Keg volume indicator

[pinnah]

I want one!  Has one been invented yet?

I had 3 separate kegs blow on me last night. :-. 
Sure, I knew 2 of them were close, but that third surprised me!

I prefer not to move the kegs near the end due to sediment…

Whatcha got?

[goschman (Iliff Ave)]

I am interested in this as well. I think I will have to start tally marks for every pour… Somehow my kegs last longer than I expect.

[davidgzach]

I try to estimate with the knuckle test but it always lasts longer than I think.  I don’t move for the same reason.

[AmandaK]

http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/forum/index.php?topic=15604

I asked this back in April. If wanting to do it by weight to get a totally accurate picture of what is left, the answer is nope.  Sad panda.

[beersk]

They make those stick on things. I think Northern Brewer or Midwest has them. Not sure how accurate they are though. I just gently lift them to see how much is left. Usually I just let them run out and it’s surprising every time, sometimes it’s incredibly sad.

[pinnah]

@AmandaK

http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/forum/index.php?topic=15604

I asked this back in April. If wanting to do it by weight to get a totally accurate picture of what is left, the answer is nope.  Sad panda.

Thanks for that Amanda.  8)
Someone needs to get rich with a cool little invention.

edit: Thanks Beersk:  googling yields this volume indicator

[dkfick]

@pinnah

@AmandaK

http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/forum/index.php?topic=15604

I asked this back in April. If wanting to do it by weight to get a totally accurate picture of what is left, the answer is nope.  Sad panda.

Thanks for that Amanda.  8)
Someone needs to get rich with a cool little invention.

Thanks Beersk: edit: googling yields this volume indicator

These work well.  I have about 30 of them.  They also give you the temp.

[stevo155 (theDarkSide)]

Unfortunately, those little sticker thermometer/volume meters are useless in my setup since I also have a chest freezer kegerator setup.  I’d have to lift the keg about 4 ft. read it which would disturb too much stuff.

I will lift the kegs to see how full they are if I’m not planning to have one of those beers for a day or so.  This way it gives it time to re-settle.

[alestateyall (tommymorris)]

I have smart strips. I agree if you have a keezer these are useless. I have a regular refrigerator. They work OK. The strips are not the full length of the keg. I have mine mounted so the bottom of the strip is as close as possible to the bottom of the keg.  When the beer level is in that neighborhood they work OK. I take a wash cloth in a bowl of hot water to the keg. I rub the strip with the warm cloth (wrong it out first) then wait 30 seconds. There is a fuzzy line at the volume level. It is not a sharp line with super contrast. If there is no line you have more beer than the strip can show or less. The last time I checked and got no line the keg kicked on the next pour.

When filling the keg with cold crashed beer the line is very obvious. The line is also obvious when the keg is not in the fridge (when you take a keg to a party).

If you buy them shop around. Prices vary a lot. I got mine for under $5 each.

[pinnah]

Thanks alestateyall!  This might work for me in the fridge.

They all seem sold out, but thanks for the endorsement and directions.

[morticaixavier]

@alestateyall

I have smart strips. I agree if you have a keezer these are useless. I have a regular refrigerator. They work OK. The strips are not the full length of the keg. I have mine mounted so the bottom of the strip is as close as possible to the bottom of the keg.  When the beer level is in that neighborhood they work OK. I take a wash cloth in a bowl of hot water to the keg. I rub the strip with the warm cloth (wrong it out first) then wait 30 seconds. There is a fuzzy line at the volume level. It is not a sharp line with super contrast. If there is no line you have more beer than the strip can show or less. The last time I checked and got no line the keg kicked on the next pour.

When filling the keg with cold crashed beer the line is very obvious. The line is also obvious when the keg is not in the fridge (when you take a keg to a party).

If you buy them shop around. Prices vary a lot. I got mine for under $5 each.

seems like you could double up to reach the top of the keg. course it’s the bottom that’s really of interest.

[alestateyall (tommymorris)]

Here is a picture of my smart strip after rubbing with a warm cloth. It took about 3-4 minutes to get this much contrast.

I don’t want to oversell these things. They work OK not great.

[klickitat_jim]

There is something worse, that being someone else blowing the keg. You get off work, drive home, strip off the accoutrements of the day, and clunk… no beer. The other person got the “awe” moment, you’re left with the wtf moment.

I accept mystery keg blow anticipation as a fact of homebrew life. I have two cures. A lagering freezer better racking. Cold reserves, that can be moved without sucking up yeast.

[beersk]

@klickitat_jim

There is something worse, that being someone else blowing the keg. You get off work, drive home, strip off the accoutrements of the day, and clunk… no beer. The other person got the “awe” moment, you’re left with the wtf moment.

I accept mystery keg blow anticipation as a fact of homebrew life. I have two cures. A lagering freezer better racking. Cold reserves, that can be moved without sucking up yeast.

One day, I’ll have a lagering/carbonating freezer. Need a bigger living space for that kind of business though.

[mtnrockhopper (Jimmy K)]

Low tech - put a post it near each tap and tick off when you pull a beer. Not totally accurate, but you’ll know when you’re close. Might not work with friends though.

[dkfick]

Unfortunately, those little sticker thermometer/volume meters are useless in my setup since I also have a chest freezer kegerator setup.  I’d have to lift the keg about 4 ft. read it which would disturb too much stuff.

I will lift the kegs to see how full they are if I’m not planning to have one of those beers for a day or so.  This way it gives it time to re-settle.

By the time I have a beer in a keg ready to serve I’m not concerned with letting things settle anymore…

[jeremy0209]

I use a white board and tally each pint.  For me, an empty keg weighs about 8 pounds.  I weigh each one after I fill it and subtract 8…the number I’m left with roughly equals the number of pints in the keg.  It’s not exact, but it’s better than flying totally blind.

[dkfick]

@jeremy0209

I use a white board and tally each pint.  For me, an empty keg weighs about 8 pounds.  I weigh each one after I fill it and subtract 8…the number I’m left with roughly equals the number of pints in the keg.  It’s not exact, but it’s better than flying totally blind.

That’s not a bad idea at all… Weigh the keg empty (note down weight) and weigh it full (note down weight).  Then you can always compare and see how much is left… Though it would require pulling the keg out of the kegerator to do so.

[alestateyall (tommymorris)]

@dkfick

@jeremy0209

I use a white board and tally each pint.  For me, an empty keg weighs about 8 pounds.  I weigh each one after I fill it and subtract 8…the number I’m left with roughly equals the number of pints in the keg.  It’s not exact, but it’s better than flying totally blind.

That’s not a bad idea at all… Weigh the keg empty (note down weight) and weigh it full (note down weight).  Then you can always compare and see how much is left… Though it would require pulling the keg out of the kegerator to do so.

For people with keezers you could gently pick up the keg with one of these

American Weigh Scale American Weigh H-110 Digital Hanging Scale, 110 X 0.05-Pounds
http://amzn.com/B0012TDR9E

If you know the tare weight if your keg you can use Beersmith Mobile’s weight to volume calculator to derive the remaining beer volume.

[dkfick]

Good call