Judging volume in the Boil pot

This might be a dumb question. but as I sit here and "not work" for a few and think about my up coming first AG brew tonight (doing Ed's Pale Ale) .

I have been planning and reading and planning and learning.

The one element I am left with now is .... How do I judge how much wort I have when the run off and the sparge is complete? This is a number I would need to judge my efficiency.

It is a 60quart pot and I generally can tell .. 5 mark and the 10 mark. But know it was 6.5gallons.. I am not so sure on...

just wondering what others are doing?

I am considering at this point - using a tea pot method I saw alton brown use. That was getting a stick (in my case my mash paddle) and fill the pot with 5gal - make a mark on the stick, fill to 6.5 make a mark, and so on... much like the river level guides at low water crossings we have here in Texas.

Any other thoughts?

Thanks guys...

T
now back to work... ha!

I learned from Bobby to runoff into buckets (e.g. ale pales) and use the markings on them. I just write down each runoff amount and shoot for my desired pre-boil volume. Then I know whats in my keggle for sure before I get going...

brilliant! .. I should have thought of that...

The markings on my boil kettle are inaccurate, so I don't use them.

I run off into a bucket from More Beer that is accurate. Then I just pour into the boil kettle.

I use the same bucket to measure how much wort I'm left with after the boil, too, so I can acurately calculate boil off.

or use a measuring stick/rod. fill the vessel with a known amount of water, and make markings or notches on the stick/rod.

works well in the brew kettle too for watching evaporation.

malkore said:

or use a measuring stick/rod. fill the vessel with a known amount of water, and make markings or notches on the stick/rod.

works well in the brew kettle too for watching evaporation.

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+1 I marked up my spoon in 5L increments but also at my magic numbers (23L and 25L) so I could judge evaporation as well.

All kinds of methods work. In the future I'll have sight glasses on ALL of my vessels so I know at a glance. Running into a graduated bucket works great for when you are transferering liquids from vessel to vessel. The measuring stick works well too but if you're boiling outside in the cold you'll have a hard time reading it due to all the steam coming out. You'll have to turn the flame off for a few minutes.

Bobby_M said:

...The measuring stick works well too but if you're boiling outside in the cold you'll have a hard time reading it due to all the steam coming out...

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That's never been my experience, but I can see it being an issue for some, most definitely. I get quite a bit of wind between my apartment buildings which probably helps.

malkore said:

or use a measuring stick/rod. ...

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Same here, made of leftover 1/2" CPVC tubing with notches cut at the 5 and 7 gallon mark.

Bobby_M said:

The measuring stick works well too but if you're boiling outside in the cold you'll have a hard time reading it due to all the steam coming out. You'll have to turn the flame off for a few minutes.

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Not at all. You use just like you would a dipstick for checking your oil. Dip it in, pull it out, and you can easily see how much is in there.:rockin:

I guess if your stick is somewhat porous it would hold an indication for you. A wood stick comes to mind. A stainless spoon? Not so much.

The last time I brewed, I couldn't even see if the boil was mild, moderate or vigorous. The steam coming out of the keg was totally blinding.

I use a marked spoon, never though of running off into a bucket, I might have to try that.

I also use it like a dipstick. I put my spoon the kettle and run my thumb down to the level of the liquid (sometimes a tad too close, but then I know I got a good read).


TL

I have my own marks on the kettle sides plus a dipstick...though the kettle marks are good enough.

Bobby_M said:

All kinds of methods work. In the future I'll have sight glasses on ALL of my vessels so I know at a glance. Running into a graduated bucket works great for when you are transferering liquids from vessel to vessel. The measuring stick works well too but if you're boiling outside in the cold you'll have a hard time reading it due to all the steam coming out. You'll have to turn the flame off for a few minutes.

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Bobby, what are you thinking of using for the sightglass? I am interested in fitting my kettle and HLT with one. How do you shroud the glass, etc? Or is there a turnkey solution available?

I used pyrex glass in compression fittings (I sold a few setups to a few folks on the board here) https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=45229 I stopped getting more parts when interest/demand sort of dwindled. I suppose there are a limited number die hards willing to play with real glass. You know what... it breaks if you're not careful ;-)

I'm working on making a shroud using the dip tube from the sankes but I've been spending my spare garage time making my brewstand instead since the sights are of no use without it.

Bobby_M said:

I guess if your stick is somewhat porous it would hold an indication for you. A wood stick comes to mind. A stainless spoon? Not so much.

The last time I brewed, I couldn't even see if the boil was mild, moderate or vigorous. The steam coming out of the keg was totally blinding.

Click to expand...

Exactly. I use a wood dowel with notches cut into it.

Bobby_M said:

I used pyrex glass in compression fittings (I sold a few setups to a few folks on the board here) https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=45229 I stopped getting more parts when interest/demand sort of dwindled. I suppose there are a limited number die hards willing to play with real glass. You know what... it breaks if you're not careful ;-)

I'm working on making a shroud using the dip tube from the sankes but I've been spending my spare garage time making my brewstand instead since the sights are of no use without it.

Click to expand...

thanks for the information. What material do you use for the ferrule? Plastic I suppose.

Sight tube and or a marked piece of PVC

I guess I take a slightly different approach. I've used my system enough that I know fairly close what my losses will be. So, I just let Beersmith tell me what strike and sparge volumes to use, I measure those accurately with sight glasses on my MLT and HLT, and then I get what I get in the kettle. I also have marks on my fermenters so that I know what I end up with for efficiency calculations. Works for me.

With my new Keggle I calibrated( dumped 1 gal at a time) with the SS Paddie Where the angle starts is 4 gal at the angle meets the handle is 6gal. Made line with engraver for 7gal, figured boil will sanitise.

Bobby_M said:

I used pyrex glass in compression fittings (I sold a few setups to a few folks on the board here) https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=45229 I stopped getting more parts when interest/demand sort of dwindled. I suppose there are a limited number die hards willing to play with real glass. You know what... it breaks if you're not careful ;-)

I'm working on making a shroud using the dip tube from the sankes but I've been spending my spare garage time making my brewstand instead since the sights are of no use without it.

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just saw your site on this. great article and pictures. thanks!