DIY: Dipstick for Measuring Water Level

Ever finish brewing your beer and add it to the fermenter, only to notice that the water level is way short of the mark? It happens to the best of us or at the least those of us that don’t have a brewpot with gradations etched on the inside. Making your own dipstick is the easiest solution.

You’ll need the following:

• Wooden spoon
• Measuring cup or bucket with measures
• Sharp knife
• Brewpot

Then follow the improvised the following steps that I improvised:

1. Since I’ve been doing 3-gallon batches, I measured and filled the pot with 2.5 gallons of water, 1/2 gallon short of my target.
2. Then, I touched the spoon to the bottom of the pot and used the knife to score the spoon. Note: As you make your marks, set the pot on your stove and check that you measure the same side of the pot each time. Our floor is crooked and thus the pot will give different measurements on one side or the other.
3. Next, I added 1/2 gallon of water and made a mark again on the spoon at 3 gallons, and again at 3.5 gallons. You’ll use want to mark 3 or 4 lines on either side of your usual target volume.
4. To finish, extend the lines across the spoon by digging in with the knife, then mark it with a sharpie as a note.

There you have it, an easy way to measure brew pot volume using the things you have lying around your house. Enjoy.