How to measure volume in boil kettle?

[Ampsonic]

I'm getting ready to do my first partial mash, and I'm reviewing the procedure in my head.

I know I'm going to be using specific volumes of water for my mash and sparge, but it's my understanding that I should get as close to a full volume boil as possible after that.

What's the easiest way of measuring liquid volume in the boil kettle? I was thinking of getting a dowel and marking off measurements on it.

 

[billl]

Yep - you've got it. Just make sure you mark it with something waterproof.

 

[unionrdr]

For my 1st pm on 10/9,I used a Sunny-D gallon jug that I marked off by quarts to measure water for the mash & sparge in seperate kettles. I just got used to how much volume in my kettles equals how many quarts/gallons. Besides all my fermenters/bottling buckets have graduations on them.

 

[menerdari]

I Use this calculator and a metal yardstick.
http://merrycuss.com/calc/kettle_volume.html

 

[Ampsonic]

And just to verify, the more liquid during the boil, the better for hops utilization, correct?

Is it recommended to add my LME after the boil or before?

 

[ETCS]

I use a yard stick. I only mark the 1 and .5 gallons. I don't go any lower than that.

 

[Seb]

I used a wooden stick, cut marks on it for every gallon.

 

[unionrdr]

And just to verify, the more liquid during the boil, the better for hops utilization, correct?

Is it recommended to add my LME after the boil or before?

I don't think so. It's the gravity of the wort in my experiences. With my first pm,I used the mashed grain wort for the hop additions in the one hour boil. Volume started at 3 gallons after sparge. I added the lil jug of Breisse gold LME at flame out as per my usual process.