"Michael Brill" > wrote:

> OK, here's an engineering challenge... I, er, well I dropped a plastic
> lees stirrer into the depths of a barrel of wine. It's sitting at the
> bottom of the barrel and I'm trying to figure out if there's a way to
> get it out without racking all the wine. Any of you brainy
> engineering types have any ideas? It's about 2 feet long.

You could fish it out with a hook, tongs, grappling rod, or a miniature
scuba diver, but why bother? Plastic is relatively inert. Wait until you
have a better reason to rack, and meanwhile, use another piece of plastic.