Stirplate for Whirlpooling Wort?

[wedward]

First,

Apologies to the mods if this was posted before - could not find good results on searching this phrase...

Has anyone thought of building or converting a large stirplate that you could set the kettle on post boil while cooling to get a whirlpool going (to deal with pellet hop and other gunk)?

I have a nice 8 G pot with a false bottom and am still losing a lot of brew since i don't want too much gunk in my primary. I'm hesitant to just stir madly with an open top - due to HSA - even if a myth.... (why tempt fate?)

Does this sound plausible to build/use?

And if HSA is a myth, why not hook up a drill to a paint stirrer and go to town?

Cheers

 

[beerthirty]

I dont bother with whirlpooling, it all goes to the fermenter and settles out during cold crashing. Then rack off the the beer. I dryhop in the fermenter so it gets plenty of pellet and it all settles out.

 

[wedward]

good point I suppose - then why all the hype on whirlpooling and such?

 

[Coastarine]

The problem that I see with using a stirplate to whirlpool is that the break material gathers at the center in a cone, right where you'll have a spinning stirbar, which will keep all of that stuff churned up in solution. A paint stirrer would be even worse. You're thinking of things that are good for keeping stuff mixed up and homogeneous but that's the opposite of what you want.

I don't whirlpool at all. I fill the fermenter until it is full and usually that means taking some of the gunk, but the stuff left in the fermenter is usually gunk too. In other words I'd rather get all the wort along with a little break material than leave all the break material with some of the wort.

 

[hopsoda]

from what i understand its because it strains the wort without using a strainer
(someone correct me if I'm missing something)

your stir plate would have to be huge , and your pot would have to be non-magnetic - aluminum

(Edit) I type too slow - and i agree with above , you want that stuff to settle not stay suspended

the idea is to keep as much of the material and hops out of the primary.

(allthough most of everything goes into mine ... depending)

 

[eriktlupus]

i think it would be a good idea for the cooldown phase of the brew and then turning off to let the wort settle before racking to fermenter.

 

[wedward]

In other words I'd rather get all the wort along with a little break material than leave all the break material with some of the wort.

This is probably the best way to think about it I guess. Next time I'll just let it in and get all that wort.

thanks