Can I make a 1 liter starter in a 1 liter flask?

[Calichusetts]

Whoops! Just bought a stir plate, the whole 9 yards. Mistakenly bought a 1 liter flask. Can I make a 1 liter starter in it with the stir plate on the whole time? Searched and searched but could not find any info other than most use a 2 liter flask.

 

[Gentlemans_Ale]

I had to make a 3L starter with a 2L flask so I made 2L, decanted after a few days and put more wort in for a second round. Turned out great.

 

[bd2xu]

Yes! But only if you use something called fermcap-s. It's basically foodgrade liquid silicone, only one drop per gallon in your starter wort boil, so almost always just one drop. I have filled up my 2L flask to The base of the neck and fermented a huge amount of yeast, without foaming over, but fermcap-s is the key.

 

[kh54s10]

There is some space above the 1 liter mark for foaming. You will get a lot less that with a normal beer. Use a sanitized piece of foil over the top. If you do get blow off, not much worry.

Another route to go would be a stepped starter, it takes more time but it will work in the 1 liter flask.

Check this site for information:http://www.yeastcalc.co/homebrew-calculators

 

[Hello]

Yes. A step up starter will certainly work but you'll need a bit more time for cold crashing and decanting. What stir plate did you get?

 

[bd2xu]

With a 1L flask you will have to do more steps like described above. Basically make a starter, chill it, decant it, pitch another starter on top of it etc.

 

[BlkWater_brewer]

You can also use a large canning jar, they stand up to the heat. Actually I will pull out about a gallon of second runnings and fill 4 canning jars. Throw them in my pressure cooker and those babies will stay fresh and ready to use for months. Not as pretty as a flask but, that's life.

 

[Hello]

You can also use a large canning jar, they stand up to the heat. Actually I will pull out about a gallon of second runnings and fill 4 canning jars. Throw them in my pressure cooker and those babies will stay fresh and ready to use for months. Not as pretty as a flask but, that's life.

Do you need a pressure cooker to save second runnings in the fridge for a starter?

 

[Calichusetts]

My sister-in-law bought the equipment. This stir plate:

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/EU-p...ing-tool-wholesale-and-retail/1737977512.html

Brewing monday. Its for a 3.5 gallon batch so I don't need an insane amount of yeast. Even bought an extra vial.

I might just go for it since its late and my LHBS is closed. Can just grab extra vials tomorrow if needed or go dry. Thanks for the quick responses. Feel like the weirdo/newbie on here that gets the correct information and goes against it. Has anyone else done this? 002 which is a beast so I'm slightly concerned but never made a starter.

 

[nallanrex]

What kind of beer are you making? OG? Ale or Lager?

 

[Calichusetts]

OG- 1.063
Pale Ale

Yeast is a few months old, I'm getting between 190-210 billion cells with a yeast starter depending on the calc. Need 210. Hopping it won't blow off overnight, I'd be pissed with the new equipment. Does a stir plate help to prevent krausen?

 

[nallanrex]

I don't have a lot of experience with stirplates. I have a 5L starter going right now in a 5L flask. I havent had a issue with overflow. YMMV

 

[Qhrumphf]

I made plenty of 2L starters in 2L flasks on a stir plate, so same general idea. If you're going from a single pack of fairly old yeast you may be ok, you may get some slight overflow, you may not. A little is on the likely side. If you step it up or have a higher initial count, you'll almost certainly get overflow.

I finally bought a 5L so that when I do need to make 2L starters, or stepped starters, it's no longer an issue.

 

[Calichusetts]

Sister in law forgot the 2L last week. I can basically get any size for free as she is a Ph D candidate in a lab. Thanks again all

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1421464268.447152.jpg

 

[Westermans]

Use a large paper plate under your flask to catch any overflow so it won't hit your stir plate

 

[BlkWater_brewer]

Do you need a pressure cooker to save second runnings in the fridge for a starter?

Only if you want to keep them for an extended time, or not keep them refrigerated. Sometimes I make extra and use it for small test batches. Who would want more than 1 gallon of Brussel Sprout Ale ????

 

[Hello]

Only if you want to keep them for an extended time, or not keep them refrigerated. Sometimes I make extra and use it for small test batches. Who would want more than 1 gallon of Brussel Sprout Ale ????

Okay cool. I'd like to try it but I don't have a pressure cooker. I hope 2 weeks in the fridge may be okay.

 

[BlkWater_brewer]

two weeks no problem, just make sure the container is well sanitised

 

[Calichusetts]

So far so good.

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1421492463.337847.jpg

 

[Calichusetts]

Final update. This was high krausen and it's already gone down an inch:

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1421512893.952361.jpg

Thanks all