Keggle Measuring Stick?

[Cpt_Kirks]

What is the best thing to use to make a keggle measuring stick?

 

[babalu87]

A yardstick

I had some scrap oak left over so I used it.

 

[Bernie Brewer]

I used an old wood dowel that was lying around in my garage. I cut notches in it at 1 gallon increments. If memory serves, the notches are exactly 1" apart.

 

[ScubaSteve]

I took my 21" ss spoon and marked it with a sharpie after every gallon I added to the keg. I strongly suggest this because the bottom dome and ribs of the keg make for an irregular shape. I then took my angle grinder and notched both sides of the spoon at each gallon mark, smoothing out the sharp edges. I recommend this even if you have sight glasses, because it can be an excellent backup.

 

[Killinger]

I notched a hi-temp plastic spoon from the LHBS in gallon increments. Works well.

 

[Jared311]

Have you looked into adding a sight glass?

 

[Schlenkerla]

I use a metal yard stick. Here is a file that shows gallons and inches.

View attachment Kegdepth.doc

 

[BrewBeemer]

I made a couple measuring sticks for friends out of 1/8" x 1" wide 304 stainless steel. One side was marked in gallons with lines between the gallon numbers stamped for quart markings. The other side was marked in liters. Markings on both sided were made from a hot keggle with the water temperature near the boiling point. A 3/8" hole at the top for hanging on a 1/4-20 bolt mounted on the brew stands. Simple to clean vs wood that can absorb nasty bugs. I built them over 10 years ago with both of them still in operation.

 

[Beerrific]

I notched a hi-temp plastic spoon from the LHBS in gallon increments. Works well.

Same here. I like to have the spoon in the pot to stir or skim out any leaves that fall in. I just flipped over so the flat end is in the wort and notched it.

 

[Bobby_M]

How you guys up in the North read these sticks when it's slightly cold outside? The column of steam that comes off my boil kettle makes it so hard to see in, I couldn't tell you if it was a Pilsner or a Porter boiling.

 

[Bernie Brewer]

How you guys up in the North read these sticks when it's slightly cold outside? The column of steam that comes off my boil kettle makes it so hard to see in, I couldn't tell you if it was a Pilsner or a Porter boiling.

Just like a dipstick on a car motor. Dip it in, pull it out, (Hmm, sounds sick:cross, read it.

 

[Desert_Sky]

I use my mash paddle. Ive cut a notch in it to where I know it needs to be pre boil. I continue to sparge until Ive hit that mark. Low tech is sometimes best

 

[Hombru1]

I've been thinking of using one of the keg spears I have laying around. Aside from using it to beat the daylights out of an intruder, I just can't find a reasonable use. Measuring might be the ticket.

 

[harley03]

I marked the measurements on my wooden mash paddle at every half gallon increment. After marking the measurements using a scribe I then used a soldering iron to burn in the marks and it works great. I have marks for both my 7.5 gallon keggle and 10 gallon keggle.
When it comes time to measure I just dip it in get it wet and then look and the level.

 

[chrislehr]

I use a metal yard stick. Here is a file that shows gallons and inches.

bumping a year old thread cause this file should be in the wiki or something!

 

[Schlenkerla]

How you guys up in the North read these sticks when it's slightly cold outside? The column of steam that comes off my boil kettle makes it so hard to see in, I couldn't tell you if it was a Pilsner or a Porter boiling.

Just like a dipstick on a car motor. Dip it in, pull it out, (Hmm, sounds sick:cross, read it.

I take a big breath and blow it for about 6-8 seconds. It clears enough to see the measured level.

 

[sensortech]

I have a piece of copper pipe. Flattened 4 inches on one end with a vise, and bent it so it hangs in my brewpot. Cut notches in it from 2 to 12 gallons.

 

[JVD_X]

I use a long tube of thin borosilicate glass. Stick it in, put your finger over the end of the tube and pull out. Premarked with tape.

 

[Catt22]

I use an aluminum yardstick for both my converted keg and my Polarware kettle. I measure from the top of the FB in each and use a conversion factor to get from inches to gallons. I also know the volume beneath the FB. I ignore the keg ribs as the error they introduce is very trivial. The conversion constant for the keg is 0.80 gallons per inch and 0.67 for the 10 gallon Polarware. A pocket calculator makes the conversion a snap. I use a flashlight to read the yardstick if there's a lot of steam, which usually there isn't as I brew in my garage and out of the extreme cold.

 

[Cpt_Kirks]

Wow, zombie thread.

I wound up using a piece of broom handle, with lines cut into it with a tubing cutter. It doubles as a mash paddle (but not a very good one).

 

[shortyjacobs]

Flashlight to see the line when there's lots of steam, or pull it out and look where it's wet.

Here's my spreadsheet. Inputs are in yellow. I like the yardstick because it works in all my pots. For the keggle, the first gallon takes up more volume then any gallon after it because of the domed bottom. The spreadsheet is cool because you can enter how many gallons you need, how many quarts you need, or how many inches you have...

http://www.filesavr.com/qM74oC3a

 

[Henrythe9th]

I use a fiberglass electric fence poll/rod, cut grooves for marking ever gal.
you can find them in farm supply stores around a buck ea.
3/8" x 48"

 

[Homercidal]

SS rule bought online for like $10. I made a spreadsheet with numbers for all of my kettles.

 

[Chemkrafty]

How do you guys account for the expansion factor between cold and boiling liquid?

 

[Catt22]

How do you guys account for the expansion factor between cold and boiling liquid?

The expansion is about 4%. It's a simple calc if you know that.

 

[shortyjacobs]

How do you guys account for the expansion factor between cold and boiling liquid?

Personally, I ignore it. Of course, I batch sparge, and Beersmith is pretty well dialed in for me now, so I know that starting with x water and y grain will give me 5.5 gallons post boil. I never worry about measuring how much I have preboil...

 

[Catt22]

Personally, I ignore it. Of course, I batch sparge, and Beersmith is pretty well dialed in for me now, so I know that starting with x water and y grain will give me 5.5 gallons post boil. I never worry about measuring how much I have preboil...

I pretty much do the same with ProMash. I just figure it in with my other miscellaneous losses and I always brew slightly more beer than I need. I would much rather have a little extra than come up short.