Although I have a scale that is supposed to be accurate to .1 grams, I found that it's not really sensitive enough. It seems like it will get hung up on a number for a bit and then jump.
I have had a similar problem with every digital scale I've ever used. My solution is to tap the platform every time I make an addition. It wakes the scale up to force it to re-read the weight.
I weigh mine out, I agree - I would never go by the tsp method. You can get a cheap jewelers scale for under 20 bucks that is accurate to .01g ... .
IMHO, using an accurate measuring teaspoon is probably good enough. A few micrograms give or take will not make or break a batch. It's not that critical based on volume alone.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Netflyer
I also believe we should test our water after we adjust it to make sure we hit the target or at least make sure the RA and Cl:SO4 ratio is what we were shooting for.
Uh, I thought that was the purpose of the spreadsheet. Testing water for each batch/style is a non-starter, unless you happen to own a lab.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by marubozo
You take a dollar and then add more dollars. The more dollars you accumulate the wealthier you become.
i use metric and brew in litres and i would like to alter the necessary formulas so i can input litres in boxes d9 and e9, anyone any good with spreadsheets? is this a straightforward alteration?
cheers
martin
i use metric and brew in litres and i would like to alter the necessary formulas so i can input litres in boxes d9 and e9, anyone any good with spreadsheets? is this a straightforward alteration?
cheers
martin
It would be easier to add the conversion yourself in a couple of blank cells. For instance in cell G8 enter the formula "=F8*0.264". Then input your volume in liters in cell F8, and G8 will be the equivalent volume in gallons, which you can then type into D8 or wherever.
+1 to above. Alternatively, you could just remove the conversion factor in cell D32 (D9*3.785). Just remove every instance of 3.785. It looks like that is the only place that converts everything to gallons, as ppm is already metric. I could find no other conversion for E9 as volume is volume.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by marubozo
You take a dollar and then add more dollars. The more dollars you accumulate the wealthier you become.
IMHO, using an accurate measuring teaspoon is probably good enough. A few micrograms give or take will not make or break a batch. It's not that critical based on volume alone.
Uh, I thought that was the purpose of the spreadsheet. Testing water for each batch/style is a non-starter, unless you happen to own a lab.
Using an accurate measuring tsp does what for you? You use a chart and you see how much an accurate tsp of each salt should weigh? How do you deal with intervals of that amount? How do you tsp out 2.5g of MgSO4 accurately? Micrograms are 1/1,000,000 of a gram and frankly if you can measure w/in a few millionths of a gram with your magic tsp more power to you. Are we not trying to do something extra special when we fix our water? Go to the 'next level' in brewing? Why bother if your not going to weigh the salts out... Check out one of these scales for under $25 that is accurate to the .01 and don't kid yourself about tsp accuracy. If you want consistency you have to weigh stuff out, you're better than a tsp go the extra mile
As for what the spreadsheet is for, it is to help you figure out how much salt you should add. It doesn't take the place of testing your water before or after the addition of salts. If you add the correct amount you should be at the value the spreadsheet predicts. Depending upon how serious you want to get you can purchase some relatively inexpensive tests for at least the crucial part of the water. First get your water AG tested at Wards. Then use these crucial test kits to make sure you water is still where Wards said it was BEFORE you add salts, then add the salts and then make sure you hit your mark. I totally understand that people don't have labs full labs but you can get chloride, sulfate, total alk, total hardness, magnesium, and calcium test kits and easily calculate your RA and your Cl:SO4 ratio. (I'm crazy and I do this) Again, only if you are want to go for extreme consistency in your product. It would matter in some beer styles more than others also, bitters as an example. If I'm going for a 1:10 Cl:SO4 ratio I want to know I've hit it or gotten really close.
Using an accurate measuring tsp does what for you? You use a chart and you see how much an accurate tsp of each salt should weigh? How do you deal with intervals of that amount?.
Yep, I just added a conversion factor for each mineral from grams to tsp. in the spreadsheet. I round up/down to the nearest value in grams that keeps me within recommended range.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Netflyer
How do you tsp out 2.5g of MgSO4 accurately?
2.5 g of MgSO4 (my formulation) is .56 tsp. I just add a heaping 1/2 tsp. and call it good.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Netflyer
Micrograms are 1/1,000,000 of a gram and frankly if you can measure w/in a few millionths of a gram with your magic tsp more power to you. Are we not trying to do something extra special when we fix our water? Go to the 'next level' in brewing? Why bother if your not going to weigh the salts out... Check out one of these scales for under $25 that is accurate to the .01 and don't kid yourself about tsp accuracy. If you want consistency you have to weigh stuff out, you're better than a tsp go the extra mile
As for what the spreadsheet is for, it is to help you figure out how much salt you should add. It doesn't take the place of testing your water before or after the addition of salts. If you add the correct amount you should be at the value the spreadsheet predicts. Depending upon how serious you want to get you can purchase some relatively inexpensive tests for at least the crucial part of the water. First get your water AG tested at Wards. Then use these crucial test kits to make sure you water is still where Wards said it was BEFORE you add salts, then add the salts and then make sure you hit your mark. I totally understand that people don't have labs full labs but you can get chloride, sulfate, total alk, total hardness, magnesium, and calcium test kits and easily calculate your RA and your Cl:SO4 ratio. (I'm crazy and I do this) Again, only if you are want to go for extreme consistency in your product. It would matter in some beer styles more than others also, bitters as an example. If I'm going for a 1:10 Cl:SO4 ratio I want to know I've hit it or gotten really close.
I stand corrected, I meant milligrams If you like to test/treat/test go for it. I don't see the utility. If it works for you and your process then by all means continue. I am buying a scale though, see below.
Quote:
Originally Posted by kal
0.01g scales are cheap. No reason not to have one.
Total cost to have these shipped to my door: $13.37
Kal
Just ordered. That price is equal to a set of "precision" spoons. Thanks for the link. I'll weigh the Professional Precision Digital Scale 5g Calibration Weight on a laboratory scale to see if it is actually 5g.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by marubozo
You take a dollar and then add more dollars. The more dollars you accumulate the wealthier you become.
I've always been a fan of balances over digital scales. Besides my feeling that they're more accurate, I like the fact that I can set the weight I want and just add stuff until it balances. Or maybe it just takes me back to fond memories of high school chem lab
To that end, I found this little gem on Ebay for $10 shipped. It weighs up to 4 grams with 1/20 gram accuracy. To make it even nicer, this is a new old stock model that was still made in the USA.
In the hopper is 1/4 teaspoon of Kosher salt, which balances at 1.35 grams.
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