Stir Plate

[Deltac]

If I make a stir plate, will a 1 litre flask be big enough to use?
I was at a local science store today and they had one liter flask for $9.95

Deltac

 

[robertvrabel]

Depends on a couple of things.

1) The OG of the beer you plan on making
2) If its an ale or lager
3) How old the yeast is
4) If you plan on pitching the appropriate amount of yeast

If you're going to be lager brewing and want to pitch the appropriate amount of yeast, you will to be making almost a 4 liter starter for 1 packet of liquid yeast. ~1.050 OG if the yeast is 3-4 weeks old.

Checkout this yeast pitching calculator which helps a lot http://www.mrmalty.com/calc/calc.html

 

[SKMO]

In my opinion, anything less than 2 liters is hardly worth having, unless you can get it for cheap.

Just my opinion, but 2000 ml is a starting point if you have a stir plate.

 

[Seven]

I have two 1-liter flasks that I barely use anymore. For example, I'm brewing a OG 1.064 beer this weekend and I needed a 1.62 liter starter for this.

Now I make most of my yeast starters in 1-gallon glass growler. A generic growler is much cheaper than flasks!

The only time I use smaller than 1-gallon containers is if I'm harvesting yeast and I need to start very small then step it up a few times until I have the amount/volume I need.

 

[Deltac]

I have two 1-liter flasks that I barely use anymore. For example, I'm brewing a OG 1.064 beer this weekend and I needed a 1.62 liter starter for this.

Now I make most of my yeast starters in 1-gallon glass growler. A generic growler is much cheaper than flasks!

The only time I use smaller than 1-gallon containers is if I'm harvesting yeast and I need to start very small then step it up a few times until I have the amount/volume I need.

Thanks for the tip.
I am going to look for a 1/2 galon to 1 gallon growler

Deltac

 

[Seven]

Here's one: 1-gallon growler

The growler costs $4.50, a 2L flask costs $21.99.

Of course you'll still have to pay for shipping but if you combine it with other beer making supplies it's worth it.

You can't boil water in the growler like you can with a flask but I prefer to make my starters using a regular pot on the stove anyways. I then cool the wort in an ice-bath in the sink before transferring it to the growler.

These glass jugs give you a lot more headspace also... this helps prevent overflows caused from strong fermentations/krausen.

 

[Snowhere]

I knew there was a good reason I just had to buy a 1 gallon growler at the brew store today! I was thinking I would use it if I had too much beer to fit in my 6.5g fermentor as the attic space. Useing it instead for my yeast starer is so much win!

 

[Deltac]

Here's one: 1-gallon growler

The growler costs $4.50, a 2L flask costs $21.99.

Of course you'll still have to pay for shipping but if you combine it with other beer making supplies it's worth it.

You can't boil water in the growler like you can with a flask but I prefer to make my starters using a regular pot on the stove anyways. I then cool the wort in an ice-bath in the sink before transferring it to the growler.

These glass jugs give you a lot more headspace also... this helps prevent overflows caused from strong fermentations/krausen.

I have three of those jugs. I am good to go.
My dad uses them for wine making.

Deltac