Weighing water.

[Sean Smith]

Hello all

My first ever, ever brew started only just yesterday.


The plastic container I purchased is plain white food grade bucket with locking lid. I went with the cheap option...

No we I had a problem to solve.

I had no idea of what 23 litres looked like.... So I read 1 litre was 1kg so then bath room scales came out. I marked with a permanent pen what I thought was every 5 litres.

Does this sound alright, I kinda summed up right with the jug I think.

P.s I took the container weight into consideration...

 

[Bigcol49]

Hi!
All markings on FVs are approximate, so you've probably got a more accurate scale than FVs with pre-printed scales.
Have you considered an ullage stick? It shows the liquid volume by measuring the empty space above the liquid.
Post #12 here.

 

[Leon103]

Seeing that you were measuring the water anyway why didn't you just pour in the fv and mark as you went along

 

[Bigcol49]

Seeing that you were measuring the water anyway why didn't you just pour in the fv and mark as you went along

 

[terrym]

@Sean Smith
If you added 5kg of water at room temperature or thereabouts and marked the FV, and then carried on in increments of 5kg you have marked your FV in 5 litre increments as well. Good enough for homebrewing.

 

[Sean Smith]

1litre of weight a kg?

So I didn't see a problem with letting the tap let rip and Marking the side of the container as I pleased.

Question is did I get it right?

 

[Bigcol49]

Question is did I get it right?

As I tried to explain in my earlier post, Yes.
However, as @Leon103 wrote, just measure out 5 litres of water into your FV and mark off the level of the water.
No need to weigh it.
However, we are assuming that you have a measuring jug.

 

[Sean Smith]

I'm learning how to use this site. Brill
.love the idea of just making the spoon tho. That's a must now I think.

 

[Sean Smith]

I was marking the full container. 30 litres. 1 Litre jug. Picking it up and putting it down. Checking the level of it each time.

To me it was easier to weigh escpecailly now I know it is about right.

 

[Clint]

...and the measuring jug is accurate! Mine isn't...I marked 4 litres...a I've the 4 litre mark.

 

[Ghillie]

Weighing the water is the best method.

 

[terrym]

I was marking the full container. 30 litres. 1 Litre jug. Picking it up and putting it down. Checking the level of it each time.

To me it was easier to weigh escpecailly now I know it is about right.

It isn't 'about right'. It is right, subject to the accuracy of the scales.
And it's likely to be a lot more accurate, than fiddling about with measuring jugs which themselves might not be calibrated correctly, and juggling to get the level right against the calibration mark.

 

[prog99]

I've a cookbook that advocates using scales to weigh rather than measure water.

 

[Clint]

In work we make bulk liquid products in weight,adding various liquids by weight. We then add the bulk liquids,to manufacturing by litres per minute with the pumps automated to maintain this amount if for example the viscosity increases...
I wonder if any one with larger systems adds by flow volume rather than visual or weight?

 

[Ghillie]

I wonder if any one with larger systems adds by flow volume rather than visual or weight?

I read on the probrewer forum today (I'm obviously not a member) that some commercial guys employ the use of flow meters.

I also read that some guys still use graduated ullage sticks up to 30bbl!

 

[terrym]

In work we make bulk liquid products in weight,adding various liquids by weight. We then add the bulk liquids,to manufacturing by litres per minute with the pumps automated to maintain this amount if for example the viscosity increases...
I wonder if any one with larger systems adds by flow volume rather than visual or weight?

It's probably down to the industry sector and whether the process is batch or continuous, and the size of the process involved. If its continuous my guess would be its more likely to be flow measured and controlled, whereas a batch process might be based on weight say via a load cell for example, or volume by measuring tanks. I don't think there will be one size fits all, the variations are too many.

 

[Sean Smith]

The scales had a crap battery, they turned off every 20 seconds. I persevered. I thought the would be more accurate...

I then dug a old school bathroom scale out and weighed it again.

No battery problems this time.
The markings where of slightly different.

 

[Ghillie]

The scales had a crap battery, they turned off every 20 seconds. I persevered. I thought the would be more accurate...

I then dug a old school bathroom scale out and weighed it again.

No battery problems this time.
The markings where of slightly different.

Probably nothing wrong with your digital scale's battery, it would have been a power saving time out feature. Still annoying though.

Good scales = good measurements. Bathroom scales struggle at low weight but become good at heavier ones.

Nevertheless you're still going to make beer. I've never "proved" my FV's sound because at the end of the day, it's just a bucket. My final volume calculations were worked out in reverse from pre-boil - boil off.

 

[Drunkula]

Write the dry weight of every container you use for brewing on them, with and without lids, etc. So many times I've had scales shut off when I've been using them or the scales has shown an error because I've hit the weight limit before its declared value because of taring something on it.