Yeast Starter - Right size container

BrewSwag 728
Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
L

Leadster

Member
Joined
Aug 31, 2010
Messages
19
Reaction score
0
Location
Rochester
I'm planning to purchase at least one erlenmeyer flask for yeast starters. It appears that it's best to use a flask that will provide some extra head space - about 25-30% of the flask.

Is there any problem using a flask that is too big for a starter? Example - a 2 liter starter in a 5L flask?
 
I wouldn't see a problem w/ too big of a starter flask. I have a 2000 ml and make 1000-1500 ml starters. If it's too small you will need to really watch it for boil overs.
 
If you can only get one size, go big. Small ones tend to be pretty cheap, though. Worst case, you can use a bomber for smaller sizes.
 
Leadster said:
I'm planning to purchase at least one erlenmeyer flask for yeast starters. It appears that it's best to use a flask that will provide some extra head space - about 25-30% of the flask.

Is there any problem using a flask that is too big for a starter? Example - a 2 liter starter in a 5L flask?
Click to expand...

You're fine. I heard from a brewer who works in a micro-bio lab that a starter without at least 50% headspace is wasting your time. I started doing my starters in gallon jugs instead of half-gallon growlers and there was a marked difference in yeast reproduction/activity.
 
Leadster said:
I'm planning to purchase at least one erlenmeyer flask for yeast starters. It appears that it's best to use a flask that will provide some extra head space - about 25-30% of the flask.

Is there any problem using a flask that is too big for a starter? Example - a 2 liter starter in a 5L flask?
Click to expand...

Go big if you haven't bought yet. I have 1L flasks, which are fine for medium gravity brews. I use a drop or two of fermcap in the starter to prevent boil over.

For high gravity or lagers, I use a $4 PETE jar.

Unless you want to boil the starter in the flask, gallon glass bottles are about $5 and would work great on a stir plate.
 
The only downside is you might have a hard time if your stir plate can't move the stir bar in the volume of liquid you have. This happened to a buddy of mine, but he was able to ramp up the voltage to get it to move by swapping the power supply.
 
Yeah I have to play with my stirplate's power supply with every starter because of the differences in liquid level.

I have a 2L and 1L but now I'm wishing I had skipped both those and gone with 5L from the beginning.
 
If you do lagers or plan on bigger batches (10 gallon or very high OG beers) get yourself a nice 4 or 5L flask.

I have 250, 500, 1L, 2L and 5L. I use the 250ml - 2L flasks for stepping up from frozen cultures and the 5L for fresh smackpacks or WL vials...

5L is borderline too small for my bigger batches (14-15 gallons) if they are high OG or hybrid/lagers.
 
Randar said:
If you do lagers or plan on bigger batches (10 gallon or very high OG beers) get yourself a nice 4 or 5L flask.

I have 250, 500, 1L, 2L and 5L. I use the 250ml - 2L flasks for stepping up from frozen cultures and the 5L for fresh smackpacks or WL vials...

5L is borderline too small for my bigger batches (14-15 gallons) if they are high OG or hybrid/lagers.
Click to expand...

What's your procedure on stepping it up. Do you pour all of one into the next, or do you chill and decant?
 
i'd say the bigger the flask, the better. i have a 2L erlenmeyer that i can do ~1.5L starters in, for the bigger starters, i use a gallon jug. shoulda bought the 5000ml flask instead of the 2000ml.
 

Similar threads

W
Maibock yeast instead of WPL833?
Replies
13
Views
808
Brooothru
Brooothru
Nagorg
Stir Bar Size for Maelstrom Stir Plate
Replies
17
Views
2K
wepeeler
wepeeler
x3la
1 pack of liquid yeast to create 2 starters
Replies
8
Views
1K
CascadesBrewer
CascadesBrewer
D
Advice/opinions on size of a yeast starter
Replies
3
Views
721
Dontdropthebeer
D
MajorJC
Harvesting yeast to freeze from overbuilt starters
Replies
3
Views
1K
MajorJC
MajorJC

Latest posts

Back
Top