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Message |
    
Chad Dickinson
Intermediate Member
Username: Icehouse
Post Number: 324
Registered: 02-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 06, 2004 - 12:42 pm: | 
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How frustrating. I just looked at my starter from a couple of days ago, and noticed my flask is cracked at the bottom, and I have a very slow leak out. VERY slow. The crack does extend along the length of the bottom. Do you guys think its safe to use the starter? I was planning on brewing a pumpkin ale today. I am only concerned about infection. |
David S.
Member
Username: Dsundberg
Post Number: 153
Registered: 04-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 06, 2004 - 12:49 pm: |
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I would be more concerned about pieces of glass in the starter. |
Brandon Dachel
Senior Member
Username: Brandon
Post Number: 1235
Registered: 03-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 06, 2004 - 01:14 pm: |
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I wouldn't worry about it.
...and the answer is none. None more black.
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Bill Pierce
Moderator
Username: Billpierce
Post Number: 751
Registered: 01-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 06, 2004 - 01:33 pm: |
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RDWHAHB, but definitely discard the flask after pitching the starter. |
ScottDeW
Member
Username: Scott
Post Number: 164
Registered: 03-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 06, 2004 - 01:35 pm: |
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I'd use it, but I'd pick it up with the help of a spatula...
Scott
http://texanbrew.com
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Chad Dickinson
Intermediate Member
Username: Icehouse
Post Number: 325
Registered: 02-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 06, 2004 - 02:38 pm: |
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This is the second flask I've lost this way. I have an electric stove, where I'm doing my starters. I think somehow I'm cracking them while they are cooking on the stove. I'm gonna try a bunson burner next time. At 25 bucks a pop, I can't afford to buy one once a year! |
Bill Pierce
Moderator
Username: Billpierce
Post Number: 754
Registered: 01-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 06, 2004 - 02:41 pm: |
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Chad, you should make a simple trivet from a piece of coat hanger wire and place it between the electric burner element and the bottom of the flask. This should greatly minimize cracking of the glass and increase its life. |
Vance Barnes
Senior Member
Username: Vancebarnes
Post Number: 1079
Registered: 03-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 06, 2004 - 03:00 pm: |
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What Bill sez. You are definately cracking them by setting it directly on an electric eye. Just bend a piece of coathanger wire into a triangle that fits under the flask. |
Paul Edwards
Intermediate Member
Username: Pedwards
Post Number: 459
Registered: 03-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 06, 2004 - 03:06 pm: |
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And don't take the flask directly from a burner of any sort to plunge it into a cooling bath. Even tho the flask is pyrex or kimex, you need to let it set on a potholder or the like for a minute or two before doing that... |
David S.
Member
Username: Dsundberg
Post Number: 157
Registered: 04-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 06, 2004 - 03:22 pm: |
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Have you ever considered boiling your wort in a small pot and transferring to a 1 gallon, sanitized jug? They're free. |
Vance Barnes
Senior Member
Username: Vancebarnes
Post Number: 1084
Registered: 03-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 06, 2004 - 05:48 pm: |
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Have you ever considered boiling your wort in a small pot and transferring to a 1 gallon, sanitized jug?
Quick way to make a big mess unless you let the wort cool in the pot for a while first. I got tired of boiling over in a flask so that's basically what I do with a flask. They CAN take boiling temps that quickly as long as the flask is at room temps and not cold. |
George Schmidt
Member
Username: Gschmidt
Post Number: 154
Registered: 08-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 06, 2004 - 07:43 pm: |
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I've got an erlenmyer flask, but I've almost stopped using it in favor of a quart canning jar. They're made to take the heat. I just boil them in the microwave to sanitize them, then pour in the wort from one of the pint jars I pressure can it in. I started using the jar when I was experimenting with open starter fermentation and stuck with it because it was lots easier than the erlenmeyer.
Be wary of strong drink. It can make you shoot at tax collectors -- and miss. ~~Robert A. Heinlein: The Notebooks of Lazarus Long
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Denny Conn
Senior Member
Username: Denny
Post Number: 3647
Registered: 01-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 06, 2004 - 08:18 pm: |
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I boil in a pot, cool in a pot, then pour into a flask with a sanitized funnel.
LIfe begins at 60...1.060, that is.
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Geoff Buschur
Member
Username: Avmech
Post Number: 175
Registered: 06-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 06, 2004 - 08:22 pm: |
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I do the same as Denny, except I use a gallon growler. |
Denny Conn
Senior Member
Username: Denny
Post Number: 3648
Registered: 01-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 06, 2004 - 08:54 pm: |
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Yeah, flask, jug, whatever...I use flasks for smaller amounts and a gal. glass jug for starting a tube in 1/2 gal. of wort.
LIfe begins at 60...1.060, that is.
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Ken Anderson
Intermediate Member
Username: Ken75
Post Number: 421
Registered: 11-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 06, 2004 - 09:17 pm: |
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Better yet, I boil in a pot, and while that's under way, I put a one gallon jug in the oven and set it to well, ideally 212F. When the starter is ready I transfer it to the hot jug, put on an airlock, and pop an iodophorized  cotton ball in it. Any air that gets sucked in during cooling is sterile. Voila! A sterile starter! |
Jeffery Swearengin
Intermediate Member
Username: Beertracker
Post Number: 475
Registered: 03-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 06, 2004 - 09:20 pm: |
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Your starter should be just fine, but I'd replace the flask ASAP. 
CHEERS! Beertracker
"From man's sweat and God's love, beer came into the world." ~ Saint Arnold of Metz (580-640) - Patron Saint of Brewers
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Brandon Dachel
Senior Member
Username: Brandon
Post Number: 1238
Registered: 03-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, October 07, 2004 - 12:32 pm: |
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> Quick way to make a big mess unless you let the
> wort cool in the pot for a while first
I'm fairly certain that was assumed.
...and the answer is none. None more black.
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David S.
Member
Username: Dsundberg
Post Number: 158
Registered: 04-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, October 07, 2004 - 12:59 pm: |
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Yes, I am cooling the wort before pouring it into the gallon jug. The flask does sound nice in that you only have one thing to sanitize/clean. |
Paul Edwards
Intermediate Member
Username: Pedwards
Post Number: 463
Registered: 03-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, October 07, 2004 - 01:39 pm: |
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Ken,
Air sucked thru the iodophor-soaked cotton ball isn't likely sterilized. |
Ken Anderson
Intermediate Member
Username: Ken75
Post Number: 424
Registered: 11-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, October 07, 2004 - 04:21 pm: |
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I've used the cotton trick successfully with a mason jar, when I was making sterile rye grain medium for mushroom mycelium culture. Poked a small hole in the lid, epoxied a 1/4 inch diameter by 3/8 inch tall stub of tubing on it, stuffed it with cotton and pressure cooked it. My understanding is that the cotton fibers create what's know as a treacherous path (no kidding) for any incoming organism. Basically, they bump into a filament and get stuck. |
Steve Jones
Junior Member
Username: Stevej
Post Number: 61
Registered: 08-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, October 07, 2004 - 05:07 pm: |
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Chad,
25 bucks is a lot for a flask. Check out Cynmar - here is a 2L for 13.80
http://www.cynmar.com/product_info.php?cPath=187_188_77&products_id=4660
I use these exclusively, boiling 2 oz DME in 1L water on a gas stove with a piece of aluminum foil on top and wrapped over the sides a few inches. when finished, I slip a rubber band over the foil, then put it into a sink of cold water to chill - about 10 minutes at most. some of my flasks are several years old - never had a crack yet (knock on wood).
Steve
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Brews and Views Archive 2004 
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