Erlenmeyer Flask on an electric stove top?

Is it ok to use borosilicate glass on an electric burner? I know I could use my flask on a gas burner, but I'm not sure if that translates to the electric burner where a hot metal element is right up against the glass.
Thoughts?

use a trivet, but it should work. probably not the smartest thing you'll do all day. i got away with it.

I would put the flask in a pot with an inch or two of water.

The glass will tolerate the heat, but I've discovered that a household electric range is not responsive enough to finetune against boilovers, which are not the easiest to clean on the electric element and the whole range setup. i tried water bath but noticed that the water boils faster than the starter wort so it's difficult to maintain a wort boil. Of course both of these setbacks could be attributed to user error.

I take the starter out to the side burner of my grill, stirplate is on the upgrade list, hoping that is more responsive than the household range, if not, by then i'll just buy a larger flask.

It's fine. I set my burner to medium and boil in twenty minutes. I've done it dozens of times. If the flask can go from boiling straight to an ice bath, it can handle an electric range without problem.

What about an empty frying pan?
It would even out the heat and contain the inevitable boilover.

I gave up trying to boil starter wort in an Erlenmeyer.
Now I just boil water in the flask to sterilize the stir bar,
Then I fill with wort than is boiled in a separate pan.

HairyDogBrewing said:

I gave up trying to boil starter wort in an Erlenmeyer.

Click to expand...

I would too if I didn't have Defoamer 105 (or Fermcap-S).

Yes get defoamer or Fermcap. I finally picked some up and all is right in the world of boiling wort in an Erlenmeyer on the stove.

I have boiled in mine many times. Boil overs are nearly impossible to avoid. Also, the heat transfer rate of Pyrex blows. Just get a funnel and use a SS pot. You'll heat much faster, cool much faster, and not risk a volcano.

Same here I have a glass top electric stove and boil the starter in a pot and water in the flask then dump the water in a pyrex measuring cup and the starter in the flask and top off with the boiled water. Then I bring the flask with starter up just until it starts to boil then into a water bath. No more boil overs and no silicone in my beer

Good advice! Thankfully my first starter was just a 1q starter in a 2000ml flask. Whenever it started to rise I just picked it up off the element and it went down. Now that I moved to a house with only an electric range I'll be boiling my starter wort in a separate container.

Fermcap FTW!

If you need some in a hurry, go grab some Mylicon (liquid baby gas medicine). probably has some extraneous ingredients, but it's certainly considered food-safe.

To me, the electric burner isn't so much the problem as boiling with the flask inside is. You may have gotten away with the electric burner/stovetop so far, but there is always a risk the flask will crack on you and its best that you and the flask are outside when it does. You do not want a half gallon (or more) of boiling wort gushing down your stove and countertop. Nor do you want glass shrapnel scattering in your kitchen. If you are married your wife may be pissed.

I had a 5000ml erlenmeyer crack open from the bottom while boiling on a turkey fryer in the garage. I had used it fine 6 times before but strangely it cracked the only time I tried adding the DME before the water and the DME was not as well dissolved when it started boiling. That was mess enough but I was so glad it happened in the garage where I could hose it out.

Now i am pressure canning my starter wort instead of using erlenmeyers. I was able to borrow a pressure cooker from my mom. I feel that it saves time ( i can make 1 gallon of starter wort at a time for use any time in the future) and is more convenient.

Not that is helps your original question but I can my starter wort and then autoclave (pressure cooker with foil lid) the flask, this way I know nothing lives in my starter by my yeast.

Every time you introduce a step where air is getting in or a transfer takes place it is a chance for wee beasties to get in your starter. I know I'm paranoid but I hate wasting beer.

Clem

Does anyone boil with the flask on a glass topped electric range? I tried this the other day for the first time (using medium heat) and it worked fine. I know the flask can break at any time but it was just so darned convenient...

Not wanting to get all technical the problem is not the BTUs rather the point source of contact heat. Gas burners distribute the heat over the area the flame touches (about 1/2" sq) abut an electric stove could be only touching small amounts that would cause stress that could weaken the glass. I'm not saying it will break it just that is my guess why they say not to use electric stove elements.