mggray87
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What scale is accurate for lbs,oz for malt and grains and oz for hops. I figured one scale for lbs for the malt and one for hops and accurate oz??
Accurate, precision scales
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I've been on a brewing hiatus till I can build a more 'accessible' brew-rig, but I've been regularly using the Anvil grain scale for filling kegs brewed at my LHBS and I can vouch for it's accuracy on the heavier side. I use it it set to metric because 1kg of water = 1L, and after calculating weight/FG it's always spot-on getting exactly 5G in my kegs.
My hop scale was just a well-reviewed one off Amazon, but I don't entirely trust it so I look forward to hearing specific recommendations for one to replace it.
My hop scale was just a well-reviewed one off Amazon, but I don't entirely trust it so I look forward to hearing specific recommendations for one to replace it.
mggray87
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I saw the anvil on Morebeer. I may get that for the grains. But need something for Oz and grams for salts and hops
A scale for weighing envelopes and other shipping items will work for hops and grains and filling kegs by weight, I use an accuteck ship pro W-8580-110 from Amazon. as for salts, I've found the pocket scales (ya know the drug dealer ones) to be useless.. I got lucky and landed a scale from my work that we used to mix automotive paint when we got a replacement one, its accurate to .01 gram
Edit.. unless you can find a cheap used paint scale dont bother, they are several grand. So unfortunately I don't have good input other then dont waste money on a cheap pocket scale.
Edit.. unless you can find a cheap used paint scale dont bother, they are several grand. So unfortunately I don't have good input other then dont waste money on a cheap pocket scale.
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I find this scale useful for small amounts where 0.1 gram matters. It display increments of 0.01 gram. So it gives me confidence in things I'm only concerned about the tenth of a gram.
Weighmax Dream Series Digital Pocket Scale - Amazon
It's also give me repeatable results when I weigh the same item several times. So it replaced another cheap'o scale I'd gotten before that only measured to the 0.1 grams and would give a different weight for the same item. They both cost about the same amount of money.
For the other stuff, my kitchen scale gives me plenty of range for the 2.5 gallon batches and less that I brew at a time. Homedics is the current scale, but when it's time to replace it might be a Taylor
Weighmax Dream Series Digital Pocket Scale - Amazon
It's also give me repeatable results when I weigh the same item several times. So it replaced another cheap'o scale I'd gotten before that only measured to the 0.1 grams and would give a different weight for the same item. They both cost about the same amount of money.
For the other stuff, my kitchen scale gives me plenty of range for the 2.5 gallon batches and less that I brew at a time. Homedics is the current scale, but when it's time to replace it might be a Taylor
mggray87
Well-Known Member
I just ordered the large anvil scale for lbs from morebeer. I'm wondering if it will work for my closed pressurized transfers. Tare the 5g kegs with co2 in them and then fill them? Spunding valve letting CO2 out as it forces the beer in? Sounds like putting beer in pushing CO2 out won't throw off scale or accurate weight?
That's similar to how I do my closed transfers, make sure you tare after hooking up the transfer hose. Not a huge weight difference but its there.
mggray87
Well-Known Member
Ok just the idea of releasing CO2 weight for beer weight seems it wouldn't be accurate compared to a empty keg purged empty. But pressurized say keg at 8psi to conical 10psi for carbonated transfers.
it's all new to me haha
I use a cheap Amazon kitchen scale and a cheap Amazon milligram scale. I'm making beer, not rocket fuel.
mggray87
Well-Known Member
Haha good point. And your right. But I got issues with trying to be perfect. Ocd. It's an issue but I'm sure over time I'll just be throwing stuff around lol
I see, I transfer under lower pressure so I don't worry about the offset of weight of co2... that's beyond my knowledge, maybe a question for @doug293czOk just the idea of releasing CO2 weight for beer weight seems it wouldn't be accurate compared to a empty keg purged empty. But pressurized say keg at 8psi to conical 10psi for carbonated transfers.
thought I would easily calculate this, but now rethinking....
mashpaddled
Well-Known Member
I wouldn't worry too much about a scale for pounds. Most of the countertop scales will be fine with that weight. It's the ounce and smaller increment scales that need great accuracy. I do a lot of small batches and adjust my water so I need to get down to tenths of grams. I had a small scale that broke down to tenths of grams that died after a decade. I recently replaced it with one that measures to hundredths of grams and seems durable:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08R6F739W/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
But most of the jeweler's scales like those are probably as good.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08R6F739W/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
But most of the jeweler's scales like those are probably as good.
Ok, I of course neglected that a pressure gauge measures pressure over atmospheric (duh), so I left out the initial charge of CO2 before pressurization. So for 8 psi of pressure on the gauge, this would be 52.6 g of CO2. However your keg might not be exactly 5 gals....
I do the 2 scale thing. A cheap scale can be accurate if you don't ask it for too big of a range. Otherwise the strain gauges inside have to be ever increasing quality. I have a 100g weight for the little scale and just would occasionally compare the bigger one to the results I'd get at the LHBS when I bagged the grain. I'm an espresso nerd so I needed the small scale anyhow for beans.
Reloaders are used to weighing things very accurately. I have a balance, but for convenience, I use a Brifit electronic scale to weigh hops. Works fine. I can't find it on Amazon now, but there are different names for the same thing. Not really great for measuring powder, but fine for hops. Goes up to over 6 ounces.
https://www.amazon.com/Back-Lit-Fun...8&sr=1-1-5190daf0-67e3-427c-bea6-c72c1df98776
https://www.amazon.com/Back-Lit-Fun...8&sr=1-1-5190daf0-67e3-427c-bea6-c72c1df98776
mggray87
Well-Known Member
I haven't measured my new kegs. Haven't used them yet. Ahah they are the kegland 5g pony kegs.
A 5 gal keg has a total internal volume very close to 20L (5 gal = 19L.) CO2 at atmospheric pressure and 0°C (32°F) has a density of 1.977 g/L, so a keg filled with 100% CO2 would have 20 * 1.977 = 39.54 g (~1.4 oz) of CO2. At 20°C (68°F) the weight of CO2 would be 39.54 g * 273.15 / (273.15 + 20) = 36.83 g (1.3 oz.) At 10 psig, the CO2 weights would be: 39.54 * (10 + 14.7) / 14.7 = 66.44 g (~2.34 oz), and 36.83 * (10 + 14.7) / 14.7 = 61.88 g (2.18 oz.)
So, you can make an adjustment if you want, or just ignore it since 5 gal of 1.010 beer weighs 5 * 8.33 * 1.010 = 42.07 lb or 673 oz, and 2.34 oz is only 0.35% of the total.
Brew on
That's why I basically write it off, for a 5gal keg the weight of co2 is barely going to register on my scale. Thanks for the clarification Doug. But having the true numbers is reassuring.
Cheers!
Cheers!
mggray87
Well-Known Member
copy ill ignore it thats good to know how to get weight of a specific gravity beer. im writing that down LOLA 5 gal keg has a total internal volume very close to 20L (5 gal = 19L.) CO2 at atmospheric pressure and 0°C (32°F) has a density of 1.977 g/L, so a keg filled with 100% CO2 would have 20 * 1.977 = 39.54 g (~1.4 oz) of CO2. At 20°C (68°F) the weight of CO2 would be 39.54 g * 273.15 / (273.15 + 20) = 36.83 g (1.3 oz.) At 10 psig, the CO2 weights would be: 39.54 * (10 + 14.7) / 14.7 = 66.44 g (~2.34 oz), and 36.83 * (10 + 14.7) / 14.7 = 61.88 g (2.18 oz.)
So, you can make an adjustment if you want, or just ignore it since 5 gal of 1.010 beer weighs 5 * 8.33 * 1.010 = 42.07 lb or 673 oz, and 2.34 oz is only 0.35% of the total.
Brew on
I use a 0-100 gram scale for hops and salts. Then a 0-13LB kitchen scale works for grain. There is no one scale that is accurate enough with a capacity high enough at the same time. Not for my taste anyway.
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