2L Erlenmeyer flask from Midwest Brewing quality?

[Daniel82]

Looking to purchase a 2L flask for starters and I like the price of the ones they offer at Midwest brewing. They have a disclaimer on the bottom which I know is a common concern when heating up flasks on electric stove tops. I have read where you can purchase a separator coil for use when heating coffee pots and such on electric coils. I just want to make sure that if I purchase this flask I can find a way to use it in my apartment for making starters. Thanks.

 

[Seven]

I found boiling in the flask to be a pain in the ...

Instead I boil the water for 10-minutes in a small pot with a cover, add the DME to the boiling water and get it all stirred and dissolved, then pour the boiled wort into the flask using a funnel.

Remember to sanitize everything that will come into contact with the wort and watch out for boilovers.

This works very well.

 

[samc]

Safer way is to put flask into a pot with some water that you boil so the flask is not contacting electric burner or trivet.

However like SEVEN I boil in a SS pot (Big pot for 4L starter) and then pour into flask that is sitting in my sink. Safer, if the darn thing breaks it is all contained in the sink. The flask has been washed and StarSan sanitized so no worries about infection issues. You also avoid the volcano boil-overs that some have experienced in a flask.

 

[ultravista]

In my opinion ...

By a Pyrex (or equivalent) glassware. You can find discount labware for nearly the same price. Pyrex reigns supreme and will last a long time.

For example, Wards Scientific has the 2000ml Pyrex Erlenmeyer Flask for $20.60.

http://wardsci.com/product.asp?pn=IG0009345

 

[Daniel82]

Thanks for all your suggestions. I think I will purchase the yeast starter kit from midwest supplies with the 2L that goes for $22. I will probably make the wort in a seperate pan and then transfer to the flask. I may upgrade to pyrex when I move out of this apartment and get a better oven to work with. Thanks for your help this site is one of the best I've seen anywhere for getting good information fast.

 

[ChuckO]

"Pyrex" is a brand name for some glassware. No matter what the brand is, you want a borosilicate glass. Borosilicate glass is less susceptible to thermal shock than soda glass.

When buying from a scientific glass suppler you should investigate the differences between "student" grade and "laboratory" or "research" grade.

 

[BrewThruYou]

In my opinion ...

By a Pyrex (or equivalent) glassware. You can find discount labware for nearly the same price. Pyrex reigns supreme and will last a long time.

I agree. I ordered a 2L flask from a sponsor vendor and I'm disappointed in the quality. There's some imperfections on the bottom that makes the stir bar use noisy, the 2L mark is near the middle of the flask (making it 2.5L filled all the way up), etc.

If I were to do it again, I'd order a name-brand flask like Kimax, Bomax, or maybe Pyrex.