Weighing Scales For Grain

[Ghillie]

After my last brew, I realised that my cheap digital fishing scales are pretty inaccurate. To the point where I won't be using them again.

So, looking for a set of scales; decent but affordable; for grains. Ideally, something digital that will comfortably hold a bucket whilst still being able to see the display. My Salter kitchen scales are too small, and even if I put a bowl on big enough for ~1kg of grain at a time, it's still awkward to read the display. Not life altering, but annoying.

How does everyone weigh their grains?

 

[MickDundee]

I have these and love them:
https://www.beerhawk.co.uk/ultraship-35-digital-scale

They are really for weighing letters I believe but you can measure grain and hops with them (although the hops is only in 2g increments).

 

[Ghillie]

I have these and love them:
https://www.beerhawk.co.uk/ultraship-35-digital-scale

They are really for weighing letters I believe but you can measure grain and hops with them (although the hops is only in 2g increments).

Cheers Mick, I did see those ones and was wondering if anybody had experience with them.

They'll hold a 20L bucket - already in the eBay shopping basket. £25.90, not bad!

 

[Oneflewover]

I use the kitchen scale with a kilo at a time, so interested in what other solutions there are

 

[Ghillie]

@MickDundee, thoughts on the UltraShip 55lb (25kg)? Apart from the extra weight capacity, I see no difference?

They're cheaper at £23.99 and I could also use them for filling my kegs. As funny as the starsan snake is coming out the top of a corny, it's pretty difficult to see when you're approaching full.

http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/710-5...0001&campid=5338413729&icep_item=120953393421

 

[MickDundee]

@MickDundee, thoughts on the UltraShip 55lb (25kg)? Apart from the extra weight capacity, I see no difference?

They're cheaper at £23.99 and I could also use them for filling my kegs. As funny as the starsan snake is coming out the top of a corny, it's pretty difficult to see when you're approaching full.

http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/710-5...0001&campid=5338413729&icep_item=120953393421

No idea. I bought the other one on a whim because it was on a Black Friday deal.

 

[Ghillie]

No idea. I bought the other one on a whim because it was on a Black Friday deal.

Will bite the bullet and give them a go. Can't see there being much of a difference if any.

 

[Cwrw666]

How does everyone weigh their grains?

I use an old cast iron kitchen scales for measuring speciality grains - in ounces as that's the weights we have.
For pale malt (whole grain) I put a pound into a jug and hey presto it filled the jug to about half an inch from the top so now I `weigh' my PM with the jug. Quick and easy.

 

[Horners]

Digital kitchen scales with a big plastic bowl bought for peanuts. Holds just under 2kg I think so no big hassle. This thread has made me think though that it might be worth getting something bigger to determine volumes. Most of my stuff has either inaccurate markings or none at all.

 

[Mavroz]

I have these and love them:
https://www.beerhawk.co.uk/ultraship-35-digital-scale

They are really for weighing letters I believe but you can measure grain and hops with them (although the hops is only in 2g increments).

I have a set of these from when i had an online shop for weighing parcels out a few years back. Good for heavier weights but weighing to 2 or 3 grams is a bit difficult as i think mine weigh in 5g increments.

They have lasted forever.

The set i have, the display unclips also, meaningthat you never struggle to see the display.

 

[cheeseyfeet]

I got a stainless set of postage scales from eBay, a bit like this -

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/264083444662

The display is detached which is really useful. Great for weighing grain, and I have my mash tun sat on them so I can weigh strike and sparge water into it.

No use for hops as the weight is only displayed in increments of 50g or so with this type.

 

[joe 90]

a 1 litre plastic measuring jug filled level to the top holds halve a kilo of grain so if you are using 10 kilos of barley its 20 jugs full

 

[Sput]

I use and love these scales:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00JA9DJP0/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Heavy duty, they can take 15kg. Importantly the auto off function takes ages. And the front is angled so you can see the screen even with a large bucket overhang. They look quite 60s science lab too. They do seem a bit more expensive than they need to be though.

 

[Ghillie]

So used the new scales today for both kegging and grain conditioning water measurements.

Very pleased and a good buy, would definitely recommend.

Still used the drug dealer scales for weighing hops and water additons though.

 

[Sput]

Sorry if this is a stupid question, Ghillie, but why do you use scales for kegging? I assume to get an exact volume measurement? Which is then useful for getting keg hopping / additions ratios right?

 

[Ghillie]

Sorry if this is a stupid question, Ghillie, but why do you use scales for kegging? I assume to get an exact volume measurement? Which is then useful for getting keg hopping / additions ratios right?

No such thing as a stupid question! The scales are purely so I don't overfill the keg.

When using a no-rinse sanitiser, it can be very difficult to see the top of the beer in the keg, due to the foam. I've had beer getting inside the regulator once before due to a burst carbed overfilled keg. Can be a very expensive mistake!

 

[Sput]

No such thing as a stupid question! The scales are purely so I don't overfill the keg.

When using a no-rinse sanitiser, it can be very difficult to see the top of the beer in the keg, due to the foam. I've had beer getting inside the regulator once before due to a burst carbed overfilled keg. Can be a very expensive mistake!

OK that makes sense. I know what you mean (I've so far avoided the problem thankfully but had it fill up a spunding valve and that was bad enough to clean out). My approach is to only fill the FVs to 20l and then expect approximately 1l of loss - but sometimes it gets a bit close... I think I'll give the scales approach a go, if only to watch the numbers climb up tantalisingly...

 

[Ghillie]

OK that makes sense. I know what you mean (I've so far avoided the problem thankfully but had it fill up a spunding valve and that was bad enough to clean out). My approach is to only fill the FVs to 20l and then expect approximately 1l of loss - but sometimes it gets a bit close... I think I'll give the scales approach a go, if only to watch the numbers climb up tantalisingly...

I fill my FV's to 22L, I get about ~1.5L - 2L loss to trub and hops (with a big DH). That leaves a little bit of beer behind, but nothing I'd class as waste.

The scales are primarily for weighing out grain, but I went for the next size up (which was actually cheaper) for the cornies as well.

 

[An Ankoù]

I use digital kitchen scales costing round about a tenner. They weigh up to 5Kg, but a bowl containing 5kg is too big to see the display so I weigh 3Kg at a time, chuck it into a bucket and weigh out the rest accordingly. I also have a lab scale for weighing hops and I find that the gram measurement on the kitchen scale is about the same as the lab scales. Moral, what level of tolerance do we need in weighing things? Surely plus or minus a gram- even with hops- is good enough when there are so many other variables in play.
Standing on the bathroom scales and stuffing your pockets with hops is taking it a bit too far, though. :p

 

[DrGMc]

OK after a long search tonight the best I could find was £23.89 for the ULTRASHIP 55 25kg DIGITAL at polypostalbags.co.uk, I couldn't find any additional coupon codes but still its a good price with 1st class delivery. The ULTRASHIP 75 is only £1 extra - but hey our grain bag are only 25 kg so for me thats overkill. Hope this helps someone and
Ghille thanks for the OP as this gave me the nudge to finally upgrade from the old kitchen scales myself