Volume measurement

[Leedsmedic]

Hello

I have been trying the streamline my brewing technique recently and the one aspect that isn't particularly satisfactory is my volume measurement. I'm currently using a marked sauce pan to fill my HLT and then the other end of a brewing spoon as a measuring stick for my mash tun.

So, how do you measure your volumes and do you have any hints or tricks?

 

[geetee]

Hello

I have been trying the streamline my brewing technique recently and the one aspect that isn't particularly satisfactory is my volume measurement. I'm currently using a marked sauce pan to fill my HLT and then the other end of a brewing spoon as a measuring stick for my mash tun.

So, how do you measure your volumes and do you have any hints or tricks?

For small volumes i.e up to 7 litres I have a graduated stainless steel jug which I also use to calibrate other vessels by pouring known amounts and marking FVs and so on. I also use the diameter of the kettle and a measures stick (actually a length of copper pipe) to calculate the volumes pre boil and after boil

it is also possible if you use a weighing scale to determine the weight of liquid in a vessel and by knowing the gravity thefore the volume. There are plenty of postal scales on the internet (ebay) that go up to 50Kg and I am thinking of getting one to weigh grain and volumes

 

[JapanBrew]

I too use my large spoon to measure. I want to put a site glass on my HLT but those items are very very pricey in Japan.

 

[Spapro]

You could mark the vessels themselves, mashtun may be tricky - little permanent marker may be ok (wouldn't kill you or affect the beer).

I like the idea of your brewing spoon as measuring stick for the mashtun - ingenious and pretty foolproof !

Is your HLT metal or plastic ? I have seen posts/youtube videos on DIY etching a few key volume marks on the inside of stainless steel pots using a 9v battery and vinegar or salt water solution.

I BIAB so just have the outside of my plastic Peco boiler marked up. Good luck with it.

Edit: here is a link to a youtube etching video - looks fun: [ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BQHj8YguNI[/ame]

 

[stevey]

I bought a 1m length of dowell (25mm dia) from homebase, and filled my 50 litre pot with a litre jug and marked off every 5 litres up to 40 litres. - Its surprising how difficult it is to keep count.
After a couple of brews I decided I needed better accuracy, so started over to mark off every litre in between.
I got to 10 litres before I realised I could just measure it with a tape measure or ruler.

 

[JapanBrew]

Hahaha. I did the same thing the first time.

 

[geetee]

I bought a 1m length of dowell (25mm dia) from homebase, and filled my 50 litre pot with a litre jug and marked off every 5 litres up to 40 litres. - Its surprising how difficult it is to keep count.
After a couple of brews I decided I needed better accuracy, so started over to mark off every litre in between.
I got to 10 litres before I realised I could just measure it with a tape measure or ruler.

I have a 1 metre stainless steel ruler but strangely I still use a length of copper tubing and then use the rule to measure the copper pipe after "marking" it with my finger and

 

[IronBlue]

I also use a 1m stainless ruler, but I have drilled holes in the centre - a big hole to mark each 10 litres, and smaller holes in between for each 2 litres

This is a major sanitary upgrade from my plastic spoon with notches melted into it

 

[Dutto]

I only make 21 litre brews and I'm not too bothered about "volume" for the main brew.

A litre either side is okay for me so I use the markings on the side of the plastic FV's from Wilco that I use for boiling and fermenting and I have scratched a mark halfway up the inside of the 20 litre SS pot I use for extract brews.

However, I do have 1 litre and 3 litre jugs - both marked at 100ml intervals, scales - that measure to 1 gram, hydrometer (which I occasionally misread!), thermometers - one glass and one electronic and an accurate timer (that I occasionally forget to set!); to ensure that all the other measurements are spot on. :thumb: :thumb:

 

[F00b4r]

30cm stainless steel rule to measure the headspace in the boiler, from that I can see what the full volume is. It is easier to clean it sanitise, if using after cooling, than a metre one.

 

[chuffer]

I put my plastic paddle into the boil pot and marked it using permanent marker for every gallon that was added to it.....not sure how toxic this approach is but hey ho!

 

[Dutto]

30cm stainless steel rule to measure the headspace in the boiler, from that I can see what the full volume is. It is easier to clean it sanitise, if using after cooling, than a metre one.

Actually this is a great way to measure volume and "Ullaging" is often used in the Oil & Gas business, especially on black oils and nasty stuff like benzene. ("Ullaging" is basically measuring what isn't there.)

To make an Ullage Stick you start with the container empty then:

1. Put the measuring stick (be it wood or metal) into the empty container so that it touches the bottom and mark where it meets the lip at the top of the vessel. Remove the stick.

2. Pour into the vessel a single unit of the volume accuracy desired (i.e. 1 litre, 2 litre, 5 litres etc).

3. Insert the measuring stick into the vessel until it just touches the surface of the liquid and mark the stick where it meets the lip of the vessel. Remove the stick.

4. Repeat 2. and 3. until the maximum level of liquid is reached. (In brewing, this is very seldom at the top lip of the vessel.)

You can now mark off the volume of liquid in the vessel by writing the figures alongside the marks on the Ullage Stick. Remember, the top mark is ZERO.

After that it is easy to measure the volume of the liquid in the vessel and if you use vessels of identical design (e.g. Wilco FVs) then the same Ullage Stick will work for all of them.

Hope this helps. :thumb:

 

[JapanBrew]

Dutto, nice! Going to try that. The boiling always removes the marker.

 

[Leedsmedic]

Thanks guys. Some really good ideas.