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missing link · 02-08-2008, 04:45 PM

I want to make a stick for measuring the depth of the wort in my kettle during the boil.

What do you guys use? I was thinking a peice of oak dowel or 2x2 oak with notches every half gallon or so.

Can I see what everybody else uses?

Linc

Boerderij_Kabouter · 02-08-2008, 04:48 PM

I put notches in my oak mash paddle and use that for everything. It looks cool and is one less piece of equipment I need around.

**Bombo80** · 02-08-2008, 04:52 PM

I was thinking about something like this. I don't have anyway to gauge how much fluid I have in my keggle, or my smaller (8.5gal) boil pot. I might just use the long plastic spoon I have, and make some marks on that. Starting with 5 gal in the pot, then stick the measuring stick in to find out the level, then mark it. Then add a gallon and mark again. I will probably do this up to the 15 gal. level on my keggle. Might have to use a different measuring stick for my other boil pot.

Good idea, anyway.

missing link · 02-08-2008, 05:05 PM

I had started with my plastic spoon but the notches are hard to see in the boiling couldron of steaming bubbling beer. Especially when boiling 7 gallons in a 15 gallon pot. With the wood stick, you can stick it in the pot and lift it out to see where the fluid level is like an oil dispstick. That's my thought anyway.

**WortMonger** · 02-08-2008, 05:10 PM

I use a yard stick.

**SenorWanderer** · 02-08-2008, 05:24 PM

i used the spoon that came with my first beginners kit. i did exactly what Bombo80 talked about; marked the spoon with a sharpie for each gallon i added. after i had done 4-5 gallons on my 15 gallon kettle, i measured to find out that it was just over an inch per gallon, so i continued to mark off by measuring. the only reason i was able to do this is that my boil kettle has straight parallel sides. this wouldn't be as accurate on a keggle because of the way the sides bow. after i was done measuring i used a pipe cutter (the kind with a cutting wheel that you twist) to groove the marks. then i came back with the sharpie and colored in the grooves, making sure to get the ink all the way into the groove. next i sanded the stem of the spoon with 120 sandpaper to smooth out the bumps the pipe cutter left behind. i followed that up with 400 grit just to make it really smooth. the blue marks are for my 15 gallon kettle, and the black marks are for my 5 gallon. if i hadn't have had this spoon laying around i would have just used a piece of small diameter pvc pipe. if you're really fancy (but not fancy enough to make a sight glass) you could use a length of copper and notch it the same way, and tack that into the inside of the keggle.

WBC · 02-08-2008, 06:36 PM

A sight glass is just a bunch more parts to clean. I personally have opted not to have any for this reason.

ScubaSteve · 02-08-2008, 11:53 PM

I took my 21" brewing spoon (SS, can be had at morebeer) and notched both sides with my grinder at each gallon mark. No site glasses to break...or even buy. It does have a way of snagging my mesh bags, but not too badly. This is highly visible, durable, and serves a dual purpose.

**Lil' Sparky** · 02-09-2008, 12:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WBC

A sight glass is just a bunch more parts to clean. I personally have opted not to have any for this reason.

Not really. I just blow some water through them as I'm cleaning up. Easy.

Jim Karr · 02-09-2008, 12:47 AM

I took a piece of 1/2" CPVC pipe, marked it with a sharpie, and also drilled holes through it at the marks. Works great!