What's the fastest and most powerful stir plate for a 5L flask?

[Nagorg]

Another vote for the Maelstrom. I bought one and havent looked back. Well built and great features including the countdown timer.

 

[ApolloSimcoe]

I have a Black Maxx. Insert joke here: __________. I am not very satisfied with it. It throws the bar, the bar chatters, sometimes the bar stops spinning and the dial is super finicky. Maybe I'm doing something wrong and someone can throw me some tips/advice. Until then I don't recommend this plate.

 

[NeverDie]

I have a Black Maxx. Insert joke here: __________. I am not very satisfied with it. It throws the bar, the bar chatters, sometimes the bar stops spinning and the dial is super finicky. Maybe I'm doing something wrong and someone can throw me some tips/advice. Until then I don't recommend this plate.

Thanks for the warning.

I can see the appeal of this unit. The knob goes all the way to 13. That's way better than 11.

 

[ApolloSimcoe]

The knob goes all the way to 13

Or unlucky!

 

[Unicorn_Platypus]

I suppose that's yet another way to skin the cat. Which foam control are you using? I just recently acquired some Fermcap-S.

Hornindal Kveik is far foamier than any other yeast I've tried. Hothead and Voss are also foamy, but not to the same degree.

I use this stuff. Supposedly its vegetable based an not silicon based

https://www.homebrewing.org/Foam-Control_p_1773.html

This is the stir plate I use:

https://www.homebrewing.org/The-Stirstarter-Yeast-Stir-Plate-5L_p_3329.html

 

[NeverDie]

FWIW, yesterday I tried the "dimple" method of stirring a Wyeast Sweet Mead starter in a 5L flask, and guess what? It wasn't sufficient to keep the yeast in suspension. A huge amount of yeast fell out of suspension and collected on the bottom edges of the flask.

Not sure if a bigger stir bar would address that or not. If so, how long would the stir bar have to be? At least for now I'm turning up the speed.

 

[yourlastchance89]

I use a Maelstrom and frequently do 5L starters. I haven't had an issue with any of them. I never take it above the 2 setting (it goes up to 5)and have never had an issue with krausen overfoaming. The only issue with it is sometimes the plate will struggle on the initial wind up to spin the bar. If I give the flask a light lift off the stir plate it will begin spinning and continue to do so the remaining duration of the starter. They claim it can stir up to 5 gallons of liquid.

 

[NeverDie]

Reporting back:

I received the Maelstrom, and it is indeed more powerful than what I had been using previoiusly. A couple of quirks:
1. The display turns completely off after a while. I'd rather it stay lit.
2. It's slowest speed is still pretty fast, and I wish it could go slower. Perhaps the high minimum stir speed is to keep it from stalling? Just a guess.

 

[day_trippr]

Maybe try a longer bar?

Cheers!

 

[Blazinlow86]

Reporting back:

I received the Maelstrom, and it is indeed more powerful than what I had been using previoiusly. A couple of quirks:
1. The display turns completely off after a while. I'd rather it stay lit.
2. It's slowest speed is still pretty fast, and I wish it could go slower. Perhaps the high minimum stir speed is to keep it from stalling? Just a guess.

I generally use the 2-3 settings with a 3 inch stirbar with my 1/5 litre flasks. Not sure what advantage slowing it down slower then the lowest setting would have though? The backlight will turn on for a minute when you press a button without changing the settings. Cheers

 

[NeverDie]

I generally use the 2-3 settings with a 3 inch stirbar with my 1/5 litre flasks. Not sure what advantage slowing it down slower then the lowest setting would have though? The backlight will turn on for a minute when you press a button without changing the settings. Cheers

Thanks for the tip! I just now ordered a 3 inch rare earth magnet spinbar, so I'll see how that goes: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B015T1PHPW/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[beernutz]

This is the stirplate I've used for several years with my 5L Erlenmeyer flask. I built a small wood base for it so the bottom of the entire flask is supported. Easy to spin up and configure and it creates a big vortex though I very rarely want one. Skip to 2:57 to see a 5L flask used.


I got it shipped for about $80 USD.

http://www.digitalhomebrew.com/digital-stirplate-v3

User tip: Do not run the stirplate with a full 5L flask on top of a dryer without telling your beloved spouse not to turn on the dryer unless your couch is comfortable.

 

[Blazinlow86]

There all pretty much the same. Honestly the reason I chose the malstrom was the ability to use a large stirbar without it getting thrown and the large base. The extra power and timer were just bonuses. Additionally northern brewer had a sale going so it was basically the same price as the cheaper diy style ones. Cheers

 

[no-body]

I have a Black Maxx. Insert joke here: __________. I am not very satisfied with it. It throws the bar, the bar chatters, sometimes the bar stops spinning and the dial is super finicky. Maybe I'm doing something wrong and someone can throw me some tips/advice. Until then I don't recommend this plate.

I have a Black MAXX and it works great. My stir plate never throws the stir bar no matter where I set the knob. The stir bar chatters sometime but I can move the flask around until the chattering stops.

They claim their stir plate will stir 5 gallons. I don't know because I only use a 2 Liter flask. I can say it pulls a vortex almost all the way to the bottom at full speed!

 

[no-body]

I have a Black MAXX and it works great. My stir plate never throws the stir bar no matter where I set the knob. The stir bar chatters sometime but I can move the flask around until the chattering stops.

They claim their stir plate will stir 5 gallons. I don't know because I only use a 2 Liter flask. I can say it pulls a vortex almost all the way to the bottom at full speed!

I bough mine from The Chi Company in California about 4 years ago.
https://www.chicompany.net/beer-sto...n-equipment/stir-plates/black-maxx-stir-plate

But I looked on Amazon and they have them too.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01BOGQZSY/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[ApolloSimcoe]

I get the chatter too. I move the flask around to stop it and it does for a while but then will start up again. The magnet also came unglued on mine, no big deal, i just glued it back on. I may have added an additional magnet but I don't recall. I just find that i always have to fiddle with the thing. It'll be running great when I go to bed and i get up in the morning and the thing is still running but the bar is no longer spinning. Or I'll need to continually adjust the knob etc.

 

[kh54s10]

There all pretty much the same. Honestly the reason I chose the malstrom was the ability to use a large stirbar without it getting thrown and the large base. The extra power and timer were just bonuses. Additionally northern brewer had a sale going so it was basically the same price as the cheaper diy style ones. Cheers

I have no idea how you can compare a Maelstrom Stir Plate with anything DIY! At $135.99 (not on sale) it is extremely expensive, IMO. Amazon has a bunch of them in the $30 to $50 range. I am sure some of them are up to the (unnecessary) task set by this thread.

With true DIY you should be able to make one for less than $15. I had an old computer that I scavenged the fan and hard drive from. on or the magnets in the hard drive went on the fan to turn a stirbar. I had a box sitting around to mount it in. I had to buy a potentiometer and some nuts and bolts. Total cost $7.40

I only do 2L starters but I know it would work for 5L. But not 5 gallons....

 

[augiedoggy]

I have no idea how you can compare a Maelstrom Stir Plate with anything DIY! At $135.99 (not on sale) it is extremely expensive, IMO. Amazon has a bunch of them in the $30 to $50 range. I am sure some of them are up to the (unnecessary) task set by this thread.

With true DIY you should be able to make one for less than $15. I had an old computer that I scavenged the fan and hard drive from. on or the magnets in the hard drive went on the fan to turn a stirbar. I had a box sitting around to mount it in. I had to buy a potentiometer and some nuts and bolts. Total cost $7.40

I only do 2L starters but I know it would work for 5L. But not 5 gallons....

This is what I did... we use 1 gallon glass jugs for starters and I just use a wooden box with a large cpu fan and rare earth magnets attached to a steel washer glued to the top I use $7 pwm controllers from ebay like I used for my dc pumps.... I actually made a dual starter set with the stirrers side by side on the surface that fits 2 1 gallon jugs.. works well but I know not everyone likes diy here (well except when it comes to making beer).. I never paid attention to vortex size because as far as my experience goes and my understanding of it, it makes no practical difference.. YMMV

 

[augiedoggy]

At the moment I have Wyeast Sweet Mead on my $35 stir plate, and yes, for that, a dimple is probably just fine. It's not throwing off a foam blanket the way Hornindal does almost within minutes. Sorry if my previous posts ruffled some feathers, as that was not my intent.

Anyhow, I did order the Maelstrom from Northern brewer, since they have a 1 year guarantee on the gear they sell. There had been one very vocal guy on youtube complaining in one video about how his Maelstrom had stopped working and then in another video about how poorly it was soldered, so I figure in this case it makes sense to find a reseller who will hopefully stand behind it if they say they will.

ok doesnt the foam indicate there is good activity already going on?

 

[NeverDie]

ok doesnt the foam indicate there is good activity already going on?

Sure. However, in my case, I didn't want just any old activity in the starter. I'm doing stepped starters, and I specifically wanted to multiply the number of yeast. As I understand it, that requires oxygen, or at least benefits from oxygen. Activity which merely converts sugars into alcohol wasn't the objective.

 

[AF1HomeBrew]

The Hanna Stir Plate has done a great job for me over the years. For the 5L you need to have larger stir bar

 

[NeverDie]

He's recommending 12-15ppm dissolved oxygen for yeast health. The maximum from air alone is 8ppm. However, I figure if I don't merely front-load with air, but instead stir it in over a longer time, then it starts to approximate the benefits of what might have been gotten by frontloading using pure oxygen.

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

Can either of those do a big vortex on a fairly full 5L flask? For oxygenation purposes, I want to suck a lot of air into the liquid. The maelstrom is the only one that shows it doing that in photos.

I have the magnetic stir plate from MoreBeer. In my experiences, no. It is possible to use a 5L flask, but too much liquid and I get a thrown stir bar. Doesn't matter what size stir bar.

 

[CodeSection]

I have the magnetic stir plate from MoreBeer. In my experiences, no. It is possible to use a 5L flask, but too much liquid and I get a thrown stir bar. Doesn't matter what size stir bar.

I'm not sure if I have the same magnetic stir plate model from Morebeer as you, but mine produces a nice full vortex in a 5L flask. It came with a 1" stir bar that worked well. I had bought a 2" stir bar from them and the magnet is not strong enough in the bar and it gets thrown off. I would not recommend that stir bar. Yesterday, I received a 1 1/2" stir bar from another vendor and made a 3.75L starter about eight hours ago. The 1 1/2" stir bar provides a larger full vortex.....at least large enough for my needs.

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

I bought a pack of different size stir bars. I'll have to check if I have a 1.5" stir bar.

 

[CodeSection]

I bought a pack of different size stir bars. I'll have to check if I have a 1.5" stir bar.

This is what I bought and received yesterday https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01ISMV5G4/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

I'm using the 35 mm (not quite 1 1/2") stir bar now.

 

[kh54s10]

He's recommending 12-15ppm dissolved oxygen for yeast health. The maximum from air alone is 8ppm. However, I figure if I don't merely front-load with air, but instead stir it in over a longer time, then it starts to approximate the benefits of what might have been gotten by frontloading using pure oxygen.

From what I understand. 8ppm is all you are going to get from ambient air no matter how big a vortex you are making.

Pure oxygen is probably best, but not a requirement.

 

[no-body]

I bough mine from The Chi Company in California about 4 years ago.
https://www.chicompany.net/beer-sto...n-equipment/stir-plates/black-maxx-stir-plate

But I looked on Amazon and they have them too.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01BOGQZSY/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

I guess what matters is what works for you? I'm not mechanical and would never try to assemble my own stir plate.

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

This is what I bought and received yesterday https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01ISMV5G4/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

I'm using the 35 mm (not quite 1 1/2") stir bar now.

OK, thanks, I'll check mine.

 

[Jayjay1976]

A thick krausen appears to get in the way. Hornindal is very foamy yeast.

Add a drop or two of fermcap to the starter to supress the kraeusen, and consider a used lab stirplate from ebay. I picked up an old Corning lab stirrer and cleaned it up, works really well with my 3L flask. IMHO, so long as the stirrer has a strong magnet, the stir bar itself; it's shape, size, is a more important variable in getting a vigorous stir.