Warning To Those With Erlenmeyer Flasks

[capretta]

Hey all, holy crap , i just thought i'd post on here quickly about an experience i had this morning cause it was a bit of a doozy and it might catch someone unawares like it did me..

i had put 3 tbsps of malt extract into a schott 1000 ml erlenmeyer flask and i put 750 ml of water from the kettle in, swirled and placed it on the electric hot plate, which i then turned on. i sat there watching it cause ive had boil overs before, and after a minute it had one big bubble.
i reached to take it off the stove and as i did it instantly turned to froth and the boiling malt solution shot out of the top of the flask about 40cm high. i switched the stove off and it died down quickly. cleaned up the mess no real harm done but if i had been a few seconds earlier i would have had my hand around the top of the flask and probably would have been burnt.
the point is there was no warning at all, it was almost instantaneous.. <_<

the only thing i can relate it to is those today/tonight episodes they do every 6 months on "killer" microwaves, where if you superheat a pure liquid and add impurities you get an instant boil, but this liquid wasnt pure :blink:

so from now on i guess i wont have my hot plate on high when making yeast starters..

take it easy all..

 

[Swinging Beef]

...the boiling malt solution shot out of the top of the flask about 40cm high....

Did you catch it on video?

 

[razz]

Good morning Capretta. I've used mine without incident for several years. I always use the smaller of the gas jets and keep it on low flame. I mix the malt extract and water in a pot and then add to the flask. It may take longer to boil but it is a safer method.

 

[matti]

When I make VRB-agar and PCA-agar for plating at work we have those heated stir-plates.
I am usually too busy to sit and watch it but I have learned that in about a hour it'll boil over.
We also have then entire set-up sitting on a giant spill tray for those time when you cannot be around LOL
I wouldn't try it at home over gas stove.
Heat the media in a small pot and sterilise your Erlenmeyer flask and just add cooled wort into the flask later.
Glad you didn't burn yourself.

 

[Hutch]

Hey capretta,

I've had a similar incident with a 2-ltr Flask, erupting like a volcanoe (on gas mind you).
What I've found solves the problem is 2-fold:
1. Add WYeast nutrient to the flask when cold, at the recommended rate (1/2 tsp per pint I think). This is not only beneficial to the yeast, but I think it also adds lots of little undisolved granules to the liquid, that act as nucleation points when it reaches the boil (preventing the wort from becoming superheated).
2. Add 1 drop of "Foam Control", which I bought from Grain and Grape. This prevents the dreaded boilover, and is surprisingly effective for such a little drop.

These improvements mean that I can leave the gas on flat-out until it hits the boil, with no fear of making a mess.
I then turn the gas down, cover the spout with with Al foil, and simmer for 10 minutes.

Hope this helps.
Hutch.

 

[ausdb]

2. Add 1 drop of "Foam Control", which I bought from Grain and Grape. This prevents the dreaded boilover, and is surprisingly effective for such a little drop.

+1
I normally just watch patiently as it gets to the boil (gas hotplate) and turn the heat down but on the last starter I made a month or so ago I tried a tiny amount of the hops based "vegemite" anti foam stuff and was surprised by how well it works.

 

[drsmurto]

I just add my extract to a saucepan and pour in boiling water. Boil it for 10 mins and then pour that into my sanitised erlenmeyer flask (1, 2, 3, 5 or 6L B) ) . Top it with gladwrap and pop it into the laundry sink with cold water to cool it down. Quick rinse of the saucepan and your done.

 

[mickoz]

I've had the very same thing happen to me with a flask, I too was lucky I didn't get burned.

It actually reminds me that I had a pyrex jug that did a similar thing in the microwave. I was heating water to make a starter and was peering at the jug in the microwave waiting for bubbles. I reckon I had the power running for 2 minutes longer than normal (usually 2:30) to boil 250mls of water. I was starting to wonder if the microwave was shagged when the water in the jug exploded out of the jug and all over the inside of the microwave, the jug flew forwards and hit the door blowing it open and the door flew open, smacked me in the forhead and slammed shut. This all happened in a blink of an eye! I stood there rubbing my forehead wondering how the hell it happened. I was lucky I was close enough to intercept the door with my noggin or I think I would have worn the jug of super-heated water.

Lesson learned, I never zap my water for longer than 2:30. It just needs to be hot enough to dissolve thae DME anyway, after that it goes into a flask on the stove for a 10 minute boil.

Mick

 

[ausdb]

I just add my extract to a saucepan and pour in boiling water. Boil it for 10 mins and then pour that into my sanitised erlenmeyer flask (1, 2, 3, 5 or 6L B) ) . Top it with gladwrap and pop it into the laundry sink with cold water to cool it down. Quick rinse of the saucepan and your done.

But if you boil in the same erlenmeyer you are growing your starter in, then it is one less transfer therfore one less point for contamination.

 

[Cortez The Killer]

What he said...

I though that was the advantage of using an erlenmeyer flask rather than other containers

Cheers

 

[drsmurto]

The advantage of using erlenmeyers for me is

1. they are free
2. they sit nicely on my stir plate.
3. they are free

Cant get a wooden spoon in an erlenmeyer so cant stir it to prevent boil overs hence the saucepan. Also, a 6L elernmeyer barely fits under the range hood......

 

[Goat]

I've been using 32L & 5L erlenmeyer flasks for several years now and love them: straight from the cooktop to the sink in cold water, pitch in an hour or so, ferment and then into the fermenter / starter bottles. The one vessel process is THE reason - for me.

Another trick to avoid boil-overs is to put in a bit of yeast nutrient - I use the Wyeast one. Because its a mineral type thing, it provides nucleation points for the boil, so its a little more 'even'. But don't add it to a hot / boiling erlenmeyer - its like a mentos in a (boiling) coke bottle !

 

[Hutch]

I've been using 32L & 5L erlenmeyer flasks for several years now...

...32Ltr :huh: that's a large starter!
What size batches are you pitching that into?

I agree about not adding the WYeast nutrient to the boiling wort - that's asking for trouble.
Also, the foam control is magic stuff. Hate to think what it does to head retention when used in a full-size boil though.

 

[domonsura]

I've had the very same thing happen to me with a flask, I too was lucky I didn't get burned.

It actually reminds me that I had a pyrex jug that did a similar thing in the microwave. I was heating water to make a starter and was peering at the jug in the microwave waiting for bubbles. I reckon I had the power running for 2 minutes longer than normal (usually 2:30) to boil 250mls of water. I was starting to wonder if the microwave was shagged when the water in the jug exploded out of the jug and all over the inside of the microwave, the jug flew forwards and hit the door blowing it open and the door flew open, smacked me in the forhead and slammed shut. This all happened in a blink of an eye! I stood there rubbing my forehead wondering how the hell it happened. I was lucky I was close enough to intercept the door with my noggin or I think I would have worn the jug of super-heated water.

Lesson learned, I never zap my water for longer than 2:30. It just needs to be hot enough to dissolve thae DME anyway, after that it goes into a flask on the stove for a 10 minute boil.

Mick

:lol: :lol: Wish I'd seen that......... Sounds like the funniest thing I haven't seen in ages!

 

[drsmurto]

But if you boil in the same erlenmeyer you are growing your starter in, then it is one less transfer therfore one less point for contamination.

What he said...

I though that was the advantage of using an erlenmeyer flask rather than other containers

Cheers

Will give this a go next time with my little (3L) erlenmeyer and see how i go. Never used nutrient before altho i do have some DAP lying around from cider making season. Do you bring it the boil from cold or add boiling water and then simmer away?

 

[Cortez The Killer]

I've started with cold all the times i've used flasks (a massive 4 times)

Both on gas stoves and hot plates

Cheers

 

[ausdb]

I've started with cold all the times i've used flasks (a massive 4 times)

Both on gas stoves and hot plates

+1 again, cold water makes it easier to get your DME to dissolve

 

[Hutch]

I've started with cold all the times i've used flasks (a massive 4 times)

Both on gas stoves and hot plates

Cheers

+1 as well. Cold water mixes OK with a few swirls of the flask.

Just another thing that works for me...
I was getting sick of having to clean up the spilled malt extract sticky mess each time I made a starter, so I measured out dozen's of small 50gm bags of DME, each with a half tsp of yeast nutrient. Now each time I make a starter, I add 1 bag for every 500ml cold water into the flask, and straight onto the stove. No measuring, no sticky scales, no washing-up.

I thought this might also be of interest, as I find I no longer hate making starters for all the time, mess and cleanup.
Hutch.

 

[3G]

I weight the malt extract in to the flask then add cold water. Put on low heat and bring to the boil. You dont need to be on full all the time, heat control is the key.

 

[Hutch]

I weight the malt extract in to the flask then add cold water. Put on low heat and bring to the boil. You dont need to be on full all the time, heat control is the key.

True, you certainly don't need high heat to maintain the boil for just 1-2Ltrs, though bringing 2+Ltrs to the boil on low heat can take a while.
I also try to save time by making a 500ml and 2Ltr starter in parallel (for stepping up smack packs). Leave them to cool on the stove with foil over the top, and pitch the next day.