At the May meeting, I mentioned that I use a metal yardstick to measure the brew height (depth) of my wort as I am boiling down, and at the end in my fermenter. I use the attached Excel file to pre-compute my height targets, based upon my volume target. So, I can tell how quickly my wort is evaporating and add some extra water in the last 15 mins if I am boiling off too much.
I like the metal yardstick because it is non-porus (relatively) and easy to sanitize... and its cheap. Just sharing in-case it is useful for anyone.
Up until last Saturday (when I realized I've lost it), I used a length of PVC that I'd marked off with measurements. I never much worried about sanitization, since it was purely used for hot-side action.
One piece of advice I'd make is that most of us probably brew on slight inclines, since most garages and patios are built for runoff. So if you're measuring, it's probably best to always measure in the direct center of whatever pot/fermenter you're working with.
Don't do what I attempted - trying to notch the inside of your brew pot. What was I thinking?!?!? Luckily I wasn't very success, and thus did not ruin my pot.
An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk with his fools. - Hemingway
My original plan was to use a piece of half-inch copper as a measuring stick. I was going to score it with a tubing cutter at 1 gallon increments. Well, I let Ray the YeastKiller do the scoring and half way through the job, he accidentally cut too deep and I ended up with two short pieces of copper.
I still use a copper tube to measure volume, but I just wrote on it with a Sharpie. By the way, I only measure my pre-boil amount. After that, I let the brew process take over. Whatever happens is up to the brew gods. I don't like messing with trying to get my final volume exactly right, I would rather worry about other things like sanitation, healthy yeast, and how the heck Jacob got off the island to influence all the candidates.
I saw a werewolf drinking a pina colada down at Trader Vic's
I agree with Brad on the use only prior to boil... The key is to have a good understanding of your boiloff rate, and then just let the boil go for whatever duration you originally planned. Make your process as repeatable as possible, and then if you're off a tiny bit on final volume, it's not really worth worrying about.
Of course, I say that after overshooting my preboil volume on the last batch (because I lost my measurement PVC), and then adding an extra 1/2 hour to the boil on short notice
All good points. Originally, I never thought about it... until I started kegging. Then I wondered why one brew I was 6" short of filling a keg, and another I topped it off with some to spare. Hate to waste. Hate to be short on a keg. It just satisfies my curiousity more than anything else... but I do like to know I got a full keg after all the brewing.
--LexusChris
p.s. Jacob being essentially immortal neccisitates an ability to mass-shift around the temporal plane... I want to know where on the island he got those cool linen shirts?
"A woman drove me to drink, and I hadn't even the courtesy to thank her." – W.C. Fields
dhempy wrote:When I want a full keg, I try to shoot for a 6 gallon batch and bottle any extra.
Dan
Exactly. If you are not ending up with the desired amount at the end of the brewing and fermentation process, fix it from the beginning, not half way through.
Edit: Also, think about quality versus quantity.
I saw a werewolf drinking a pina colada down at Trader Vic's
He who must not be named gave the advice, "never water down your beer". Although we were talking pre-boil I think half of that is a preference for stronger beers.
lexuschris wrote:p.s. Jacob being essentially immortal neccisitates an ability to mass-shift around the temporal plane... I want to know where on the island he got those cool linen shirts?
Just sharing in-case it is useful for anyone.
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