Measuring grain w/o scale . . .

[sonvolt]

Does anyone have a link to the thread where we discussed how to measure grains if you don't have a scale? I've searched for it, and I can't seem to locate it.

How many cups = a pound. I don't have a scale

 

[Ivan Lendl]

2 cups is a pound...

 

[RichBrewer]

2 cups is a pound...

I would think that could be a tad inaccurate. Doesn't it depend on the malt type and moisture content? I've never seen malt listed in a recipe by measurement. It is always by weight.
IMHO

 

[ajf]

1 cup of 2 Maris Otter is 4.7 oz (134 grams). (I just weighed it.)

-a.

 

[sonvolt]

Provided that the HBS from whom I ordered this American 2-Row accurately sent me the ten pounds of malt I ordered, 2 cups = 1 pound.

 

[ajf]

Mine was whole grain. Chrushed malt should weigh a little bit more, but I don't know about 70% more. I checked my scales by weighing a pint of water. It came in at 1 lb 0.6 oz. (A little bit heavy, but I don't know how accurate my one pint measuring jug is.)

-a.

 

[alemonkey]

I have a can that holds exactly 16 oz of 2 row pale when level full. For my adjuncts and specialty grains I still use the scale, though.

 

[Beer Snob]

I might be pounding (pardon the pun) on a penny, but this question is, at least to me, a but humorous. This reminds of of the very challenging question in Chem 101. What wieghs more? 1 pound of feathers or 1 pound of steel? To the student who has never thought of it, the inclination is to say steel wieghs more. The answer obviously is neither. The both wieght 1 pound. There is certainly many more cups of feathers then steel, but they wiegh the same. This is why you can only be roughly accurate when you say... well there are so many cups in 1 pound. A pound is a pound and to say that there are so many cups in a pound well.... does not realy make a lot of sense. If you ask though... well I have 2 row pale malt that is crushed, how many cups about equal a pound? Youu would get a pretty acurate answer. You woudl get a different answer though if you were using say... oatmeal for instance. The error of the answer is perhaps immaterial to what I had just said though when comparing one malt to another. This is beer not rocket science.

Although you can solve this problem by just going to Meijers and getting a digital scale for $20 and a sping one for about $5. Cheap enough solution.

 

[Ivan Lendl]

yup...unless you know the density of 2-row, you cant determine its mass with out wieghing it. But if you knew just the mass, you could then find out its volume by placing it in water and measuring the water displaced, then you could simply divide mass into volume and get the density. But i guess 2-row has less density then water, which would make it float and hard to determine its volume. So your stuck with getting a scale.

btw: my chemistry teacher said she tried making wine once, but it came out tasting like vinegar, and she has a Phd., so yeah brewing is more art then science for sure...

 

[Walker]

I went through this a while back (before I had a scale.)

I was buying 1 lb bags of specialty grains from the LHBS, but didn't have anyway to measure out (for example) 4 oz.

When I found (tested with crystal, special B, roasted, and patent) was that 4 cups = 1 lb (assuming my LHBS gave me 1 lb).

AFTER I got my scale, I went back to see how accurate this was, and found it to be pretty good. EXECPT for 2-row. That one usually came to about 2.5 c to a lb.

-walker

 

[Brewsmith]

But if you knew just the mass, you could then find out its volume by placing it in water and measuring the water displaced, then you could simply divide mass into volume and get the density.

Just make sure the water is at 154 and wait an hour... oh wait, we're not talking mashing?

 

[parasonic]

You're best off buying a cheap balance

 

[Beer Snob]

You're best off buying a cheap balance

I agree.... seems like a hell of a lot of trouble just to save about 7 bucks for one at Meijers....

 

[Ivan Lendl]

i got an ohaus triple beam for a dollar off some weed-head.

 

[masskrug]

I got this scale for $3.50 (new). I loop the handle around a pipe, put a 5 gallon bucket on the hook and weigh the grain. Over a dozen batches and it is spot on. I have hit my gravity numbers every time.

LINK

 

[rekoob]

+1 with the scale.
You might even have something around the house that you could use, a fishing scale? a kitchin scale?
If you really have nothing go pick one up. You don't have to spend tons on a scale.

 

[blizz81]

Harbor Freight is your friend.

 

[rmyurick]

Ivan - I would argue that your chemistry teacher didn't sufficiently understand the science involved. Or at least didn't put it into practice.

 

[Yooper]

Ivan - I would argue that your chemistry teacher didn't sufficiently understand the science involved. Or at least didn't put it into practice.

Maybe. But since he posted this over 6 years ago, I bet he's over it by now.

 

[Hello]

Maybe. But since he posted this over 6 years ago, I bet he's over it by now.

Or that he finally bought a scale because the whole x cups per pound will never work when dealing with different grains & such.
:rockin:

 

[olie]

I checked my scales by weighing a pint of water. It came in at 1 lb 0.6 oz. (A little bit heavy, but I don't know how accurate my one pint measuring jug is.)

For liquids (water), "a pint's a pound, the world 'round".

Also, 1 gallon (128 oz) of water = 8lbs. 128/8 = 16.

Are you sure you weren't also weighing the measuring cup?!

 

[chickypad]

This thread is 12 yrs old dude.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

This thread is 12 yrs old dude.

Not any more.

 

[olie]

Not any more.

But, also, it's the thread I got to when Google searching the question, so it seemed worthwhile to put the tiniest bit of accuracy onto it.

 

[seatazzz]

Not to hijack an extremely old thread, but I just use my bathroom scale. Weigh me with an empty bucket, then weigh me again with a full bucket of grain. have a scoop in one hand and take out (or add) grain until I have what I need. I do have a small scale but it won't work with the Homer buckets I use for storing grain. I finally dropped under 160 after 2 years, yippee!

 

[bpgreen]

But, also, it's the thread I got to when Google searching the question, so it seemed worthwhile to put the tiniest bit of accuracy onto it.

Except that what you posted isn't the tiniest bit accurate.

128 fluid ounces of water isn't the same as 128 ounces in weight. A gallon of water weighs 8.34 lbs, not 8 lbs.

 

[divrack]

For what it's worth I use a saucepan to measure out everything that when full is roughly 500g. I know there is some variation but for the most part recipes are built around arbitrary whole numbers anyway.. assuming the same ingredient is always going to be about the same density it is perfectly good to build beers using volume and plug it into your progres as a weight. I guess if you get one exactly where you want it you can weigh it out precisely but there is no guarantee that your next batch of grain or hopshis going to have the exact specifications of the last batch anyway.

 

[wilserbrewer]

For what it's worth I use a saucepan to measure out everything that when full is roughly 500g. I know there is some variation but for the most part recipes are built around arbitrary whole numbers anyway.. assuming the same ingredient is always going to be about the same density it is perfectly good to build beers using volume and plug it into your progres as a weight. I guess if you get one exactly where you want it you can weigh it out precisely but there is no guarantee that your next batch of grain or hopshis going to have the exact specifications of the last batch anyway.

Good point regarding inconsistencies in both gran and hops.

I also measure grain by volume. I measured out a pound of base grain, measured out another pound, combined them and marked a plastic pitcher at the two pound mark. I only have an accurate balance scale w 1 lb capacity.

I then added grain to my mill hopper 2 lbs at a time, a 5 gallon water bottle, and calibrated the hopper up to 22 lbs. I realize this is not as accurate as carefully weighing out my grain for each brew, but it sure is easier. I just fill the hopper to the desired level and start brewing.

I guess I prefer easy over accuracy and don’t sweat the small percent error potentially encountered.

My gravity typically comes close to anticipated so I feel my end result is that my crude method works for me.

 

[doug293cz]

For liquids (water), "a pint's a pound, the world 'round".

Also, 1 gallon (128 oz) of water = 8lbs. 128/8 = 16.

Are you sure you weren't also weighing the measuring cup?!

But, also, it's the thread I got to when Google searching the question, so it seemed worthwhile to put the tiniest bit of accuracy onto it.

Except that what you posted isn't the tiniest bit accurate.

128 fluid ounces of water isn't the same as 128 ounces in weight. A gallon of water weighs 8.34 lbs, not 8 lbs.

Ok, let's be really accurate (and really pedantic). A gallon of water weighs 8.3304 lbs at 20°C (68°F). 20°C is the ASBC (American Society of Brewing Chemists) standard temp for measuring volumes. A gallon of water at 12.9°C (55.2°F) weighs 8.34 lbs (linear interpolation of table at linked reference. If using the ICUMSA or Bettin & Spieweck polynomials the temp for 8.34 is 13.2°C or 55.7°F.)

So a pint weighs 8.3304 / 8 = 1.0413 lb (at 20°C.)

Brew on

 

[kh54s10]

You can do all the math and get close by volume. But why? A decent digital scale that will do up to 7 pounds in most cases, will do grams, ounces and pounds is available at Walmart, Bed Bath & Beyond etc.

It will set you back about $20......

Or buy from an online retailer and have it delivered to your door!