WineXpert Stirring question

[cindyjo]

Hello everyone.My Reisling should be ready for bottling next week and I suddenly realized that my kit did not come with a spoon. I do not have time to order so I am looking for options. My husband was looking over my shoulder at the drillmounted stirrers and said it looked like what they have in Home Depot to stir paint. Is this true that I can use the paint stirring device, new of couse. We have also considered getting a piece of metal tubing that we can bend to be a stirring device but I am concerned that the metal will have negative impact on the wine. I am just looking for something that will get me by until I can place an order. Any input, of course, is greatly appreciated

 

[Wade E]

I would not recommend the metal as it would scratch the glass and
harbor bacteria. I would just order the degasser and or plastic spoon.
I would get both as you needc to stir the must if you start making
scratch wines from fruit and definetly the drill mounted degasser for
all wines. Let the wine sit until you get it. It will not hurt it, only
make it better. Time is your best friend with wine. Aging in bulk is
the best thing you can do to wine. Dont hurry it! Good luck.

 

[sangwitch]

Hey Cindyjo. You say you're ready to bottle next week... what did you use to stir during the other steps where you mixed your juice, stabilized, degassed, etc?

 

[cindyjo]

Your right sandwitch, I posted incorrectly, I am not going to bottle yet, I am doing the degassing, stabilizing step within the next week or so. I mixed the juice in the first step using a plastic spoon in the primary fermenter but this does not fit in the carboy neck.

 

[Joanie]

If you have to, you can turn the spoon upside down! =)

 

[Angell Wine]

Go ahead and order you a whip. Your not going to hurt anything by waiting. It's hard to wait butpatienceis a virtue. Darn Virtues.

 

[paubin]

Cindyjo, you can get a plastic spoon from walmart, shave the edges a bit to fit easily in your carboy, put the handle end in a drill (you may have to shave the handle down a little also) and stir away. It worked great for me.


Pete

 

[Wade E]

That's a darn good idea Pete. Just becareful when using
high speed on an electric drill as this spoon is or definetly will not
be properly balanced when done shaving the sides and may wobble like
crazy on high speed espescially if you dont have a variable speed drill.

 

[cindyjo]

I wish I had gotten that idea earlier because that would have worked. However, my official mix stir is suppose to be delivered today. I have not checked my SG lately, hope to tonight, and I hope to move to the clarifying step this weekend. It looks great and similar to what I have been seeing in all of your pictures. Thanks again for your help. I might have to try a bit out of the test jar tonightEdited by: cindyjo

 

[Wade E]

You will want the mix-stir anyway. I'm sure it will do a much better
job than the shaved spoon as it spreads out much wider and mixes much
quicker and because it is balanced, it will be much better for your
drill. something not balanced well in a drill on high speed will wear
on the bearings inside.

 

[Waldo]

What I did was used my dremel tool with grinding attachment to turn down the handle on my plastic spoon and it worked like a charm. I also drilled holes in my spoon and it helped move the wine better also.

 

[bmorosco]

I actually made my own stir I ordered the paddles from Fine vine and got the stainless steel rod at home depot drilled it and put the paddles on good to go...

 

[paubin]

I'll stand by my shaved spoon till the end. It works great and the spoon only cost 99 cents at wallyworld.


Pete

 

[cindyjo]

I got my mix stir last week and it did work well, sorry paubin. I am excited to go onto bottling and opening.

 

[paubin]

No biggy cindyjo, I just try to save the dollars for other things that I can't make or made do with. For the price of one of those fancy stir thingamajiggies I can get a new carboy. That is just my opinion, but it wouldn't be the first time I was frugal about certain things.


Pete