stir plate blues
Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2011 7:12 pm
So, a buddy and I brewed 10 gallons yesterday. We made starter wort in my 5L erlenmeyer and then split it into our 2L erlenmeyers and pitched 2 vials of White Labs Cal V each. We each put them on our stir plates at my place and left them there for a couple days. On Sunday we pitched and he texted me this morning letting me know his beer was blowing off already.
I brewed 10 gallons, he brewed 10 gallons and we each got 5 gallons of each wort for a total of 10 gallons each. Both his beers are blowing up and mine haven't done shit. Literally ZERO sign of fermentation. I'm not freaking out yet as it's only been 24 hours, but it is a bit unnerving that his beers have taken off and mine haven't and they're both at very similar temperatures.
I have this same stirplate (and no, that's not me trying to off the thing ). It only has an on/off switch and an RPM dial, but when I took my starter off the stirplate I noticed there was a decent amount of heat that it was giving off.
I'm guessing my stirplate cooked my starter and that's why I'm seeing zero signs of fermentation and my buddy's beers are going strong.
Based on this. I've decided I need a new stirplate. Regardless of how easy they are to make, there's no way I can make one. I'm not handy, I don't understand electronics, I can't solder and I'd just rather buy one that build one.
So, I've looked on eBay, http://www.BrewersHardware.com, B3, Northern Brewer Midwest Supplies, Williams Brewing and Nikobrew. They all have stirplates between $40 and $200+.
I don't plan on making many starters in my 5L flask, but it would be nice to be able to should I ever need to do so. Does anyone have any recommendations or experience with a <$150 stirplate that can handle a 5L flask, a 2L flask and won't get hot?
Thanks in advance
Matt
I brewed 10 gallons, he brewed 10 gallons and we each got 5 gallons of each wort for a total of 10 gallons each. Both his beers are blowing up and mine haven't done shit. Literally ZERO sign of fermentation. I'm not freaking out yet as it's only been 24 hours, but it is a bit unnerving that his beers have taken off and mine haven't and they're both at very similar temperatures.
I have this same stirplate (and no, that's not me trying to off the thing ). It only has an on/off switch and an RPM dial, but when I took my starter off the stirplate I noticed there was a decent amount of heat that it was giving off.
I'm guessing my stirplate cooked my starter and that's why I'm seeing zero signs of fermentation and my buddy's beers are going strong.
Based on this. I've decided I need a new stirplate. Regardless of how easy they are to make, there's no way I can make one. I'm not handy, I don't understand electronics, I can't solder and I'd just rather buy one that build one.
So, I've looked on eBay, http://www.BrewersHardware.com, B3, Northern Brewer Midwest Supplies, Williams Brewing and Nikobrew. They all have stirplates between $40 and $200+.
I don't plan on making many starters in my 5L flask, but it would be nice to be able to should I ever need to do so. Does anyone have any recommendations or experience with a <$150 stirplate that can handle a 5L flask, a 2L flask and won't get hot?
Thanks in advance
Matt