Stirring & not (Stir plate + EC-1118)

[IJesusChrist]

Within the month I think I'll have enough room to try out a 1 gallon stirred versus 1 gallon unstirred high ABV mead, to test examine the differences.

Just made my own stir plate
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10204036799426792&set=vb.1428116466&type=2&theater

(Holy crap its too fast for this purpose)

I know many have talked about it, but has anyone actually done a comparison with two equivalent batches at the same time?

I'll be doing staggered nutrients and eventually step-feeding.

 

[loveofrose]

I've not seen a side by side comparison, but I've seen lots of folks use stir plates.

Apparently, it keeps the yeast in suspension allowing them to work faster and cleaner. It also releases CO2 out of solution faster thus allowing the mead to clear faster (after you turn it off of course).

It's on my list as well, but at the bottom. The BOMM is so clean and fast I don't think it can get much better.

It maybe worthwhile to test with KIV1116 or DV21 with sack mead conditions as well. It may speed the ferment and make it cleaner which is important for reducing the necessary aging time toward drinkable mead. It also would make the step feeding easier.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[loveofrose]

Glitch

 

[IJesusChrist]

Yeah, I've seen a lot of use of stir plates, but never a direct 'scientific' comparison...

I've got like 7 packets of EC-1118 here so I'm going to be going for that one first. Don't have enough bottles to test more than one experiment at a time

 

[IJesusChrist]

I've got a 5-gallon mead stirring succesfully.

April 24 - Pitched at OG of 1.118
4-28: 1.090
4-29: 1.070
5-1: 1.055

At 5-1 it smells like a terrible fart. Reluctantly poured some out to taste and it is surprisingly good. Very yeasty, but only the slightest hint of any off flavors.

I have decided that since this is stirring, the nutrient additions need to be spread out even more. - I am adding them over 6 separate times, rather than 3.