Erlenmeyer flask size?

[ChrisPDuck]

Hi all
Planning to get a Erlenmeyer flask to start making starters.
Have found a nice 6000ml one for £30 which I assume is plenty big enough for anything I’ll ever make including good head room.
However is there a down side of going too big?

Additional starter related questions, how long can I keep a starter in the fridge?

 

[Bigcol49]

Hi!
I find that 3 litres is plenty big enough.
https://www.creamsupplies.co.uk/glass-conical-flask-3000ml-be

If you want a bigger one, they do a 5 litre version.
https://www.creamsupplies.co.uk/glass-conical-flask-5000ml-be

 

[Clint]

Since when has 5 been bigger than 6?

 

[Ghillie]

What I can tell you is that 2L is too small.

I've only made one starter and it was for a 1.060 beer. I managed that at 59% viability in a 2L flask no problem.

I had planned a DIPA for the next brew and thought I'd use the same yeast, but sadly I'd have to do a stepped starter which I'm not going to do because I'm lazy and that would take ages.

Go for 3 litres minimum just in case you ever fancy making a big beer. If I had a 3L flask then I could have made the starter for that big beer without needing to do an extra step, damn!

 

[BeerCat]

I bought 2 of the 5000l flasks as above for less than 30 quid delivered. It's a decent size and great value.

 

[Bigcol49]

Since when has 5 been bigger than 6?

Hi!
I'm sorry, but your reply makes no sense to me.

 

[Ghillie]

I bought 2 of the 500l flasks as above for less than 30 quid delivered. It's a decent size and great value.

That's some size min!

 

[Bigcol49]

I bought 2 of the 500l flasks as above for less than 30 quid delivered. It's a decent size and great value.

OMG! How do you store them?

 

[Clint]

Ah sorry you refer to your own reference in your own post...not to the OP...
Accept my apologies...
I've only had one...honestly!

 

[ChrisPDuck]

Hi!
I find that 3 litres is plenty big enough.
https://www.creamsupplies.co.uk/glass-conical-flask-3000ml-be

If you want a bigger one, they do a 5 litre version.
https://www.creamsupplies.co.uk/glass-conical-flask-5000ml-be

Perfect, thanks for the guidance and the link

 

[Godfather50]

I use a 5 litre demijon. Much cheaper.

 

[AdeDunn]

I have 2, a 2 litre one for making small viability starters for small volume brews (single use, as in all of the yeast is going into the 1 14 litre brew), and I have a 3 litre one for when I overbuild a starter so I have enough yeast for both the brew I am about to do (still 14 litres, as that's how I like to brew) and future brews. Why? Because a 2 litre flask is much easier to handle, and my stir plate copes with it better than the 3 litre, so if I can get away without using the bigger one I do.

Another option I read about was to use a 5 litre screw capped container, that can tolerate been sterilised, as then you can do a full on shake starter, where you shake the living heck out of the wort to the point where you have almost pure foam in the container, pitch the yeast, and leave it be until pitching time, when you pitch the whole lot. The guy who came up with it called it something like shaken not stirred (if you Google yeast starter shaken not stirred, you should find it), with the theory that stir plates stress yeast due to shearing stress...

Me, I use my stir plate, set to just a small dimple in the starter, and haven't had a nasty smelling starter yet (yeah, you got me, only actually done it twice.... Neither smelled bad though. lmao).

 

[MyQul]

OMG! How do you store them?

On the weekend he hires the stir plate out to the local fun fair - they use it as a waltzers

 

[foxbat]

Here's my family:

From the left:

500ml for first stage bottle culturing.
2000ml for 1 litre ale starters
3000ml for 1.5 - 2 litre ale / first stage lager starters
5000ml for big late stage lager starters

 

[Bigcol49]

I bought 2 of the 5000l flasks as above for less than 30 quid delivered. It's a decent size and great value.

Hi!
Sorry, @BeerCat you've made it even bigger!

 

[xozzx]

If you want a bigger one, they do a 5 litre version.
https://www.creamsupplies.co.uk/glass-conical-flask-5000ml-be

Wish I'd seen that before! I bought a 5L one for about £40, that was the cheapest I could find! I use mine directly on the gas hob without any issues, it is also boro 3.3 ... I wonder if this one really is, it is much cheaper than any other ones out there.

 

[Bigcol49]

I use mine directly on the gas hob without any issues

Hi!
I think Cream Supplies recommend using a gauze between the glass and flame.

 

[BeerCat]

LOl

Wish I'd seen that before! I bought a 5L one for about £40, that was the cheapest I could find! I use mine directly on the gas hob without any issues, it is also boro 3.3 ... I wonder if this one really is, it is much cheaper than any other ones out there.

I thought that too but for the price I can't complain as I don't even have gas. When I was first looking cheapest I found was £50. Your cat reminds me of one we used to have, it's uncanny.

 

[xozzx]

I thought that too but for the price I can't complain as I don't even have gas. When I was first looking cheapest I found was £50. Your cat reminds me of one we used to have, it's uncanny.

I just read the description -

• Heat vessels gently and gradually to avoid breakage by thermal shock. Similarly, allow hot glassware to cool gradually and in a location away from cold draughts.

• So it is not really Boro 3.3, boro 3.3 does not suffer from thermal shock, I heat mine directly on the gas hob then after 15 minutes move it directly to the sink filled with cold water. Looking back mine was actually £50 but is real boro 3.3, this chinese made one for £12 is really just a glass flask.
  
  When the stove is lit my cat becomes half cat, half stove. I sometimes have to check he is still alive...

 

[foxbat]

I wonder if this one really is, it is much cheaper than any other ones out there.

It happily goes from holding cold starsan to receiving a pan of boiling wort without

I just read the description -

• 
  
  
  • Heat vessels gently and gradually to avoid breakage by thermal shock. Similarly, allow hot glassware to cool gradually and in a location away from cold draughts.

• So it is not really Boro 3.3, boro 3.3 does not suffer from thermal shock, I heat mine directly on the gas hob then after 15 minutes move it directly to the sink filled with cold water. Looking back mine was actually £50 but is real boro 3.3, this chinese made one for £12 is really just a glass flask.
  
  When the stove is lit my cat becomes half cat, half stove. I sometimes have to check he is still alive...

I think that quote is just an abundance of caution. I pour boiling wort directly into the flask that's been soaking in cold starsan then I dunk the hot flask into the coldest water bath I can prepare. This would shatter ordinary glass (as I have done with a Kilner jar!)