Looking for advice - measuring brew kettle volume

Long time lurker, first post (I think), just made the switch to all-grain.

Quick question: I'm in need of a good way to measure the brew kettle volume after each step (first running, sparge, pre-boil, post-boil, etc.). Obviously, I'm looking to my first few batches to help me narrow down my process & equipment when it comes to evaporation, volume after each mash step, etc.

Right now I have a wooden dowel that I've calibrated to my brew kettle. Works fine for everything up to the post-boil measurement... there's no way I'm trusting the wood to be sanitized for anything after flameout.

So how do you all do it? What piece(s) of equipment do you use to measure volume, especially one that can be reliably sanitized?

Stainless steel measuring tape, sprayed with StarSan?

I'm pretty new to all grain too but this is what i do:

I keep a 5 gallon bucket with some sanitizing solution in it throughout the whole process. I usually keep my airlock for fermenter, siphon hoses and other things in it when Im not actually using it. To measure volumes in my brew kettle i use a food grade PVC pipe (instead of a wooden dowel) to measure my kettle volumes. I simply keep the PVC pipe in the sanitizing solution between steps.

Hope that helps a little

If you use a sight-glass for measurements that will tell you.

For after-boil - Just subtract like 2% to account for heat expansion if it's that critical. Otherwise, just boil for 60 minutes, chill and put in the fermenter. If you happen to have more than will fit in your carboy and its not a lot just dump it or save it away in the freezer for top-up or as a starter for your next brew.

If you come in low, add distilled water to top off and then bump up your pre-boil volume a little next time.

Be aware - you will find your evaporation rate changes throughout the year and how vigorously you boil.

I like the cpvc rod method because you can use it during the boil and after. However, the only method I have at this time is a wooden dowel rod with it's measurements transferred to an old racking cane that I no longer use. The racking cane is easily sanitized and it was easy to transfer the markings onto it by placing the "calibrated" dowel rod next to it.

I use a metal yardstick for in the kettle. Then my demijohn (carboy, sorta) is marked off with lines. I filled that with measured amounts of water, then used a sharpie to mark it off. Then used clear packing tape to put over the marks so they don't get washed off. Then I know exactly what ends up in the demijohn, which also helps when it comes to bottling time.

I use a metal yardstick for in the kettle. Then my demijohn (carboy, sorta) is marked off with lines. I filled that with measured amounts of water, then used a sharpie to mark it off. Then used clear packing tape to put over the marks so they don't get washed off. Then I know exactly what ends up in the demijohn, which also helps when it comes to bottling time.

Click to expand...

This is close to what I do. I have a 'calibrated' bamboo skewer to measure volume pre-boil and then I don't measure volume again until it's all in the carboy (which has been marked). Once you get a good feel for your boil-off rate you'll be within a pint or so everytime.

But I'm a bit over-cautious about letting things contact the wort/beer. Unless absolutely necessary I just don't do it. I don't stick a thermometer in it when cooling it...I just feel the side of the pot and when it feels right I move it to the carboy. I never even 'take' hydro samples...I can tell just by observation when it's ready to be racked and 'catch' a sample then. A side benefit is that it's just easier (or lazier depending on how you look at it ).

I use a plastic spoon with markings on it. Although, after flame out , there isnt a whole lot you can do anyway, so what are you measuring?

SpanishCastleAle said:

This is close to what I do. I have a 'calibrated' bamboo skewer to measure volume pre-boil and then I don't measure volume again until it's all in the carboy (which has been marked). Once you get a good feel for your boil-off rate you'll be within a pint or so everytime.

But I'm a bit over-cautious about letting things contact the wort/beer. Unless absolutely necessary I just don't do it. I don't stick a thermometer in it when cooling it...I just feel the side of the pot and when it feels right I move it to the carboy. I never even 'take' hydro samples...I can tell just by observation when it's ready to be racked and 'catch' a sample then. A side benefit is that it's just easier (or lazier depending on how you look at it ).

Click to expand...

Yeah, same here. I don't stick the measuring stick in there when the boil's done or anything. I figure I'm racking to the demijohn anyway, so just measure in the demijohn using those marks.

I bought a 36" stainless steel mixing paddle, it was only $25 or so, and marked it with a Dremel. It works great for mixing up the mash too.

Use your dowel to measure before and during boil, (your dowel can go into the kettle at flameout too to get one last reading....the wort is plenty hot enough to pasteurize still)...

Mark your carboy like this:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/marking-your-carboy-63174/

Or figure something else out if you have a BB or plastic pail...

JesseRC said:

I use a plastic spoon with markings on it. Although, after flame out , there isnt a whole lot you can do anyway, so what are you measuring?

Click to expand...

Just trying to get a feel for evaporation, losses to trub, etc. Like I mentioned, I just switched to AG and I'm working on refining my system.

The difference between post-boil volume and volume transfered to primary is something I'd like to track over my first few AG batches.

I like the PVC idea - that should be easy to transfer markings from my dowels. If a measurement post-boil and cooling is what I'm after, I think PVC will do the trick.

Appreciate all your helpful feedback!

I prefer to use something that cannot harbor buildup or bacteria inside. If you go to a restaurant supply store they will have spoons that are long plastic dowel lookin made of plastic.

I started out by measuring out the water into the keggle to 5.5gal, then squashed the chiller to just break the surface at that level. So when dropping the chiller in at the last 15 min of boil, if the coils just break the surface I'm at my target volume. It also happens that a rib in the side of the keggle is at the 5.5gal mark as well, so I can look for that rib to show as well, recently I noted that 11 gal mark has a rib as well, I love my keggle, it seems to be premarked for makin beer!!

i'm surprised you guys don't even put the thermometer in. i leave mine in the boil the whole time. i know it's sanitized then :cross:

if you have better bottles like me, try using electrical tape on the outside for your measurements. my notchmarks havn't fallen off yet and its been over a year.

eggbeater59 said:

i'm surprised you guys don't even put the thermometer in. i leave mine in the boil the whole time. i know it's sanitized then :cross:

if you have better bottles like me, try using electrical tape on the outside for your measurements. my notchmarks havn't fallen off yet and its been over a year.

Click to expand...

Beware the floating thermometer:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f14/son-crap-141487/

shortyjacobs said:

Beware the floating thermometer:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f14/son-crap-141487/

Click to expand...

well that sucks. my thermometer is 100% enclosed in glass, so i don't think there is a real risk of that. if it does break i'm tossing the batch anyways. no amount of beer is worth turning your esophagus into swiss cheese.

eggbeater59 said:

i'm surprised you guys don't even put the thermometer in. i leave mine in the boil the whole time. i know it's sanitized then :cross:

Click to expand...

I use a digital thermometer with oven-proof probe, like for cooking meat/roasts...so I'd have to be careful about the cable melting from the propane burner. And I just don't feel the need for it...I can feel when it's cooled down to the right temp and I've cooled a batch-worth of wort in this same pot with this same IC/pump/etc. enough times to know about how long it takes to chill a batch.

I'm going to use an aluminum yardstick, and make not of the measurement at volume levels. I measure before the boil (to get grav points) and then i stop boiling when i hit my target volume for my OG. has been pretty good so far

If you measure the volume during the boil, be aware that it will be about 4% high, compared with pitching temperatures.

-a.

I brew 5-gal batches and I'm planning to use a hot wire to melt a small notch into my plastic stirring spoon right at the 5.5 gallon point.

I think if I do this correctly a smooth melted notch won't trap moisture, sugar, wort, etc., as easily as a simple cut mark could.

Well that's my initial thought anyway!

A few things to consider.

When tap water(1.000) at room temp is added for your strike water, it measures with any measuring cup.

As the temperature increases, the volume changes as the air bubbles expand.

Once you add sugars to the 165*F water, it increases more when measured as the preboil in the boiler.

Then the boil starts and the air is driven out of the wort dropping the wort down in volume, but it still contains sugars, so the volume is still different then plain water.

They say from room temp, to near boiling, there is a 4% increase due to expansion and contraction.

It is also said, if you put 2 cup water, and 2 cups table sugar stirred in, it equals 3 cups liquid.

Then you have hop expansion to deal with in the boiler that change volume levels again.

So you can see where volume measurements can really go haywire.

That is the reason why breweries use weight measurements during the brewing process.

I know this is an old post but I just saw this over on reddit. I'm going to be doing this to my kettle for sure. Something that seems difficult yet is quite easy. (note: not my idea, just sharing here) Etching stainless steel brewpot

Too funny. Just came across this too and planned to post it.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

My only concern there is, if it's a stainless steel pot, it likely isn't stainless in those locations any more. If it's an aluminum pot, you have spots that will wamt to oxidize the next time you brew with it. Clever idea, but not something I'd consider doing, unless I'm way off base with my concerns.

Stainless is not a coating. Same process is used to mark stainless in lots of applications.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

limitedbwr said:

I know this is an old post but I just saw this over on reddit. I'm going to be doing this to my kettle for sure. Something that seems difficult yet is quite easy. (note: not my idea, just sharing here) Etching stainless steel brewpot

Click to expand...

Third this!!