Graduating a Keggle?

Curious as to what some of you have done with your keggles in terms of measuring the volume of liquid that you have in it. I've heard of using a center punch or something to mark the inside of the keg at the gallon marks, but my center punch doesn't do the tiniest mark on mine. I like the sight glasses, but not really in a position to drill holes in my keggles.

So I'm just wondering what some of you do.

Get a piece of copper pipe, stick, plastic rod, etc. and make marks on it for each gallon (or half or whatever you want). Then stick it in there to the bottom to measure. Very cheap and works like a charm.

I've designed, made, and installed a sight tube of my own in my boil keggle. Works great and i don't need to move the hop spider to see how much volume is left.

Cut notches in your SS brewspoon. Mine has a super long handle and I cut notches every half gallon. 1/16th inch notches on the half gallon marks and 1/4 inch notches on the whole. Really accent the 5 gal and 10 gal marks. It's bombproof and fast.

check out bobby_m's sight glasses. www.brewhardware.com overall great value i use two of them.

Sight glasses are great, but if you don't want to go that route, then I would recommend a metal or plastic yard stick.

cobolstinks said:

check out bobby_m's sight glasses. www.brewhardware.com overall great value i use two of them.

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Yep. Well worth the minor expense and drilling one little hole.

I made a stick with notches for each of my pots. Cheap and easy to make. very accurate until you put the immersion chiller in.

I was leery of the weldless kits, but if they're worth it, I might consider it soon. Thanks for the recommendation.

My keggles graduated from carrying beer to making beer .

I measure from the top rim to the liquid surface and compare it to a depth/volume chart I made by filling the keggle in increments.

If you install one of my weldless sight kits following the elementary instructions and it leaks, I'll refund you 110% of what you paid and send you a plug off kit on my dime. These literally NEVER leak.

For folks that use a measuring stick or measure the headspace, how do you see through the steam? Maybe it's a Northeast issue but even in the summer, I can't see the surface of wort during the boil. I suppose if you use a dry wood stick, you can dip it and remove to read it.

I would have used a rod, but based on your guarantee, Bobby, I think I'll take you up on that sight glass. I need to wait for awhile, as I just ordered some things for my mash tun, but you'll see an order from me in the next couple of months, I think. Thanks.