1G Growler or 5L Flask

[Yesfan]

I brewed my first 10 gallon batch and I'm sure more will come for those brews I'd like to keep in rotation. I don't have a 5L flask, so I had to do a 2 step with my 2L.

I don't know if I used too much DME, but both steps had my flask overflowing on the stir plate. ON the second step, I washed/rinsed/sanitized a 1 gallon growler and just dumped everything into that. That was much better, but I had to go easy on the stir plate as the stir bar would throw a lot easier in the growler than in a flask.


Question I have is will a longer stir bar better or is it just a matter of easing back on the stir plate's throttle? I have the smaller ones with the center ridge in the middle and the ones without and can't tell a difference between the two in a growler.

Is a 5L flask worth it if I already have a gallon growler? I don't boil in the flask, so you can scratch that one off the advantage list.

 

[Singletrack]

It would be worth it to me. For 10 gal batches, bigger is better, and 5 liters is bigger than 1 gal. I do boil in the flask, so that made the decision easier for me. If you go with the flask, you may want to boil in it for convenience.

 

[MaxStout]

Even if you boil in another vessel, it's nice to have a borosilicate flask that you can pour the boiling hot wort directly into. Plunge the flask into an ice bath without worries of breakage. You can't do that with a growler.

 

[Yesfan]

I have a one gallon stock pot I use for my starter wort, so no worries about boil overs. It's small enough to fit in the sink for an ice bath. Once chilled, I pour it in my sanitized 2L flask and (recently) my 1 gallon growler. I can't boil in the flask as I have a glass top stove.


So is the extra liter of space with a 5L flask still worth shelling out $30+? That's what they're at least going for on Amazon.

 

[RTL]

I tried the growlers as well for awhile, the stir bar length is not the problem. From what I found the problem is that the bottom of the growler is domed so the stir bar is very unstable.

I usually do 2 starters side by side so I can start two different 10G batches fermenting all at once maximizing use of my fermentation chamber. This would mean two 5L flasks, but since they are kind of spendy I am currently using the 2G plastic buckets that the HBS sells for making 1G batches of beer or wine.

I do the same as you, boil the wort in a small pot chill, then transfer to the starter vessel. The bottom of the buckets isn't perfectly flat like a flask but there are flat spots that work well with the stir bar. Personally I plan on buying the flasks one day, but that's pretty far down a long list of things I want for the brewery. Hope that helps. I'll see if I have any pics of the buckets in action. I can run my stir plate at top speed and have a full vortex with 4L of starter.

 

[Dirty25]

I can't boil in the flask as I have a glass top stove

Why? I use my flasks on my glass stove top and never had an issue. I've heard you can't but I've had no negative side effects.

 

[Yesfan]

I tried the growlers as well for awhile, the stir bar length is not the problem. From what I found the problem is that the bottom of the growler is domed so the stir bar is very unstable.

I usually do 2 starters side by side so I can start two different 10G batches fermenting all at once maximizing use of my fermentation chamber. This would mean two 5L flasks, but since they are kind of spendy I am currently using the 2G plastic buckets that the HBS sells for making 1G batches of beer or wine.

I do the same as you, boil the wort in a small pot chill, then transfer to the starter vessel. The bottom of the buckets isn't perfectly flat like a flask but there are flat spots that work well with the stir bar. Personally I plan on buying the flasks one day, but that's pretty far down a long list of things I want for the brewery. Hope that helps. I'll see if I have any pics of the buckets in action. I can run my stir plate at top speed and have a full vortex with 4L of starter.

Never thought about a bucket. Yes, I would love to see a pic. Thanks.



Dirty25,

I always had the understanding the flasks had to be used on a gas stove. I don't know why and would like to know why glass top and coil top electric ranges aren't supposed to be use. Another reason is boil overs would be easier with how the top tapers. I don't have to worry about that with the 2 gallon kettle. I figured with the wider diameter and it being stainless, the kettle would cool faster too, but boil overs are the main reason.

 

[RTL]

Here's that pic, that's 4L of starter wort.

 

[dobes]

I use the one gallon growlers and if I off set the growler over my stir plate so the magnet is between the center and side I have no issue with the magnet coming off.

 

[Yesfan]

Here's that pic, that's 4L of starter wort.

Holy crap! I look at that pic and "Rock You Like a Hurricane" comes to mind. Is that a two gallon bucket?



I'll try that next time Dobes. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[Dog House Brew]

I do 16.5 gallon batches and have 2 5L and one 2L flasks. I used gallon jugs for a long time. I never had any trouble on my stir plates. You don't need to put these on stir plates for extended times. I've taken the advise of a yeast expert that said the vessel should be 4 times larger than your volume. This allows the amount of
O2 you need. I put mine on the stir plate until I see activity. Shake it and create all the foam you can. When I put it back on the stir plate it is only going fast enough to keep it in suspension. I've had great results. I actually think purchasing fresh yeast is the most important step. The growth rate is fast and strong. I think it stresses the yeast if it is on the plate for too long and if it is too strong causing shear stress. I do know my beers have really improved.

 

[RTL]

Duplicate post.

 

[RTL]

Duplicate post again app was acting up.

 

[RTL]

Yeah that's actually closer to 5L now that I think about it. I didn't account for the water I rehydrated the yeast in. It's a 2G bucket. I leave them on the plate for a maximum of 16hrs as recommended by Chris White. It's a 3300RPM fan going at full speed obviously doesn't run that fast with the resistance but it's fast nonetheless.

I personally have a hard time believing that the speed of the stir bar can stress yeast. The individual cells are so small and the concentration so diffuse relative to the medium I expect they rarely experience the full momentum transfer from the bar. That's just my thought though I have no data to back that up. I just know my starter worts taste good and so do the resulting beers fermented from the yeast. If the starter beer ever tasted bad I wouldn't pitch it and I'd start over.

No idea why the pic came out upside down sorry.

 

[nettekdl]

You can boil in a flask direct on a glass top electric range, I have made a few hundred starters doing so. I suggest a flask over a growler due to the resistance to thermal shock as well as 5l is simply pretty much another 1.25 liters of room and more room is always better then less

 

[RM-MN]

You can use the growler without a stir plate if you are willing to shake it occasionally and wait a bit longer for the yeast to grow. http://www.woodlandbrew.com/2015/02/yeast-starters-stirred-vs-not.html