Erlenmeyer Flask Question

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michael.berta

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I'm thinking about getting Erlenmeyer flasks for making yeast starters. However my stove is ceramic. I've heard you can't use Erlenmeyer Flask's on ceramic. Has anyone tried it?
 
Gas is the way to go. Amazon has these puppies for $10 right now.

413TAKF1RPL._SS500_.jpg
 
I've only done one starter, but I boiled the DME in a pot and then poured it into the flask and it worked fine.
 
I boil it in the flask on an electric stove. If its a good flask, it should be no problem.

If its boiled in the flask, I am SURE its sanitized.

Before that, I sanitized a one gallon jug. I boiled the wort, cooled it some and poured it into the jug. Both work, but boiling it in the flask gives me that warm fuzzy feeling.

David
 
It's not the best Idea to boil DME in a Erlenmeyer flask, you tend to get a volcanic eruption when the boil starts.

I do it all the time with great results. I put a tiny about of defoam from 5 Star in the flask as it warms up. No boil overs, no mess.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D83VCUrJ9Aw&feature=channel]YouTube - Yeast Starters[/ame]
 
As long as your flask is made of borosilicate glass you shouldn't have a problem with heating it on a ceramic stove top. That's the way I prepare starters and I have never had a problem.
 
As long as your flask is made of borosilicate glass you shouldn't have a problem with heating it on a ceramic stove top. That's the way I prepare starters and I have never had a problem.

I'm not totally familiar with ceramic cook tops too. Are the like induction cook tops and you need a ferris metal to cook with, or dose it generate radiant heat like a conventional burner? if it works like a conventional burner, than goldenloafer is correct.
 
I just get a wire coat hanger, cut the hook part off and bend the rest into a "W" shape. Takes a few min's longer to boil, but I dont have to worry about my flask breaking from the red hot cook top.
 
I use my Erlenmeyer flask on my electric stove with an aluminum heat diffuser instead of putting the flask directly on the element, which evens out the heat being transferred to it.

I would imagine a ceramic stove top would have the same effect as the heat diffuser.

Also, as Ed said, use a de-foaming agent (I use Fermcap-S) to prevent boilovers. I just boiled 1900 ml in a 2000 ml flask with no boilover.

-Steve
 
OK thanks everyone. It sounds like gas is the way to go but if I have a high quality flask and watch for boil-overs I should be OK.
 
I use gas, and I would use a diffuser if using a ceramic cooktop (or the coat hanger idea) just in case. Also I'd like to mention that Pyrex lab glass is borosilicate, but pyrex cookware is no longer borosilicate glass and is instead a lesser grade of glass unfortunately.
 
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