Supplier...Stir plate...Erlenmeyer flask

I’m considering going to a stir plate.  Is there a preferred source for the plate and flask?

http://www.stirstarters.com/

I didn’t get my flask from stirstarters.com, but I have two of their stir plates and I LOVE them!

i got my 2000 ml flask from more beer.com.

i got my 6000 ml flask from some lab equipment place on the inter webs.

and i got my stir plate from stirstarters.com and it rocks.

i could have probably made one but it was just easier(for me) to buy one.

For 2 liter starters, do I need the next size up for a flask?  What size?

I just ordered two stirplates from stirstarters.com based on the recommendation of some of the folks here.  Should have them today actually and they will be put into immediate use.  I also ordered a 2L flask.

My 5L flasks are from morebeer and are nice and heavy.

For 2L starters I’d just use a 5L if you have one or are planning to get one.

Yes, stirstarter.com is my recommendation.

Dan is in our club, at the last meeting he said the number made is >6000 now.

He stands behind his product and will replace a defective unit for any reason.

I got mine from stirstarters.com as well. Great price and great service. I only got the 2L flask with it, though. I found that for what I’m brewing that’s been big enough so far, especially since the starter size is smaller when using a stir plate.

Those plates work well with 5L starters as well I take it?

Yes, they can handle a 5L flash with no problem.

+1 to stirstarters and yes, it handles my 5L erlen just fine.

Are you willing to build your own? If you use strong enough magnets you can just use half-gallon and gallon growlers. 5 L flasks are pricey, and I always worry about breaking them. Growlers are pretty much indestructible.

I use gal. glass jugs, like from apple juice.  My stir bar is about 2" long with a ring around the middle.  I’ve always guessed that that was why it worked so well when other bars I’ve tried didn’t work at all.

I have some wide mouth 1gal jars with screw on metal lids.  The bottoms are slightly concave on the outside, producing a slight hump on the inside-bottom.  I wonder if a stir bar would work if the bottom isn’t perfectly flat?  I also have 1gal growlers with the same issue (non-issue?).

It’s going to depend on the geometry and strength of the driven magnets and the stir bar. If you’re building your own plate you can use powerful enough magnets to guarantee that it will work. (Mine will spin a 1" bar in the bottom of a carboy, for example.) With a commercial stir plate it’s less certain.

You can also use a barbell stir bar, it will work better on a curved bottom bottle if the magnet isn’t strong enough to hold a straight stir bar.

I would like to know where I can get a flat bottom Erlenmeyer flask. Not the cheap ones that have a domed bottom like the ones Morebeer& NorthernBrewer sell. I have a hard time getting the stir bar to work with my stir starter.  It works great with the flat bottom open flasks I have. But they are to small for starters.But they work good for re hydrating dry yeast.

I had 2-5000ml erlenmeyers from Midwest that basically broke in my hands with hot water in them.  I then asked my LHBS-Keystone Homebrew if they could get me a Pyrex flask.  It took a few weeks but he located a Bomex (same thing) 5000ml that has a flat bottom and I can use on my electric stove.  Man, it made making starters a breeze now that I can boil and place directly in an ice bath with no worries.  It was expensive ($80) but so worth it.  Have a good look around the web.

Dave

So, is there a preferred brand of erlenmeyer flask?  I see quite a few negative reviews for the ones sold at N. Brewer.

Pyrex or Kimax for me.  i would trust either one.