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large capacity stir

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andrewschwab

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So looking through the different wine supply stores, I don't see any thing that would be used to mix up large batches of mead.
Was wondering what others are doing?

Also when stirring in the honey (large batch 100-1000s gallon batchs) how does one get an accurate brix reading? Is it stirred then come back next day stir again and check?

Curious minds would like to know? ME
 
andrewschwab said:
So looking through the different wine supply stores, I don't see any thing that would be used to mix up large batches of mead.
Was wondering what others are doing?

Also when stirring in the honey (large batch 100-1000s gallon batchs) how does one get an accurate brix reading? Is it stirred then come back next day stir again and check?

Curious minds would like to know? ME
Click to expand...

Funny, I've been wondering the same thing. Just the other day I was thinking of posting the same question, but I was work at the time and couldn't.

Cheers,
Wrathwilde
 
When I visited the J&J pilot plant in NJ, they had big stir tanks. (lotions, shampoo, etc mixed in large vats, probably 3-500 gallons or so.) The tanks were standard straight-sided cylinders with open tops. There were long vertical blades on a spindle which rotated to stir the contents, kind of like a giant KitchenAid stand mixer.

I'm guessing you could use something like that for mead too. They were stainless, so that covers the food grade part. No idea where to buy them, but they at least exist.
 
Sounds like a good idea, but that's too expensive for us. We're mixing our must in a 55 gallon HDPE drum and then pumping it into our 1000L tanks. We've actually taken to doing our fermentation in the drums too.

As for the mixing instrument, we're using the SS Mix-Stir, just like we did when we were making it at home. We have to go through quite a few replacement blades, but it's still way cheaper than doing it in some expensive piece of equipment.
 
1000L = 264 gallons ugggg I totally understand the money issue, but there must be something out there to simplify this.
Ounce it is in the 1000L container how do you stir during fermentaion? Mix-stir still???

What about SG readings. Can you mix the 50 gallon batch up then take your SG or do you mix let sit for a time period mix again and check SG?

In the back of my mind I thought there was something about letting large batchs sit to get an accurate SG reading. I could have been dreaming.
 
We do our fermentation in the 55gal drums and rack into the 1000L tanks after it's done for aging.

We mix really well, then take a gravity reading. We've had some fluctuations, but it usually evens out when blended with 5 other batches.

andrewschwab said:
1000L = 264 gallons ugggg I totally understand the money issue, but there must be something out there to simplify this.
Ounce it is in the 1000L container how do you stir during fermentaion? Mix-stir still???

What about SG readings. Can you mix the 50 gallon batch up then take your SG or do you mix let sit for a time period mix again and check SG?

In the back of my mind I thought there was something about letting large batchs sit to get an accurate SG reading. I could have been dreaming.
Click to expand...
 
Brad Dahlhofer said:
We do our fermentation in the 55gal drums and rack into the 1000L tanks after it's done for aging.

We mix really well, then take a gravity reading. We've had some fluctuations, but it usually evens out when blended with 5 other batches.
Click to expand...
I can already see where my strategy (laziness) of using the mead calculator to tell me how much of my SG is coming from honey and how much of it is coming from fruit, mixing up the honey and water too the desired SG and then trusting that the fruit addition will bump me up to the expected, combined SG would fail me in a commercial application.
 
I have no experience just thought I'd throw out some ideas. :)

Brewers have to mix their grains with strike water. They use a motorised paddle in the mash tun. Maybe something like that in a prep container would work. You would probably want to do that in one conatiner then pump the must into a fermentation vessel.

Second idea is just to use a pump and recirculate the must back into the container. If you insert it back in in a whirlpool like fashion it should do a pretty good job of mixing the must given enough time.

I would imagine that when mixing batches in sizes over a few hundred gallons you are going to have to do it in a dedicated vessel then pump the must to the fermentation vessel.

Craig
 
Y'all are re-inventing the wheel as far as commercial-grade mixing: just google "industrial mixing equipment" and you'll find every dream fulfilled. If on the other hand y'all are coming up with more field-expedient ways, I'd have to say go buy a used Hobart (or similar) commercial kitchen mixer: they're designed for easy sanitation and come in a range of sizes suitable for smaller-scale operations (5 quart to 140 quart?). Slap on a paddle blade and you're good to go. ;D -- Olen
 
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That's what I'm thinking of.
But it is dedicated to that tank alone. Would be nice to have 1 mixer that could go from tank to tank. Keeps the $$$$ down.

I have a hobart mixer, use it to mix pollen patties for the bees:) It won't work for 100+ gallon batches.

I didn't think to google mixers. Good call, I was locked into the wine supply stores to find something. Need to think outside the box.
 
WRATHWILDE said:
OK, here's my next purchase ... [a]ssuming I win the lottery.
Click to expand...

Looks like the Scott Mixer folks have you covered from 1 to 12,000 gallons. I tell you, the more I read on their website, the more I get to thinkin'.

andrewschwab said:
Would be nice to have 1 mixer that could go from tank to tank.
Click to expand...

Something like this: a Scott small process / portable mixer (2 to 60 HP or 10 to 2,000 gallons)? ;D



andrewschwab said:
I have a hobart mixer, use it to mix pollen patties for the bees:) It won't work for 100+ gallon batches.
Click to expand...

A 140 quart (35 gallon) Hobart mixer could do 100+ gallons in a pinch in 3 or more sub-batches. -- Olen
 
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Brad Dahlhofer said:
We do our fermentation in the 55gal drums and rack into the 1000L tanks after it's done for aging.
Click to expand...

Hey Brad,
How do you keep the temps under control with 55 gallon batches? Are you noticing any off flavors, etc?

I have a source for 55 gallon food grade drums for $20 each and I would really like to give this a try.

Thanks!
 
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