Done fooling around.

[Hammy71]

After many overflows with my yeast starters, I've decided to stop fooling around. Ordered me two 5000ml flasks. Came today and they will be replacing my old 2000ml ones. Should come in handy when I make a 10 gallon batch of Oktoberfest in a couple of weeks too. Had to use both 2000ml flasks to make 5 gallons in the past. Probably have to modify the stir plates though. They sit on them pretty precariously.

 

[TyTanium]

That thing is comically large.

Fermcap?

 

[bruin_ale]

seriously, what are you doing to get overflows? A drop of fermcap prevents the boiling overflow and I rarely get more than a half cm of foam during the stir plate ferment.

Still, a 5L flask is on my list for large starters for lagers and big beers so I'm sure it would have come in handy anyways.

 

[jtejedor]

Yeah me too I never get much krausen from my starter. Wondered if I was going something wrong or I guess fermcap really does work good.

 

[bja]

One gallon pickle jars. Amazingly versatile, and cheap.

 

[TyTanium]

So how are you gonna modify the stir plate?

PS - I have flask envy.

 

[passedpawn]

One gallon pickle jars. Amazingly versatile, and cheap.

They smell of pickles, eternally.

Big flasks are where it's at. Flat bottom, borosilicate. Flask sits on stove, then straight to ice, then onto stir plate.

Sorry, no comparison.

 

[bja]

They smell of pickles, eternally.

Big flasks are where it's at. Flat bottom, borosilicate. Flask sits on stove, then straight to ice, then onto stir plate.

Sorry, no comparison.

Sorry, you're wrong.

 

[Hammy71]

Can't bring myself to use fermcap. I know the silicone in it is well below 'government standards', but I don't want that crap in my brews. I sometimes have the 2000ml ones maxed out with starter, and sometimes (to the wifes shagrin...), they go BOOM!! As far as a modification, I have some nice lexan out in the garage. Might try to configure some bigger tops that hang over the base of the original stir plate. We'll see.

 

[passedpawn]

Sorry, you're wrong.

How do you get the smell of pickles out of them? I've tried everything.

 

[NewDecadeBrewery]

Never tried pickle jars before but great idea. I like the versatility of a wider mouth container and imagine the smell is probably retained in the pickle jar lid and not the glass. Do you guys that use pickle jars just cover with foil when fermenting a starter?

 

[Stauffbier]

After many overflows with my yeast starters, I've decided to stop fooling around. Ordered me two 5000ml flasks. Came today and they will be replacing my old 2000ml ones. Should come in handy when I make a 10 gallon batch of Oktoberfest in a couple of weeks too. Had to use both 2000ml flasks to make 5 gallons in the past. Probably have to modify the stir plates though. They sit on them pretty precariously.

Build a simple plywood platform with a cut-out in the shape of your stir plate that it can sit in. Instant large stir plate!

 

[urbanmyth]

How do you get the smell of pickles out of them? I've tried everything.

I think he means glass jars, not plastic buckets from Subway

 

[bja]

How do you get the smell of pickles out of them? I've tried everything.

Never tried pickle jars before but great idea. I like the versatility of a wider mouth container and imagine the smell is probably retained in the pickle jar lid and not the glass. Do you guys that use pickle jars just cover with foil when fermenting a starter?

Exactly. The smell will not be absorbed in glass. The rubber seal in the lid is the problem. Use foil instead of the lid.

 

[passedpawn]

Exactly. The smell will not be absorbed in glass. The rubber seal in the lid is the problem. Use foil instead of the lid.

The jar itself smells like pickles, even after a run in the dishwasher. I just googled it and there are a bunch of "solutions". I guess I'll try those next time.

 

[scurry64]

The jar itself smells like pickles, even after a run in the dishwasher. I just googled it and there are a bunch of "solutions". I guess I'll try those next time.

I bought six 2 quart mason jars from Ace Hardware for around $12. No pickle smell. Wide opening. Ship free to the closest store. I'm very happy with them.

http://www.acehardware.com/product/...841638&cp=11927733.11927746&origkw=mason+jars

 

[bink00]

I see your flask is bigger than my flask.

 

[NewDecadeBrewery]

I bought six 2 quart mason jars from Ace Hardware for around $12. No pickle smell. Wide opening. Ship free to the closest store. I'm very happy with them.

http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2841638&cp=11927733.11927746&origkw=mason+jars

I think that for a starter the issue is that in general for many a 2 qt vessel is too small, which was the feeling of the brewer that started this thread and why he was switching to 5 liter flasks. Of course depends on what you personally believe you need in terms of starter size, as I think a one qt starter is actually quite a popular option and may be sufficient for lower gravity beers. I could see many uses for those 2 qt mason jars though. For me generally that is too small for a starter given blowoff, krausen etc. even though I don't mind using fermcap when needed.

Didn't know the pickle smell was retained in the glass itself and not just the lid.

 

[vera]

@ Hammy:
It looks like you have the same stirplate I do. Does it actually work with the 5000ml?

 

[bruin_ale]

@ Hammy:
It looks like you have the same stirplate I do. Does it actually work with the 5000ml?

+1, inquiring minds want to know what you're doing to that stir starter to get it to stir a 5L flask

 

[Hammy71]

@ Hammy:
It looks like you have the same stirplate I do. Does it actually work with the 5000ml?

Its the one from the fella on here. Stirstarters.com I think. (I have two and love them.) It is spinning pretty good. Not quite pulling the funnel all the way down with 4000ml in it, but good enough for me. As far as the modification, I like the idea of the plywood box.

 

[Hammy71]

Build a simple plywood platform with a cut-out in the shape of your stir plate that it can sit in. Instant large stir plate!

Tada.... thanks for the idea!

 

[osagedr]

Have a 6000 ml flask and giant 30 year old industrial stirplate; very sweet.

Once for a giant lager starter (must have been before my 6000 ml flask) I actually used a 11.5 litre carboy on my stirplate. Think it was a 4.5 litre starter but I can't remember for what. Oktoberfest maybe?

 

[DannPM]

Have a 6000 ml flask and giant 30 year old industrial stirplate; very sweet.

Once for a giant lager starter (must have been before my 6000 ml flask) I actually used a 11.5 litre carboy on my stirplate. Think it was a 4.5 litre starter but I can't remember for what. Oktoberfest maybe?

Hell are you making with a 6L flask w/ stirplate? 1.200 OG beers? lol

 

[Seven]

I use my stir plate from stirstarters.com for 1 or 2 L starters only.

I scored one of these Cole Parmer stir plates off eBay for $50 and it works great for 5 L flasks:

 

[Stauffbier]

Tada.... thanks for the idea!

Nice Job! I'm a carpenter by trade, so EVERYTHING gets made out of scrap wood around my house!

 

[Veritas]

Nice stir plate mod! I too am the proud owner of a 5000ml flask, and there's nothing like it when you're building up a starter for lagers (I do 10 gallon batches.) I've never had my flask tip off of the stir plate, but I'm going to build a platform for it "just to be sure." Great solution!

BTW, some of you were wondering whether you can get a good whirlpool with it? Yep, absolutely. You do have to be a bit patient to get the bar centered in the flask, but once she's spinning, no worries. I'm actually building up some WLP800 for a pilsner I'm making next weekend. I just keep feeding this flask over the course of the week, and will have a great, healthy pitch by the weekend.

 

[osagedr]

Hell are you making with a 6L flask w/ stirplate? 1.200 OG beers? lol

I also have a 2L (what I started with) but I basically never use it anymore. Everything goes in the big boy. Small starter in there means huge surface area; the more exposed to air, the better!

That reminds me I have a 3.5 litre starter of Wyeast 2352 on the stirplate...better go check on 'er.