Why an Erlenmayer Flask?

Thurston Brewer

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Just curious... I use a reclaimed pickle jar for my starters. What's so magic about a fancy-dancy flask?
 
the flasks are mainly because they are shatter proof under any heat or cold and something thats been around in the medical field for decades if not longer, you can put one on a flame and boil as well as freeze and it wont shatter, no other real benefit
 
Bottom's flat. The stir plate and bar work better on the flat surface. They're heat-proof as well - I boil my starters directly on the stove in the flask. Otherwise, well, that's about it, apart from them looking cool spinning on the kitchen counter.
 
My local home brew store also sells these little 500ml jars which are made of same type glass with incremental measurements up the side I use these for storing my yeasties I can boil the jar to sanitize and cool it and seal my yeasties in it.

I boil my starters directly in my flasks on my camp stove I've also got two a 1 liter good for ale starter and a 3 liter that I use for the lager starters.

If ya gunna do it get the right tools for job I say
 
i have even gone as dodgy as using 2 l milk bottles for starters ... i did run hydrogen peroxide through them first after thorough washing .
there's a shaken not stirred starter method that i have found to work just fine , highly aerated wort and it's set and forget
 
That's my plan for now - simple and easy. Just a pickle jar and the occasional shake 'n' swirl.
 
When I first started out home brewing I didn't make starter let alone know about attenuation and floculation or what type of strain of yeast I was using I just pealed the yeast pack,off of the lid of the coopers can I was using to brew pitched em in.
Now I look back at them days and most all fermentations went smoothly as far as I remember but I think there is no reason not to build up a nice healthy population of happy yeasts ready to party in your wort:). Weather it's shaken or stired I recon your winning already.

1 your testing the yeasts viability in a small scale fermentation.
2 theoretically your doubling yeast numbers and therefore reducing lag time and so one infection risk.
3 through overbuilding starters on an low OG wort you can harvest some more yeast for next batch.

So this is my reason to get a starter cranking for every batch even with a fresh dry yeast pack I'll get a starter going and reserve some for next brew.
 

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