Where do y’all buy your Erlenmeyer flasks?

[Blackdirt_cowboy]

I bought a 5 liter flask from the howmebrew store, and after about 20 brews, it cracked on me. Doesn’t seem like that should have happened. Dang Chinese junk. So where do y’all buy yours? I’m looking for something a little higher quality than the last one I had.

 

[VWBug5000]

I got mine from Northern Brewer years ago. Don’t buy one from amazon unless it has tons of 4+ reviews. Don’t cheap out on an Erlenmeyer flask, good ones are expensive.

 

[IslandLizard]

Don't boil wort in an erlenmeyer flask!

Boil starter wort in a (stainless) pot, put a lid on and stick in a sink/tub with cold water. Cools way faster than in glass. Once cooled, pour into sanitized flask, add yeast, then on the stir plate.

 

[day_trippr]

^that^ is precisely how I roll...

Cheers!

 

[brewing_clown]

Amazon.com

I look for pyrex brand. Borosilicate glass. Made in Germany. Indestructible.

These go from the burner to the ice bath with no complaints.

 

[VWBug5000]

Don't boil wort in an erlenmeyer flask!

I’ve been boiling wort in my flask for years. No issues if you do it right and have a quality borosilicate flask. Just do what Michael Dawson does.

http://brewingtv.com/episodes/2010/12/16/brewing-tv-episode-26-big-beer-brewing.html

Scientific glassware is designed to have a flame under it.

 

[IslandLizard]

Scientific glassware is designed to have a flame under it.

But not an electric heating coil or ceramic glass cooktop.

Actually, most labs only heat round bottom vessels, and often indirectly, in an oil bath.

 

[Konadog]

I've gotten mine from MoreBeer. Been boiling in it for over a year without issue, but I'm very careful to mix constantly, and let it cool a bit before I put it in ice water.

 

[micraftbeer]

I've gotten them from both MoreBeer (large 3L size) and Carolina Biological Supply (good price and Pyrex brand name). I did some research after my hot starter wort blew the bottom out of my glass growler when put in a cold water bath. And although borosillicate glass does have phenomenal ability to go through big temperature swings without breaking, I've read in multiple locations to not directly heat it on an electric element due to the intensity of the surface temperature.

Sure, I've got a friend too that boils on his glass cooktop and then puts it in an ice bath. But I also have a friend that worked in customer service at a homebrew supply shop and told me about gruesome pictures he saw of a customer that boiled it on his stovetop, and while carrying it to the ice bath, the bottom blew out of it and boiling wort and glass caused serious damage to his foot (of course the guy was wearing sandals, but who wants to brew in industrial work boots?).

 

[Blackdirt_cowboy]

I’ve been boiling in my flask on a gas stove. I let it cool a bit and then submerge it in ice water. I was doing this for simplicity and less stuff to clean up. Sounds like I should just boil and cool the wort in a stockpot so as to avoid any issues.

 

[day_trippr]

A shattered e-flask filled with wort would create one hella mess in my Spousal Unit's brand new kitchen.
Otoh, it takes like 30 seconds to clean a small pot.
Pretty much a no-brainer...

Cheers!

 

[MaxStout]

I get mine on Amazon. Buy genuine Pyrex or Kimax brands. The rest of the stuff is "student grade," meaning cheap Chinese-made and it may have defects like scratches, chips, bubbles, etc., in the glass.

I use large ones for yeast starters, and I have a 500ml Erlenmeyer for rehydrating dry yeast (I give it a swirl right before I pitch).

 

[Kiln]

I get mine from a shady character downtown who knows a guy.

 

[Bilsch]

Pyrex, Schott or Kimax.
I spent a lot of years in a lab and IMO all the other brands are garbage.

 

[Jayjay1976]

I get mine on Amazon. Buy genuine Pyrex or Kimax brands. The rest of the stuff is "student grade," meaning cheap Chinese-made and it may have defects like scratches, chips, bubbles, etc., in the glass.

I use large ones for yeast starters, and I have a 500ml Erlenmeyer for rehydrating dry yeast (I give it a swirl right before I pitch).

+1 for kimble kimax. I have a 5 liter flask that I boil in all the time on a gas stove, then immerse directly into cold water. Got it for $30 on amazon, one year and dozens of starters later, and zero problems. One precaution I do take is to only dip it in cold water up to the level of the hot wort. Any higher and you needlessly subject the flask to extreme temperature differential across a very small area. Mine even has a small bubble in the bottom but so far it hasn't caused any problems. If I were to switch up my method, I would pick up a vintage copper bottom revere 3qt saucepan with lid and boil the starter in that; the thin stainless and heavy copper bottom would allow rapid cooling in an ice bath. Just have to trust that your flask is truly clean and sanitized.

 

[VTX1300]

I have an electric stove so I can't boil in the flask. I boil in a stock pot and let it cool for a for a couple of minutes. Then carefully pour into the flask using a funnel with the flask sitting in the kitchen sink. Then fill the sink with cold water. I think transferring the wort while still very hot helps with keeping everything sanitary. Just be very careful. I always wear heat resistant gloves and wear safety glasses just in case a flask breaks. Over 30 starters done this way and never a problem. I bought my flask through Amazon but DON'T go cheap. Make sure it's one of the top brands mentioned above and you will get years of use from it.

 

[BrewMan13]

I got my flasks different places, AiH, amazon...just make sure it's borosilicate glass. And if you boil in it as I do, fermcap is a must.