*THIS PRODUCT HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED*

Author: Marshall Schott

The benefits of making starters and pitching healthy yeast into wort has been drilled deep into our heads. Go to any forum and click any question asking how to make better beer and this topic will undoubtedly pop-up along with fermentation temp control, rightfully so. While a starter can be made in something as rudimentary as an old (sanitized) growler, this method does not provide optimum cell growth, which is what most of us are after. This is where stir plates come in very handy, as they not only keep the yeast in suspension, but the vortex created pulls in additional oxygen, contributing to the nourishment of the replicating fungi. Myriad stir plates exist on the market today, most running at or above the $100 mark. I was thrilled to hear about a new product that not only came at a reasonable price, but had some neat features to boot!

Unique to the Yeastir is the USB power adapter, which allows you to connect your stir plate to more than just a traditional outlet. Want to keep your starters spinning in your office? Plug it into your computer! If a computer isn’t around, a 2 amp adapter is included with your purchase, allowing you use a standard outlet. Sure, power is power, but the USB feature provides a level of convenience and flexibility not found in other stir plates on the market. Think about it.

Upon receiving my Yeastir, I excitedly opened it up and threw a 5L flask filled with water on to test it out. Before I even powered the unit on (there is a power switch in the rear), I was immediately pleased with the size of the base, as it easily held my large flask.

The vortex created by the spinning stir bar was quite strong and, even at full power, never got thrown off. I made up a large starter of WLP090 San Diego Super Yeast a few days later to put this bad boy to the test.

It worked beautifully, as expected.

The Yeastir is a high quality product at an affordable price ($59.95) manufactured by actual homebrewers. The components are solid, it looks nice, and it works great. This is exactly the type of product I’m happy to support. If you have any questions you feel I may not be able to answer, head over to their Support page and ask them.

If you are currently using a Yeastir, let us know what you think in the comments section of this post. Cheers!