Suggestions Needed for Measuring Wort in the Kettle

[kace069]

Thanks brancid.
I was also going to mention about getting the dip stick close to the center. My keggle draws from the center so I just but it up to the dip tube and I know I am at the center. Although I usually only use it to determine my pre boil volume.

[SpillsMostOfIt]

I have an aluminium boiler and I made an aluminium ruler that hangs from the rim of the pot. It is graduated in centimetres and I know that if I have X kilograms of grain and I want to end up with Y litres into my cube after boiling for Z minutes, I start with *mumble* centimeters of water in the kettle.

It annoys the bejesus out of Thirsty Boy when we brew at my place but it works just fine for me, particularly because I know that the kettle is not of a uniform shape...

[DannyW]

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.

You could measure from the rim of the kettle down to the surface of the liquid rather than poking the stick all the way to the bottom. Your stick might get damp from the steam but would not get all hot and wet and sticky.

[mfischer2]

I use a ruler or a clean tape measure. I calibrated it by adding 1g of water, 2g of water, 3g of water, etc and measuring the height. Since I have piping at the bottom, the 1st gallon is something like 3 inches and the 2nd is 5inches, so it's not linear until all the tubing is covered. I used excel and inferred the rest and printed myself a chart with accuracy down to 1/8" or about .25 gallons.

[Brancid]

You could measure from the rim of the kettle down to the surface of the liquid rather than poking the stick all the way to the bottom. Your stick might get damp from the steam but would not get all hot and wet and sticky.

Huh, that's a damb good plan. that would solve a lot. In fact if you could fasten some sort of cork on the end and make a nice little notch in the side of the rim that would be damb right professional. It would work just like a float switch one would have in their grant.

Now you got me thinking.

[mexican]

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.

You could measure from the rim of the kettle down to the surface of the liquid rather than poking the stick all the way to the bottom. Your stick might get damp from the steam but would not get all hot and wet and sticky.

This is basically what I do. I measure from the wort surface to the top of the keggle. It kinda look weird because you have markings along the middle of the 'dipstick' rather than one end. You do have to remember to always measure using the same end of the 'dipstick' or everything will get screwed up. I did that once and totally freaked out because my boil volume seemed to have gone UP after a 60 minute boil

mex

[J.Brew]

1" oak dowel works fine for me. Comes in handy around my brewery setup as well and since I never touch cooled or cooling wort with it, infection is not an issue whatsoever. I calibrated it by adding a gallon at a time in my kettle and marking it until I got a linear figure, measured, marked, and viola! Works perfect, and it's easy as sin.

[yeast_slurry_speech]

I built a sight glass from a racking cane that I cut the bend off of.


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