I seem to have a ghost messing around with my kettle volumes. Maybe someone can volunteer an exorcism, or maybe someone can explain this with..science?
I've noticed that when I am heating up my mash in my boil kettle that the volume increases as I approach 212 F. However, right when I start boiling, my sight gauge immediately drops about .4 gallons. It make sense that the volume increases with temp because the density of the mash is decreasing, but I can't figure out why the volume drops so fast when the boil starts. Is this some interplay of kinetic energy in the wort, surface tension, capillary action in the sight gauge? WTF. Or am I just haunted my a ghost?
My reason for asking is that I want an accurate pre-boil volume measure so I can dial in my O.G., adjusting up or down as needed with water or DME.
The details of my kettle: 25 gal megapot with a 3/8 OD sight gauge from bargain fittings. Maybe a larger diameter sight gauge would fix things?
I've noticed that when I am heating up my mash in my boil kettle that the volume increases as I approach 212 F. However, right when I start boiling, my sight gauge immediately drops about .4 gallons. It make sense that the volume increases with temp because the density of the mash is decreasing, but I can't figure out why the volume drops so fast when the boil starts. Is this some interplay of kinetic energy in the wort, surface tension, capillary action in the sight gauge? WTF. Or am I just haunted my a ghost?
My reason for asking is that I want an accurate pre-boil volume measure so I can dial in my O.G., adjusting up or down as needed with water or DME.
The details of my kettle: 25 gal megapot with a 3/8 OD sight gauge from bargain fittings. Maybe a larger diameter sight gauge would fix things?