Starter Disaster

[Qs]

My demijohn she is gone.  Boiled myself up 3 litres of starter wort, added to the demijohn. Placed the demijohn into icebath and the bottom just separated from the demijohn. I've done this a couple of times before now with no such issue.

Looks like I'll have to buy a flask which is annoying because I don't even have a gas stove to heat the starter wort on.

I'm also now going to have direct pitch my kolsch yeast and hope for the best. Which I hate. The great thing for me about using starter is how quickly the beer takes off. I've also been overbuilding starters to use them again, now I have to actually wash the yeast.

[Will_D]

The obvious question is WHY are you doing this?

Boil the starter wort in a cooking pot, Put on lid* and place into the kitchen sink filled with cold water. Wait 20 mins or so and check temp. May be refill with cold water and wait some more!

Then pour into a suitable glass yoke. Demijohns are fine but as you have just found out they are not PYREX!

*Pressure cookers are great for this

[delzep]

Pretty sure every demijohn I've owned has a sticker warning not to use with liquids over 40C

[Leann ull]

Can't put hot water in carboys either

[Qs]

You can with PET carboys. 

Anyway I've learned my lesson now. Funny it worked grand all te others I've done this. And I had no sticker on my demijohn coz it's about 30 years old.

[Leann ull]

You can with PET carboys. 

Eeerr no you can't 
http://www.brewersfriend.com/2012/11/20/detailed-guide-for-cleaning-a-better-bottle/

[Pheeel]

Looks like I'll have to buy a flask which is annoying because I don't even have a gas stove to heat the starter wort on.

Do it straight on the leccy hob

[molc]

The pet carboys have a sticker saying they're only rated to 60, so not tap water and nothing else.

[Will_D]

Looks like I'll have to buy a flask which is annoying because I don't even have a gas stove to heat the starter wort on.

Do it straight on the leccy hob

Yes Electric Hot plates are best for heating Erlenmyer (conical) flasks. The solid ones are the absolute best.

Gas hobs can cause local overheating if not diffussed (that is why you used the wire gauze in school - it wasn't just to stop the glassware falling through the hole in the triangle!)

Don't ask how I know!

[delzep]

I have a 2 litre flask;how can I tell if it's a proper erlenmyer flask suitable for the hob (it has markings on the glass... would have to check later what they are)

Also, can a hot flask be quenched in cool water in the sink without cracking?

[molc]

Dint fill past the level of the liquid inside and it can be cooled in water. You're trying to reduce thermal shock.

[Will_D]

Conicals 101:

The chances are that if it says Pyrex/Schott/Duran/Borosilicate or just about anything printed onit then its the real deal. I don't think anyone makes non pyrex glassware.

Re Cooling in the sink:

If you bring a conical up to the boil beware of boil overs. Boiling wort loves to foam up so only have the flask about 1/3 full. After its boiled, cover with some aluminium foil and then carefully slide it off the hot plate onto a cold plate (assuming its the cooker). Usel a tea towel to grip the neck. The neck will be very hot! Leave it alone for 5 mins or more to cool down a bit. The neck will now be a lot cooler but the wort will still be very hot!

Then fill the sink to about the level of wort in the flask and carefully transport the flask. You will need oven gloves or a couple of towels. Always have one hand under the flask - the other is on the neck.

Lower gently into the water and swirl it around a bit. Try to sit the flask on the plug or a spoon so that there is a gap under the base of the flask and its not just "sealed" onto the sink. That way hot water escapes from under the bottom.

Wait. If the water in the sink gets warm then drain and refill.
Wait. Remove flask feel temperature of wort and when its cool its done!

[Qs]

Looks like I'll have to buy a flask which is annoying because I don't even have a gas stove to heat the starter wort on.

Do it straight on the leccy hob

Can't as I've an induction hob.

[Garry]

Can't as I've an induction hob.

Put one of your induction pots on the hob and put the flask into it 

[DEMPSEY]

Can't as I've an induction hob.

Put one of your induction pots on the hob and put the flask into it 

Won't work as the hob will detect no liquid in the pot and so think it is a dry pot. I think