introduce oxygen a couple times a day instead of using a stir plate?

 

[tbel]

Can you use an oxygenation system to introduce oxygen a couple times a day instead of using a stir plate?

I suppose you could but I think a cheap or even DIY stir plate would be cheaper and less effort.
A stir plate isn't absolutely needed. Many people just give the vessel an swirl every time they walk by.

Also unless you are leaving every thing set up so you can just turn on the O2, every time you went to oxygenate you would be increasing the chance of infection.

 

[pabloj13]

I suppose you could but I think a cheap or even DIY stir plate would be cheaper and less effort.
A stir plate isn't absolutely needed. Many people just give the vessel an swirl every time they walk by.

Also unless you are leaving every thing set up so you can just turn on the O2, every time you went to oxygenate you would be increasing the chance of infection.

+2 (one for the answer and one for the Red Wings logo)

 

[theonetrueruss]

You do not need to have a stir plate to make a starter, it just makes it way more efficient allowing a smaller starter to handle what you need. As you do bigger batches, either in volume or gravity you need more yeast (especially for lagers) so having the ability to grow yeast efficiently is desirable.

Currently I don't have a stir plate (though it is under construction, just need a couple parts that I wont have time to get for another week). I oxygenate with O2 at the start then give it a swirl a few times throughout the growth when I get a chance. It works well, but if you follow the guidelines on Mr Malty the volumes needed are just bigger.

 

[ReverseApacheMaster]

In addition to infusing oxygen the stir plate also drives the CO2 out of solution. CO2 is toxic to yeast so you get happier yeast pushing out the CO2.

 

[halister]

Doesn't wine making have a stir set up that goes on a drill?

 

[tbel]

Doesn't wine making have a stir set up that goes on a drill?

I think your thinking of something like this but I don't think you want to stick that in your starter.

 

[halister]

That was before I had no clue what I was talking about ha ha
I was getting a stir plate and wort stirring mixed up. ; )