Boiling flasks indoors without a gas range/stove

[emjay]

I moved last year to a place where I no longer have a gas stove, which is what I used to boil the starter in my Erlenmeyer flask with. I never had a problem setting it on the 18,000BTU (indoor) element and then transferring it straight to an ice bath. But I've seen a lot of flasks break on electric stove tops - and heard about many more incidents) so I'm wary about just doing it like that. But even if I still had a gas stove, I wouldn't want to use it unless I had no other options; I had used it before when (and BECAUSE) I brewed in the kitchen, but now that I'm putting together a dedicated brew room in the basement, I would likewise like to make the starters in the same room that I will be brewing in.

So I'm wondering if there's something (like perhaps some small, single heating element) that is safe for heating borosilicate glass. Is there perhaps a method or equipment that is used in commercial or (especially) school labs that is used for this purpose, without risk of breaking a structurally "uncompromised" flask, maybe something using one of those standalone induction units?

As you might be able to tell, I'm a bit anal about things like this... transferring to a flask only AFTER heating the wort in a separate vessel is pretty much out of the question for me. I thought about using a pressure cooker as an autoclave of sorts, which actually would have been extremely ideal, if not for the fact that my 5L flask is just way too large to fit in any pressure cooker I've ever come across...

So yeah, if possible, please share any info on very low risk equipment and/or method(s) you might use if you happen to repeatedly boil/sterilize starter wort IN a borosilicate (Pyrex) flask, *indoors* (preferably in a basement), without using a large multi-element stovetop like you'd normally see in kitchens. I am open to any suggestions, as my OCD-ishness will likely cause my brain to implode if a solution isn't found by the time the brewery is otherwise complete.

Edit: My brewstand is similar to Kal's setup, with the heating elements for brewing mounted inside the HLT and BK, and perhaps more importantly, a similar 6-foot wide stainless ventilation hood that's somewhat stronger, using an 8" fan/ducts for an airflow rating of roughly 850 cfm)... if that makes any difference at all towards a solution to this problem.

Danke for reading. Or even just clicking on this thread for those of you who likely tl;dr'd this post.

 

[ArcaneXor]

Here is what I do:

I boil the H2O in the microwave and pour it into the flask containing the correct amount of DME. I place the flask into a small pot and maintain the boil for 10 minutes that way. The pot basically acts as a heat spreader so that the bottom of the flask is heated more uniformly compared to placing it directly onto the coils.

The advantage of heating the water in the microwave is that the process is MUCH faster, and less heat input is required to maintain a boil as opposed to heating water from room temperature.

 

[RoundKid]

Use a double boiler method. Put your flask in a pot with water in it and then put that on the stove (or single electric burner). That will protect your flask from uneven heating.

 

[suprchunk]

I use my Bunsen burner. And if I can't find where I set that, I use my propane camping stove that screws on the top of the little propane bottle.

 

[emjay]

I use my Bunsen burner. And if I can't find where I set that, I use my propane camping stove that screws on the top of the little propane bottle.

I guess bunsen burners would be the obvious choice for laboratory equipment, but are they safe to use in an enclosed basement? Ditto with the camping stove...

I do have the condensate hood which can technically move enough air to turnover the entire room in under 2 seconds (and can open a window for the make-up air), but if I got a bunsen burner it wouldn't be possible to place it under the hood - it would have to be on the other side of the room by the window. Is that sufficient for indoor use? As you can see, I may be a bit paranoid about using a combustible heat source in a random enclosed room, though considering where they are typically used I guess it doesn't really make sense.

So... are portable bunsen burners widely available? And would they use the same fuel tanks as camping stoves or is it something I need to buy from a lab supplier?

 

[Pratzie]

How big is ur flask? Would the entire thing fit inside ur microwave? If it does, thats one way to go.

Or...

I've used the outdoor burner on my grill a few times. I was wearing of putting the flask on my electric range so I put it on the warmer I have on the side of my grill. Not very good BTU's so it took a little while to get 2L's going in 40 degree temps in the winter. But it did work.

 

[suprchunk]

I guess bunsen burners would be the obvious choice for laboratory equipment, but are they safe to use in an enclosed basement? Ditto with the camping stove...

I do have the condensate hood which can technically move enough air to turnover the entire room in under 2 seconds (and can open a window for the make-up air), but if I got a bunsen burner it wouldn't be possible to place it under the hood - it would have to be on the other side of the room by the window. Is that sufficient for indoor use? As you can see, I may be a bit paranoid about using a combustible heat source in a random enclosed room, though considering where they are typically used I guess it doesn't really make sense.

So... are portable bunsen burners widely available? And would they use the same fuel tanks as camping stoves or is it something I need to buy from a lab supplier?

The camping stove might be riskier, but unless you are trying to boil for hours, I wouldn't be worried.

I have THIS butane burner that I mostly use. It is usually sold as a table lighter for cigars, or a burner for vacuum coffee pots. Not sure how much CO either of these put out, but it's not like using a propane turkey fryer inside. So I'm sure it is negligible (but you might want to consult someone that actually knows something about it). And I have not had any problems using them in my enclosed kitchen with no way to exhaust the fumes.

How much does NG produce? Butane should be pretty clean burning, I would hope. Plus, I'm only boiling my starters for a few minutes at a time.

 

[suprchunk]

How big is ur flask? Would the entire thing fit inside ur microwave? If it does, thats one way to go.

I've done this. The boilover inside the microwave is big and fast. You have to throttle it constantly. Of course this is only if you are microwaving the entire starter and not just the water. But then why would you do that?

 

[estricklin]

I use my electric range and have never had any problems with glass breaking. If Pyrex can withstand a 500 degree oven I don't see why boiling water would be a big deal so I never worried about it.

I think the amount of CO from that small portable burner would be pretty small, especially with your ventilation.