Hi Everyone,
I have been on an online shopping spree this afternoon, but now I need advice from you guy’s whilst my bits and pieces arrive this week which is a 85-2 Heating Hot Plate Magnetic Stirrer Mixer 220V (Ebay Au) plus a set of 5-100ml glass beakers.
The only thing I have not purchased still is a set of magnetic stirrers, as I need advice on what sizes to buy which I am guessing would be based on the volumes that I will be producing, which will obviously be between 5-100ml. I hope I can get the right answers, so I can give myself every chance of getting at least a decent or good juice result on my first attempt with the new equipment. Also any extra advice will be more than welcomed about times and temps.
In my shopping spree, I have also purchased the VEVOR Mini Vortex Mixer to add to my arsenal of new mixing gear, as I am well and truly over the rigorous hand shake, completely. But besides this, I don’t see the point in wasting money buying a wide range of the best concentrates on the market, to not mix your juice properly at the most vital stage of the DIY process. Work smarter not harder, the saying goes.
Thanks in advance, and I hope I can get some further great advice from this awesome community of people.
Check out this thread.
@ozo shared a lot of info on magnetic stirrers. Scroll down to the picture he posted, of the stir bars. Hopefully some info in that thread will help you narrow your search.
I used a mag stirrer for a time. Honestly I had never noticed any difference in the final mix between stirred juice and shaken. Steep time is still the same plus, if you use the heat from the hotplate (not recommended), you run the risk of flavor volatiles breaking down. This is my experience so YMMV.
I have to agree. I never used a mag stirrer, so I have no first hand experience, but you’re still going from point A (mixing) to point B (steeped). It was fun reading the threads from back then. People were coming up with all sorts of creative methods to shorten the time from A to B. I’ve always been in the shake it, and let it sit camp.
Yup. Shaken not stirred is the way to go. I’ve never noticed a decrease in steep time with a mag stirrer.
Yep. And unless you can get your hands on a homogenizer, shaking it like it owes you money is still (IMHO) the best, cost-effective way to go. I do make use of an ultrasonic bath but only because it’s great for rapid disbursement of the air bubbles created from shaking.
Funny…I’ve been using a Vevor mixer for years now but mostly just for larger batches.
Simple 30ml bottles is better shaken.
When I do use heat it’s at a very low temp with no issues to the end result.and I use egg shaped stir bars.
They seem to get the job done better.
Stirrers imo thoroughly mix everything nicely.
Just make sure the rpm isn’t set where you have air bubbles going all over the place.
Just have a small vortex just enough to get everything blended.
Keep it going for about 2 minutes…maybe less.
To me it gets the steeping started quicker.
Some like it…some don’t…all good.
I love my mixer.
Thanks for your advice greatly appreciated. I know mixers are not for everyone each to there own. My poor arm just needs a rest so we thought why not give it a go. Thanks again
Thanks Session Drummer for the link
Thanks for your info. I do agree that old school is the best way but since hubby is not as involved due to work I have a bunged up shoulder and its wearing on me, that’s the main reason we thought we would give these a go. We can only try. Thanks again.
Thanks for sending me that thread.
If you want to avoid shaking the bottle, I’d go with the lowest rpm coffer stirrer to mix your recipes
Thanks I went and bought one of them also. Shopping spree.