Is there a mfg standard for Elernmeyer Flasks?

[TheBroonery]

I received a yeast starter kit for Christmas which included an Erlenmeyer flask, albeit looking good and regular, the glass seems rather thin and infact reminds me of another piece of glass (waterpipe) I had in college that was thin and shortlived due to lack of durability. My question is: Is there a manufacturing standard inherent with Elernmeyer Flasks that can assure me that this thing is heatproof, or can you folks testify through experience that they will not shatter over a flame? This thing just seems so fragile that I don't want to expose it to rapid temperature changes without worrying about it shattering. I used it to make an experimental yeast starter about a month ago which was unsuccessful. I've just been reading about people using different methods to sanitize them and such and just want to know the full scoop...

 

[SKMO]

What you want is Borosilicate glass. I have 4 of them: 2 (United) made in India, & 2 (Corning) made in US. They are all equally thin.

I try to avoid huge temperature shocks, like dropping a scalding hot flask into ice water, but I think they are designed to take it. Pretty much until you drop one it will not break. I've had my oldest two for 15 and 13 years.

 

[TheBroonery]

This one has no markings from the manufacturer other than approximate volume.

 

[SKMO]

Well... Not sure what to say other than be careful with them. All 4 of mine seem really fragile and very thin glass, but they hold up. You should be able to put some liquid in it (or even dry) and put it on a direct stove burner with no consequences. Might want to give it a trial run before you commit anything, or depend upon it. I imagine it will be fine.

Good Luck !

 

[rico567]

I don't think you're going to find an actual Erlenmeyer flask (looks like an upside down funnel....the other common flask, a Florence flask, looks like a globe with a narrow neck) that isn't made for lab use and thus of borosilicate glass. I've got one that must be three gallons or so, used as a terrarium for many years......

 

[stratslinger]

Are you saying he's not going to find one of these?

Or is there really a difference between what NB sells as an Erlenmeyer flask and a real one?

 

[rico567]

Nope- I'm just saying I don't see why anyone would ever have made a flask in that particular shape that wasn't made as lab glass. Therefore = borosilicate. Went & looked at that terrarium of mine, it's a Pyrex.....but only half as large as I thought, it's a 6 liter.

 

[j1laskey]

You can try and look at either Fisher Scientific's website, or Corning's website.

 

[tekknoschtev]

I worried about the temperature swings myself, because glass and thermal shock have not been good to me in the past. To ease my concern, after having it on the burner, I ran it under hot water which I slowly turned to cold water. Probably didn't make much of a difference in the long run, but it helped ease my mind. In the future, I'm boiling the wort in a sauce pan, and then transferring to the flask which I've soaked in starsan. Its not like the flask was expensive, but its $18 I don't want to have to spend again

Mine too has no markings on it, but it does help ease my worries that there's a good chance it wouldn't be not made of lab glass.

 

[Misplaced_Canuck]

If you use a water bath to heat the erlenmeyer (and its contents), you might consider using a few tablespoons of salt in the water bath to increase the boiling temperature of the water. This will help you attain a bigger boil inside the erlenmeyer, as it increases the boiling temperature of water.

Alternatively, you could use cooking oil and keep it under 250F to prevent the content of the erlenmeyer from steaming out.

I've never tried the cooking oil method (FYI). But I did test my alcohol thermometers in cooking oil - I was attempting to reach an alcohol bubble in the very upper tip of 2 thermometers. Worked on one of them, failed on the other.

M_C

 

[BrewThruYou]

Or is there really a difference between what NB sells as an Erlenmeyer flask and a real one?

Well, they are both erlenmeyer flasks so one cannot be "fake."

There are several "grades" of flasks - student grade, standard grade, lab grade, etc. There might be more grades...I'm definitely not an expert.

I'm sure the better grades can handle more abuse and also come with a price tag to match.