Starter- airlock and container

[oooFishy]

Have people made starters using mason jars and aluminum foil (with yeast and wort of course :cross: )? I'm pretty reluctant to spend 20$ on a glass flask, when I could just use a household item instead. Thanks.

 

[denimglen]

Can't see why it wouldn't work, contamination from the foil may be an issue though.

How about a soft drink bottle with the right stopper for it to use an airlock?

 

[dollhousebrewery]

If you have any old growlers, they work great!

I got a flask because I can heat it on the stove, and then cool it in cold water. I then move the starter to a growler. I then bring up the size of the starter.

Funny thing is, I still havent used a starter yet...

edit: There isnt much of a need for an airlock on a starter. I use foil on my flask and growler. With the size of a mason jar lid though, you may want to use something with a better seal, mainly so you can shake it. Foil is fine for a smaller opening though, as long as its sanitized first.

 

[Bokonon]

When I'm doing a 10 gal batch and pitching 2 different yeasts I'll use mason jars for starters. If I'm just doing a 5 gal batch or the same yeast in a 10 gal batch I'll just use a growler.

The only issue I have with the mason jars is the foil doesn't make a good enough seal so if you shake it too violently some of the starter can drip out. Usually I just carefully swirl it to keep the yeast in suspension, but right before pitching if its flocculated too much and pretty clumpy on the bottom I'll screw down the ring over the foil and really swirl it up. If the yeast is still really active it can still force some liquid out but at least you get it all off the bottom.

 

[98EXL]

I like my 1L flask...I want a 2L flask too

It's nice to be able to heat it and cool it and not worry about breakage

 

[FlyGuy]

I think Erlenmeyer flasks are nice because you can swirl them easily (by hand or on a stir plate) and it is hard to splash liquid out the top, which would be a sanitary concern for a yeast starter. As mentioned, they are also typically made of borosilicate glass that is more resistant to rapid heating and cooling. That small opening is also easy to cover with foil, unlike something with a larger mouth like a mason jar. (Note: you WANT to use foil so that it doesn't seal perfectly and will allow some gas exchange -- necessary for the growing yeast which needs O2 and is expelling CO2.)

 

[Beerrific]

I think one of the best things to use (next to a flask) is a glass gallon jug. I bought a gallon of Whole Foods brand apple juice for about $5. That is the cost of a gallon jug at most homebrew stores plus you get a gallon of pretty tasty apple juice too.

But, yes, a mason jar would work just as well.

But, I am looking to get a flask so I can heat it right on the stove (can't do that with regular glass).

 

[Evan!]

I use gallon jugs of spring water for my beer water, and save the jugs. They're the plastic jugs just like milk comes in. I drill a 5/8" hole in the screw-on lid, put a small drilled rubber stopper in it, and add the airlock. I use the airlock just to monitor activity. I also oxygenate the hell out of it after the wort is cooled.

Some day, when I've got everything else, I'll get an erlenmeyer flask, but until that point, this method works very well, costs virtually nothing, and the volume in a 1-gallon container allows for large starters while still having room to swirl the wort every once in awhile without spilling.

 

[TheJadedDog]

I use a half gallon glass milk jug and some aluminum foil and it works great. In the past have used wine bottles and gallon jugs. Pretty much anything that is glass and can hold the starter volume should work just fine.

 

[98EXL]

I use gallon jugs of spring water for my beer water, and save the jugs. They're the plastic jugs just like milk comes in. I drill a 5/8" hole in the screw-on lid, put a small drilled rubber stopper in it, and add the airlock. I use the airlock just to monitor activity. I also oxygenate the hell out of it after the wort is cooled.

Some day, when I've got everything else, I'll get an erlenmeyer flask, but until that point, this method works very well, costs virtually nothing, and the volume in a 1-gallon container allows for large starters while still having room to swirl the wort every once in awhile without spilling.

you still want those magnets?