Here's a video I made of the complete brew of the Caribou Slobber kit from Northern Brewer.

Here's DIY Stir Plate 2.0 in action, stirring a yeast starter for the Caribou Slobber I'm brewing tomorrow.

Here's the Belgian Golden Strong Ale being transferred from the primary into the secondary fermenter.

DIY Stir Plate ver 2.0

This is an update to my first DIY stir plate for a yeast starter. This version seems to work more reliably, and it stirs a greater volume of fluid. The fan I chose has more torque, the magnets more power and the potentiometer more resolution (25 ohm verses 75K ohm in the last one). I still think I can do better. I'm going to try an even stronger magnet and a potentiometer with more resolution (50 ohm).

My goal is to be able to stir a 6 gallon carboy. This will allow me to degas wine during secondary fermentation and to oxygenate a freshly pitched beer...and it's just cool to be able to do it.

The magnets in this version have an 8 lb pull. I'm stepping up to 50 lb pull in ver 3.0.

My electrical engineer friend tells me that my 25 ohm potentiometer will supply a 7.2V to 12V range resolution. With the 50 ohms potentiometer, it will increase to 5.18V to 12V.

Blow-Off Tube Installed

As expected, I had to install a blow off tube. The krausen was creeping up the neck of the carboy. I literally waited until the last possible moment to do this. I sanitized the blow-off tube with Star San, and I filled the bucket with Star San.

The blow-off tube could be a little longer. I had to slide the carboy and bucket under a table, which was just the right height to keep the blow-off tube bent down into the bucket.

First Brew: Belgian Golden Strong Ale

Here's my first brew. I had help from brew buddies Adam and Aaron.

I have it sitting in a plastic tote in case it overflows, but I think I'll have to install a blow-off tube. It's really generating the krausen, and I'm worried it's going to try and escape.

DIY Stir Plate in Action

Here's the stir plate in action. This is with two smack packs of Wyeast, a qt of water and a cup of DME (Dry Malt Extract).