Gytaryst
Well-Known Member
Mostly I just never thought it was that necessary. I measure the wort going into the BK so I know (accurately) what the starting volume is. All of my fermentation vessels are marked so I know (accurately) how much I'm taking out.I love the sight glass on my BK. I use it to steer the boil cranking heat up or down in order to arrive at desired volume. Obviously you have reasons for not including it but I suggest reconsidering.
Inside the BK I always have hop bags, hop strainers, and during the last 15 minutes of the boil, an immersion chiller. All of those would effect the level in a sight glass to one degree or another, based on a whole host of variables. Temperature effects the level in the site glass. When the wort is at a rolling boil the level is bouncing up and down, so determining a volume is basically just eyeballing and guessing.
To me a sight glass on the BK was an added expense and more work, producing more areas for bacteria to possibly take hold, more cleaning and sanitizing issues, more possibility of leaks, more possibility of something going wrong to screw up a brew day. If the sight glass on my BK broke or cracked on brew day, I'd be screwed. If there is no sight glass on the BK, it's a safe bet that will never happen.
I didn't add dial thermometers to any of my keggles for pretty much the same reason. Extra expense, extyra work, more places for bacteria to take hold, more things to go wrong, and unless you want to spend a fortune, most of those analog dial thermometers aren't that accurate to begin with. I have several digital instant read thermopens, remote probe and one 12" dial thermometer. Granted, I can't just walk up to the keg and see a temperature, I have to actually stick a thermometer in . . . but it's never been enough of an inconvenience to counter all the negative aspects.
It is embarrassing when I take pictures because they don't have all the bells and whistles like everyone else's . . . but with counceling, I'm learning to live with that.