Mix-stirs vs O2

Ingredients
1

I’ve read many favorable comments about mix stirs for wort aeration.  I’m going to run out of spare oxygen bottles pretty soon, so I’d like to know your preferences.  Do you prefer mix-stirs over oxygen?  In all instances?  Do they fit in carboys?  Do you buy them from Home Depot or a supplier like MoreBeer?

2

OK, should have looked first.  I already answered one question of where to find them.

Is this what you would use? or something simpler?

3

I’ve used both and prefer the mix-stir because it’s cheaper and easier…but more importantly, my results between the methods are indiscernible.

I use a rod very similiar to the one shown in the link.

4

I just bought the spare paddles for the Mix-Stir & mounted them with a stainless steel bolt & nut on a ~20" long piece of 3/8" stainless steel rod. I use it primarily for aerating must (mead) since my technique for moving the wort from the kettle to the fermenter aerates the crap out of it.  Here’s a link for the paddles. http://www.midwestsupplies.com/replacement-blades-for-stainless-steel-mix-stir.html  It really works well with the must. Cheers!!!

5

Thanks guys.  I think I might go for it.  It looks a lot easier than diffusing O2 all around.

6

I have both, and use the O2 in beers.  I don’t really have a good reason why though, it’s just what I do.

7

The mixstirs work very well and can get you to 8 ppm disolved O2, and I have one.  Some yeasts like more O2, lager yeast for example, and  for those I use 1 liter/min O2 for a minute to get to 10 ppm disolved O2.  If you search the achives here, Gordon has said that he uses the mixstrir for most ales, and O2 for big beers.

8

Thanks Jeff.  Good stuff.