Beaker vs. Flask

[alb]

I'm thinking about getting a beaker to do my yeast starters in, using a stir plate. Is there any reason I shouldn't? The only disadvantage I can think of is the larger opening is a larger opportunity for airborne contamination, but a sanitized piece of foil should work just as well as it does on a flask. My flask is just more of a pain to clean and store.

[Beer-lord]

You can pretty much make a starter in anything and all you need as a cover is a piece of star san'd foil to cover it.
I don't know anything about beakers but can you go from hot to cold without them cracking?

[alb]

I don't know anything about beakers but can you go from hot to cold without them cracking?

If it's made from borosilicate glass it can. If it's made from soda-lime glass, then not directly. Pyrex used to be borosilicate, now it's tempered soda-lime in the US. I've heard it's still borosilicate in other countries. But never lime soda. That would be silly.

[RickBeer]

WTH?

[mashani]

I don't know anything about beakers but can you go from hot to cold without them cracking?

If it's made from borosilicate glass it can. If it's made from soda-lime glass, then not directly. Pyrex used to be borosilicate, now it's tempered soda-lime in the US. I've heard it's still borosilicate in other countries. But never lime soda. That would be silly.

Yeah, this is why I didn't buy a 1 gallon little big mouth to make big starters in. I thought about it, but I cook my starters in my flask on the stove . I was trained in science by folks who sang songs like "deck the halls with bunsen burners (fa la la la la, la la la la)". I treat my starters like that.

Anyways, if you buy one that is sold as "lab quality" it should be borosilicate, and as long as it has a flat bottom on the inside, or is at least flat in the middle as wide as your stir bar, it should work.

Yes there is a slightly greater risk of contamination vs. a flask, but its not anything that you will likely ever have a problem with as long as you are cooking it on the stove with the foil already on top and don't take it off except enough to pitch your yeast.

[ebbz]

I'm thinking about getting a beaker to do my yeast starters in, using a stir plate. Is there any reason I shouldn't? The only disadvantage I can think of is the larger opening is a larger opportunity for airborne contamination, but a sanitized piece of foil should work just as well as it does on a flask. My flask is just more of a pain to clean and store.

Ever think about using a Mason jar, either regular or wide mouth. Easy to clean and laughs at temperature changes.

[mashani]

Ever think about using a Mason jar, either regular or wide mouth. Easy to clean and laughs at temperature changes.

Lots of kinds of glass can survive gradual temperature changes (IE typical pickle in jar - put in water bath, bring to a boil / pressure cook, then let cool on its own), but going from cold to direct contact with flame from a burner, and then being dumped into ice water... that's different... and I don't think mason jars will stand up to that. And that's what we are talking about here, boiling directly over a flame, and possibly immediate contact with ice water after.

[dbrowning]

I use either 2 quart or 1 gallon jug/jar