Stratification within volume gauge

[Gustatorian]

Noticing this stratification of fluid in my Boil kettle (blichmann with a boil coil). Was wondering if anyone could explain the stratification within the guage but not in the kettle itself. Thanks!

Sorry for the photo being sideways.

 

[jekeane]

I would imagine it is just water that was stuck in the elbow from cleaning or something along those lines?

 

[Gustatorian]

I would imagine it is just water that was stuck in the elbow from cleaning or something along those lines?

It's definitely part of the boil volume. I calculated approximately 10 gallons of pre-boil volume and that's what it's reading.

 

[Guper]

I'd day it's due to the lack of heating in the sight glass as opposed to the kettle itself. The heating causes currents in the kettle as the heated wort rises to the top. Also even if the wort had stratified it would be potentially harder to see it from the top view rather than the side view you get through the sight glass.

 

[BrunDog]

I would not think twice about it.

-BD

 

[doug293cz]

It's definitely part of the boil volume. I calculated approximately 10 gallons of pre-boil volume and that's what it's reading.

The amount of water potentially trapped in the site glass is not enough to significantly affect the total volume in the pot, so the reading would be essentially the same with or without trapped water. Wort that is well mixed will not spontaneously stratify.

Brew on

 

[ajdelange]

Just wait about a month or 2 and diffusion will remove the stratification.

If it bothers you just blow into the top of the gauge or use N2 or CO2 or an air compressor to force the liquid in the gauge back into the kettle. The liquid that rushes in to replace it when pressure is removed will not contain the water. With the water in there the gauge will read a little high but not enough to be worried about. If the kettle contained 1.040 wort and the site glass pure water it would read 4% high.