Best 5000ml flask
 

Any suggestions on who sells the best quality/strongest 5000ml flask. My lager recipes call for 396billion cells so I need at least a 4000ml flask. But online stores only sell 5000ml. Prices vary between Morebeer, NB, etc. Any suggestions on the best 5000ml flask for the money? Thanks.

This is what i was staring at yesterday:
http://www.amazon.com/MHB-LB39-5000-5000ml-Erlenmeyer-Flask/dp/B0021HESBM/ref=sr_1_1?s=industrial&ie=UTF8&qid=1353350245&sr= 1-1&keywords=5000+ml+erlenmeyer+flask

I am sure there may be better deals out there

Cheers

I did too but Morebeer has them for $39 w/ free shipping. Problem is they clearly say they are student grade with potential flaws. I don't want those flaws to increase the likelihood of broken glass in my kitchen. I am not saying there isn't risks with any flask but I am wondering if one company has better quality.

How big of a batch are you making?
5.25 gallon batch using a stir plate if you used 2 vials of the lager yeast in your starter you could get away with 2 Liters of pitched yeast.

Do you need a larger stir plate if you go with a much larger flask?

No, NB said that the vortex stir plate, which I have, can handle a 5000ml flask. So you are saying that mix water and DME like I were making a 2L starter but instead of pitching in one smack pack to pitch in 2 smack packs?

I used the mr matly calculator. http:
Depends on the OG, but for a 5.25 gallon batch @ OG 1.06, it says if you use 2 vials of yeast you can yield 438 billion cells with a 1.82L starter

A BIG factor is the production date/viability of the yeast vial you receive.
An older vial (90 days) will require a larger starter to help multiply the viable cells

Ok, but has anyone bought a 5L flask from an online site that they have really had a good experience with? Used dozens of times with no issues?

I have also read to recommended processes - boiling water in a pot and then use a funnel to pour in the flask or fill a pot with water and heat up the liquid in the flask that way. I have an induction cooktop so I can't direct cook.

A $5 growler from your LHBS works great and is far cheaper and more compact in size. The disadvantage is you can't apply direct heat (a 2-gal pot is better anyway) and you may not be able to run full-speed since the bottoms aren't the flattest.

Since you're not going to be boiling in a flask (heat in a separate pot and transfer to a flask when cooled a bit) A "Student grade flask" should be fine. If you have a few days I would use 1 vial of yeast and make a 1.5L starter, cold crash, decant, and make another 2L starter using the yeast from the 1st batch. With a 2 month old yeast you would still have your needed yeast count.

I use the cheap 1 gallon glass jugs with my stirplate. It has a convex bottom, but it has yet to throw a stirbar.