2 quick questions for a snow bound brew day

[kjm13]

Hi Everyone,
Since I am stuck in the house for the weekend, and they canceled EBF NOTB, I decided to make beer.

I have 2 quick questions. The first one may sound a little silly but; I'm making a yeast starter tonight, and I don't have any mason jars. Can I use a 1gal growler for a 2.5L starter? I'm assuming there isn't a head space issue or anything like that but you know what happens when you assume...

2nd; I'm planing on trying some acid malt to adjust my mash pH. I have seen that I can expect that acid malt added at 1% of the grain bill will lower the pH by 0.1%. So I am going to go with that. I have also seen that I have to take the pH reading at room temp. So - the question is how can I do that if the only way I can check is after I add the strike water to the grain? Do I just mash for a few minutes then try and rapidly cool a small sample, then once I figure how much acid malt I need to add, then start the mash clock? Then do I risk the mash going for too long? (is there such a thing as too long of a mash?)

Any and all advice / comments are appreciated!
thanks!

 

[Captain Damage]

Can I use a 1gal growler for a 2.5L starter?

You can use anything you can sanitize.

2nd; I'm planing on trying some acid malt to adjust my mash pH. I have seen that I can expect that acid malt added at 1% of the grain bill will lower the pH by 0.1%. So I am going to go with that. I have also seen that I have to take the pH reading at room temp. So - the question is how can I do that if the only way I can check is after I add the strike water to the grain? Do I just mash for a few minutes then try and rapidly cool a small sample, then once I figure how much acid malt I need to add, then start the mash clock? Then do I risk the mash going for too long? (is there such a thing as too long of a mash?)

I recently heard a prominent award winning brewer on some podcast or another recommend using a metal measuring spoon (1/4 tsp or so) to take your pH sample and touching it to an ice cube for a couple of seconds to quickly bring the temperature down.

 

[kjm13]

I never in a million years have thought of that... But makes perfect sense. Thanks for the tip!
BTW - Your beer names are awesome!!
Your in Lowell... heard of Do Can brewery?