LHBS doesn't carry drilled stopper for 2L erlenmeyer

And I need to make a starter for a brew this weekend. Suggestions? Should I just use aluminum foil over the top? Seems a bit iffy to me.

 

I've always just used foil on starters. Once it gets going the co2 blanket will protect the yeast from any critters in the air.

 

That settles it then. Thanks.

 

Foil is always best for starters. You want the oxygen to get in there, and just want to keep flying debris from getting in. Foil works.

 

Always been leary of foil, but you definitely want to allow for air in/CO2 out, so I rubber-band a thick sterile gauze pad over my flasks while they're in service. Single-use, obviously.

I've been thinking of getting some of these, which would seem to provide the best of all worlds, but the shipping costs are effin' ridiculous, so they'll have to wait until I come up with a bigger cart...

Cheers!

 

Helluva markup on a $0.80 piece (retail!)

MC

 

I haven't tried foil because I wouldn't want a fruit fly or something making it in. Yes/no?

 

Foil sprayed with StarSan. I've never had an issue with any critters getting into the flask.

 

Have you got a lot of fruit flies?

If you mold the foil over the mouth of the flask it would take an exceptional fruit fly to get in there.

I have used the foam stoppers and foil - no problems. a
Although once one foamed up and the dried krausen glued the foam to the glass. I had to spray Starsan to loosen the crud.

 

A lot? No, but I've seen a couple around so I wasn't sure. I will try your advice of molding the foil next time I do a starter.

 

Do they carry undrilled stoppers? If so, buy one, freeze it, then drill it yourself.

Good luck!

 

Are you putting an airlock on your flask? The reason most people (I may be wrong here) use foil is that we want the starter wort to have access to oxygen to get the cell walls of the yeast strong and ready to take on a more harsher environment. "Stuff" usually wont fall "up" into a starter flask, mostly down and the foil would protect that. If you (not you personally, but "you" collectively) have bugs that can have access to your starter wort and can get in I think you would have bigger problems than worrying about foil!

I leave the foil kind of loose, but covering the top completely, when the flask is on the stir plate as I want it to draw in oxygen. When I put in the refridgerator to crash cool, then I mold it around the top.