Suggestions Needed for Measuring Wort in the Kettle

[Mylo]

I'm looking for suggestions for measuring the volume of wort in my kettle (a converted keg). I'd rather not scrach marks in the stainless.

I have seen on guy make notches on his wooden mash paddle - but I would be concerned with sanitation of the wooden paddle. I heard Doc mention on one of the archives that he uses a piece of copper pipe. That sounds the best to me right now.

What do you all use to measure the volume? What is the easiest way to "make" a measuring stick like this (it sure is a pain to mark the stick a gallon at a time - but I guess you only have to do it once...)?


Mylo

[BadRock]

Copper pipe is probably your best and easiest bet. I just used a 1 gallon iced tea pitcher to calibrate mine.

[macgruffus]

What is the easiest way to "make" a measuring stick like this (it sure is a pain to mark the stick a gallon at a time - but I guess you only have to do it once...)?

Don't forget it will also only be good for one pot size. A gallon in a pot that's 12 inches across is at a different level than a gallon in a pot that's 24 inches across. I have two sets of marks on my copper pipe. One for each of the pots I use for heating water. They are two different sizes.

David

[Bugeater]

I take a complete different approach. I don't measure it at all. I have a very consistent boil off rate. If I know how much is going into the boil pot, I can come very close to predicting the amount coming out after a specified length of boil. I also generally take gravity readings with my refractometer every 20 minutes. Once I hit my OG, I cut the heat and begin cooling. If I hit my gravity, I hit my volume and vice versa. It's all a matter of knowing your process.

I figure my post boil volume by what ends up in the fermenter. I have it marked every half gallon with a paint pen. I did the measuring pitcher method to come up with the levels.

Wayne
Bugeater Brewing Company

[7seas]

I tried putting notches on my mash paddle. Too big of a pain in the ass! Instead, I use a steel ruler from Lowes that I clean before each use; I figure that the boiling wort will kill anything I couldn't remove.

I filled up my kettle until water started coming out of the spigot, measured this height (25mm), and then, after closing the spigot, added a gallon from a pitcher. Ended up that a gallon of water was 25mm too. So now I just put the ruler in the kettle, note the height in mm, subtract the 25mm waste and divide the rest by 25.

After 10 batches the ruler still looks new, so I assume that nothing (paint, varnish, etc) is coming off it and into my beer.

[kace069]

I got a copper pipe too and it is a pain to setup but you only have to do it once.
This leads to a similar question I thought of today. Over the summer I added a sight gauge to my HLT and I fucking love it. Before I had to stand on a block and use the copper tube when adding mash water.
Does anyone have one on their kettle? If you do what kind of nightmare is it to clean?

And another question now that I am thinking of it. Anyone have a good guesstimate on how much wort the chiller displaces? I have a 1/2 inch 50' from B3

[Brancid]

I use the notched mash paddle method. I never stick it in when the wort's chilled. For some reason it makes the paddle get all small and wrinkly. Anyway, if you're using a converted keg, like myself, this method is never going to be that accurate, because of the concave bottom you can never put it in the exact spot every time. Although, it gets you in the ballpark.

Like Bugeater said there is just no short cut around knowing your system, especially if your broke. By this I mean, if you had a ton of cash you could just get site tube for your kettle and fill her up w/ a measured bucket or pitcher and mark it out yourself. Even w/ the poor man's way, the notched stick, it is very important to pour a gallon and mark a gallon, because of the bumps in the side of the keg and the shape of the bottom you cant do any kind of volume of a cylinder type stuff.

And then you have to think about the expansion of the liquid due to heat. The level of liquid on your stick will read higher if the liquid is at higher temps. So do you make your marks at boiling and burn the piss out of your hand while you try and get your head in there to make sure your blade is in the right spot?

I just did it w/ cold water and try the best I can to keep it in the lowest part of the keg every time. Hell, I'm only really concerned w/ the level of wort at the start of the boil anyway. Everything after that is just happenstance w/ that batch and can be corrected by monitoring my gravity and adjusting the boil rate.

Hope that helped and sorry for the rant, I had quiet a few Dales Pales this evening

Cheers,

[Brancid]

Anyone have a good guesstimate on how much wort the chiller displaces? I have a 1/2 inch 50' from B3

It's just about a half gallon if it is completely submerged. That is just a volume of a cylinder type of thing.