Erlenmeyer flask on electric stove

scottaustin · 01-07-2008, 02:30 AM

Is it possible to boil a yeast starter on an electric range, I know gas is better but I can't do anything about it

**olllllo** · 01-07-2008, 02:33 AM

Yes.
qwerty

Buzzy · 01-07-2008, 02:40 AM

Just be sure to heat the water before adding the extract.

mr x · 01-07-2008, 08:58 AM

I boil my starters in an erlenmeyer on my glasstop. If using coil-type elements, you might want to use a wire spacer if using high heat.

chemist308 · 01-08-2008, 02:54 AM

The glass top acts as a hotplate if you have a ceramic glass stove. Otherwise you really should have a wire spacer even for a tempered glass. I may be an inexperienced home brewer, but I've worked with enough lab glassware to comment on this one...

**Bobby_M** · 01-08-2008, 03:35 AM

My big question is how you cool the wort in the flask. You certainly can't go from boiling to cold water bath or CRACK!

**olllllo** · 01-08-2008, 04:04 AM

Quote:

Provided borosilicate glass is not subjected to rapid change in temperature, creating undue thermal shock, it can be operated safely at temperatures up to 450°F (232°C). The normal limiting factor is actually the gasket material. The degree of thermal shock (usually defined as sudden chilling) which it can withstand depends on many factors, for example: stresses due to operating conditions; stresses imposed in supporting the equipment; the wall thickness of the glass, etc. It is therefore undesirable to give an overall figure but, as a general guide, sudden temperature changes of up to about 216°F (120°C) can be accommodated

http://www.pegasus-glass.com/pyrex.asp

scottaustin · 01-08-2008, 06:32 AM

I am leaning more towards a pot at this point as this is my first starter and I would like to avoid broken/scarred glass.

My plan was to use a coil element stove and dunk the flask in a sink full of ice

olllllo you seem to know about this stuff, do you use a similar method/equipment?

mr x · 01-08-2008, 09:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bobby_M

My big question is how you cool the wort in the flask. You certainly can't go from boiling to cold water bath or CRACK!

Borosilicate will handle quite a change. In the lab, I go from boiling to very cold water and never lost one vessel yet. But I'm a little more cautious with the 5l erlenmeyer I paid for

Funkenjaeger · 01-08-2008, 01:03 PM

I use my 1L Bomex borosilicate flask on my electric (coil element) stove all the time. Just make sure to put a spacer in there. I picked up a 2-pack of wire trivets/heat spreaders/whatever for $2, meant for coffee pots, at a local place. Previously, I thought I'd be smart and make my own out of some heavy-gauge bare copper wire, but that was a huge mess - it oxidized and got coated in this black ash that flakes off all over the place and makes a nice mess.

Cooling it is not that hard, I generally take it off the burner and let it sit on the stovetop for a few minutes, and then dunk it in some hot tap water for a minute or so, and then put it in cold water and start adding ice as needed. I wouldn't dunk it straight into ice water from the burner.