Foam Stoppers or Foil?

Which do you prefer for your stir-plate starters, foam stoppers or foil?

Foil, ftw.

foil all the way

If fruit flies are an issue, foam. If not, foil. Even if I'm autoclaving with a foam stopper, I'll cap it all with foil for the autoclaving and storage till needed. This way it'll stay sterile for months until needed.

Which of the two allows the most O2 to enter the flask?

Pelikan said:

Which of the two allows the most O2 to enter the flask?

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Foil, and that's why it's better.

I'm so foil... Foam stoppers do not allow me to flame the top of the flask. Foam doesn't like fire, yet foil is very well suited for the process, in fact, foil loves to be flamed.... sometimes I flame my foil just for fun... several times a day when the SWMBO isn't home

Foil....ftw!

Joe Camel said:

If fruit flies are an issue, foam.

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+1

Nothin' like wondering why your starter is so cloudy and peeling the foil off to find a few fruit flies on it, including one or two that made it to the starter wort.

Foil.... There is no pressure w/ foil

foil - but just because I am cheap

FireBrewer said:

+1

Nothin' like wondering why your starter is so cloudy and peeling the foil off to find a few fruit flies on it, including one or two that made it to the starter wort.

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How prevalent is the fly issue? Any way of avoiding it when using foil?

Joe Camel said:

If fruit flies are an issue, foam. If not, foil.

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THIS. Fruit flies carry acetobacter on their bodies, a well-known beer spoilage organism. Use discretion. I'm pretty good about getting rid of fruit before the Drosophila show up, but they show up occasionally in the summer months.

I use foil. I've never had flies get in my starter wort, but that would sure bug me. Maybe I'll start tying a bit of cheese cloth over the foil to avoid that.

So I suppose all this begs the question: has anyone noticed a quantifiable difference between foam stoppers and foil in terms of cell counts?

sorry for sounding stupid, but I'm dying to know what the heck we're talking about. "starter wort" ?? Are y'all speaking of yeast starters? I use those funky upside-down funnel flasks (like in the labs) with airlocks and bungs. My flasks are 2L in size, and I have two (expect to get another soon). If thats not what this is about, then just what am I missing out on??

Just to be different, an inverted jam/mason jar so SWMBO can't use the last of the foil just before I need it.

-a.

Seabee John said:

I'm so foil... Foam stoppers do not allow me to flame the top of the flask. Foam doesn't like fire, yet foil is very well suited for the process, in fact, foil loves to be flamed.... sometimes I flame my foil just for fun... several times a day when the SWMBO isn't home

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So you're a flamer, eh?

Nightbiker said:

sorry for sounding stupid, but I'm dying to know what the heck we're talking about. "starter wort" ?? Are y'all speaking of yeast starters? I use those funky upside-down funnel flasks (like in the labs) with airlocks and bungs. My flasks are 2L in size, and I have two (expect to get another soon). If thats not what this is about, then just what am I missing out on??

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You're correct, this is about making starters. Instead of using a bung and an airlock, people here are talking about using a foil cap or a plug of urethane mattress foam. Both of these allows air exchange in and out of the flask. The benefit of this over an airlock is aeration, the yeast can have access to oxygen throughout the starter process and grow healthier and faster. The end result is you're pitching not only more yeast but happier yeast.

To cap with foil, take a 6" square of foil, centre it on the flask mouth and press down to form an upside down cup. then pull the sides out a bit so it sits loosely. This keeps bacteria and things floating in the air out while allowing gas exchange.

Cheers

Nightbiker said:

sorry for sounding stupid, but I'm dying to know what the heck we're talking about. "starter wort" ?? Are y'all speaking of yeast starters? I use those funky upside-down funnel flasks (like in the labs) with airlocks and bungs. My flasks are 2L in size, and I have two (expect to get another soon). If thats not what this is about, then just what am I missing out on??

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Yes. Yeast starter.

Sometimes I use an Erlenmeyer flask (the funky upside-down funnel flask), but more often than not I use a glass gallon bottle.

eddie said:

So you're a flamer, eh?

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Damn!....bit by my own words!.... that's damn funny

Well, I suppose I'll be using foil next time around. I might rig up some type of mesh to keep the bugs out.

thanks! Glad I stumbled on the thread. I'll try the foil method -I want happier yeast as well (grin). I live in Florida, so I'll take a leaf from Pelikan and put a mesh over the whole shebang to make sure the bugs keep their distance.