Fermentor stirring

[Minbari]

Please tell me this is a bad idea so I dont do it!

any thoughts on putting a small stainless stirring paddle in the fermentor to aid in keeping yeast suspended and to help with circulation when dry hopping. would also help is mixing finning agents without opening the fermentor. Thinking this would only go about 10-15 RPM, just enough to create a current in the fermentor after primary churning has ceased.

 

[Sunfire96]

Please tell me this is a bad idea so I dont do it!

any thoughts on putting a small stainless stirring paddle in the fermentor to aid in keeping yeast suspended and to help with circulation when dry hopping. would also help is mixing finning agents without opening the fermentor. Thinking this would only go about 10-15 RPM, just enough to create a current in the fermentor after primary churning has ceased.

I think there's probably a reason in thousands of years of brewing history it hasn't become mainstream technique...that being said, try it! It either helps or it doesn't

 

[Minbari]

I think there's probably a reason in thousands of years of brewing history it hasn't become mainstream technique...that being said, try it! It either helps or it doesn't

oh, that is leaving a ray of hope!

 

[Sunfire96]

oh, that is leaving a ray of hope!

You know me, I'm all about experiments and collecting data what if it makes the best beer ever!! Or it could be completely negligible. Or worst case you make swill

 

[Minbari]

You know me, I'm all about experiments and collecting data what if it makes the best beer ever!! Or it could be completely negligible. Or worst case you make swill

lol ya. I am leaning towards somewhere between it will do nearly nothing and best beer ever! lol

 

[Josh Hughes]

I’ve stirred with a spoon the first few days. Yorkshire yeast. No issues. I’ve also racked after less than 2 days to finish using an English yeast, just to get it going again. No issues as I’m drinking that one as we speak

 

[Minbari]

I’ve stirred with a spoon the first few days. Yorkshire yeast. No issues. I’ve also racked after less than 2 days to finish using an English yeast, just to get it going again. No issues as I’m drinking that one as we speak

I have done the stirring too, which is what sparked this idea in the first place. if I could stir it without opening it.......

 

[Josh Hughes]

I opened that baby up lol. Of course we are talking an English bitter so lower hopped and very little at the end so maybe that played a role. It had a few days pretty active afterwards so that helped I’m sure. I stirred it probably 3-4 times once I had a Krausen those first few days.

 

[HighVoltageMan!]

You can do it, but….. there is no need what so ever. On top of that it brings with it a lot of complexity. The fermenter needs to be perfectly sealed to keep oxygen and microbes out.

The yeast doesn’t really need to be stirred into suspension if they are active and they cannot be forced into activity with stirring. A simpler solution would involve a pump at very low speed which circulates the beer. I know of no one, both pro or amateur that does that.

I have never seen a stuck fermentation start again with stirring. When the yeast stop, they stop because the food ran out or the yeast or environment is unhealthy. Dry hopping doesn’t need to be stirred and finings just need a small stir when added, although this need is not absolute.

 

[Mark Farrall]

Haven't heard about agitation helping fermentation, but definitely heard about it helping dry hopping. The bigger, commercial fermenters will generally have a way of connecting CO2 to the fermenter to bubble through the beer and keep the hops moving around. So instead of scratching that itch with a paddle, maybe you can tickle it with a stream of CO2?

 

[Dornbox]

Haven't heard about agitation helping fermentation, but definitely heard about it helping dry hopping. The bigger, commercial fermenters will generally have a way of connecting CO2 to the fermenter to bubble through the beer and keep the hops moving around. So instead of scratching that itch with a paddle, maybe you can tickle it with a stream of CO2?

zymurgy magazine just ran an article this month about this exact topic. Article is Skeptical Brewing #5, interesting read.

I have burped my unitanks with c02 from the bottom before just to rouse yeast and hops. It surely didn't hurt anything.

 

[Minbari]

zymurgy magazine just ran an article this month about this exact topic. Article is Skeptical Brewing #5, interesting read.

I have burped my unitanks with c02 from the bottom before just to rouse yeast and hops. It surely didn't hurt anything.

what was thier determination at the end?

 

[Dornbox]

what was thier determination at the end?

I believe is boils down to an increase aroma mostly and maybe some perceived bitterness. Apparently it has a huge impact on the transfer / absorption of specific compounds that effect mostly aroma but not flavor.

 

[GFHomebrew]

It also helps to get the hops better contact time with the wort through the agitation via co2 bubbling up through the fermenter.
It stops the hops just falling to the bottom keeps them in suspension.

Hey brulosophy did an exbeeriment where they hooked a stir bar up to a 20lt batch of beer vs standard ferment.