What cotainer to use for yeast starter?

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mgable

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I'm going to start making yeast starters, but I don't want to buy a flask yet. What other options are there to use for a starter container? do I need an air lock or are there other methods?
 
I have used jars and beer bottles. You don't need anything fancy. For covering you can just put a piece of tin foil (loosely) over the top to keep nasties from falling in.
 
I use a one gallon jug. These can be found at the store filled with apple juice or wine. Aluminum over the top is preferred to an airlock by most.
 
Whatever you use, glass is best. Plastic can be difficult to really get sanitized.

I've had pretty good success with using two empty wine bottles. Split the yeast evenly among both bottles, and let 'er rip. Use foil on top as others have said.

As far as wine bottles, try finding two that aren't extremely concave (convex?) to maximize contact between the yeast on the bottom and the starter wort.
 
I'm surprised no one has mentioned the erlenmeyer flasks yet. The real advantage here is that you can set it right on the burner to boil your wort before you pitch the yeast and it's got a flat bottom for maximum surface area.
 
I'm new to starters, but I am using a growler from the local brewery. Also, I am using foil over the top for the first time on this starter, and I can see a big improvement over the previous two starters where I used an airlock.
 
I have a 2-quart canning jar. It is extremely useful. I use it for starters, making small batches of sanitizer to sanitize my wine thief, and any other small stuff that needs to be sanitized but doesn't warrant an entire 5-gallon batch.
 
hollowdp said:
I'm surprised no one has mentioned the erlenmeyer flasks yet. The real advantage here is that you can set it right on the burner to boil your wort before you pitch the yeast and it's got a flat bottom for maximum surface area.

Here's a potentially dumb question, but how do you avoid a nasty boilover mess with a flask? I tried the flask, but not only did I get a boilover, but had a ***** of a time getting the DME into the flask through a funnel without it gumming up the funnel. I know it has to be easier than what I did, but I ended up just boiling in a saucepan and transferring to the sanitized flask, making me wonder why I bothered to spend the money and pitch my trusty wine bottle.
 
DaleWi said:
Here's a potentially dumb question, but how do you avoid a nasty boilover mess with a flask? I tried the flask, but not only did I get a boilover, but had a ***** of a time getting the DME into the flask through a funnel without it gumming up the funnel. I know it has to be easier than what I did, but I ended up just boiling in a saucepan and transferring to the sanitized flask, making me wonder why I bothered to spend the money and pitch my trusty wine bottle.


I had the same thing happen once. Now I won't use the flask to boil in. Just as a container for my starters once they are made. It was a PITA.
 
DaleWi said:
I ended up just boiling in a saucepan and transferring to the sanitized flask, making me wonder why I bothered to spend the money and pitch my trusty wine bottle.
That's what I do. I only use the flask because it works so well on the stir plate. Otherwise, I would probably be using 1 gal jugs.
 
I use a canning jar and leave the lid a little loose. Then I dip a zip-lock bag in sanitizer, put the jar in the bag and leave a half inch or so unsealed. If the fermenting wort heaves, it goes into the bag. Also, it's another layer of sanitizing protection.
 
DaleWi said:
How do you avoid a nasty boilover mess with a flask? I tried the flask, but not only did I get a boilover, but had a ***** of a time getting the DME into the flask through a funnel without it gumming up the funnel.

Same issue for me. Keep the heat on medium, it seemed to work better that way.
 
hollowdp said:
I'm surprised no one has mentioned the erlenmeyer flasks yet. The real advantage here is that you can set it right on the burner to boil your wort before you pitch the yeast and it's got a flat bottom for maximum surface area.


Can you do this on an electric stove, everyone seems to use gas
 
scottaustin said:
Can you do this on an electric stove, everyone seems to use gas
I do, but I am careful to not crank it up too hot. Although usually I just boil part of the starter wort, or plain water, mostly to sanitize the flask. The rest I boil in a saucepan.
 
The initial response to this post was perfect. Hollow he specifically said he didn't want to buy a flask. And to the question as to how to avoid the DME mess: Lots of people just have premixed wort for this purpose...mix it in something else and pour into the flask as needed...you're going to boil it anyways.
 
2 qt. wide mouth cannig jar drill hole in lid, grommet, air lock close with canning ring.
 
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