Kitchen scales

[davids47]

What are recommended kitchen scales for home brewing , i am sending back to Amazon my kitchenaid  scales https://kitchenaid.com.au/products/ka-dual-platform-digital-scale

when they work they are very good ,but just stop working, Amazon replaced first ones and gave me back my money on second set ,

i would like a set that does grams and points of grams so i can weigh hops

[Classic Brewing Co]

These are extremely accurate & available from one of our members @Hoppy81 

Scales for Brewing and Distilling

Brewing and distilling demand precision and accuracy at every stage of the process. Scales play a crucial role in ensuring that ingredients are measured precisely, enabling brewers and distillers to create consistent and high-quality products. From measuring grains and hops to monitoring the weight of fermentation vessels, scales are indispensable tools in the craft of brewing and distilling.

**Key Features:**

1. **Precision Measurement**: Scales designed for brewing and distilling offer precise measurement capabilities, often with accuracy to the gram or even milligram. This level of precision ensures that ingredients are added in the correct quantities, leading to consistent flavor profiles and alcohol content.

2. **Weight Capacity**: Brewing and distilling scales come in a range of weight capacities to accommodate various needs within the process. Whether measuring small quantities of specialty malts or larger volumes of base grains, there’s a scale suitable for every application.

3. **Durability**: Given the demanding environments of breweries and distilleries, scales need to be robust and durable. Look for scales constructed from high-quality materials such as stainless steel or aluminum, capable of withstanding the rigors of frequent use and exposure to moisture.

4. **Unit Conversion**: Many brewing and distilling scales offer the flexibility of unit conversion, allowing users to switch between different units of measurement such as grams, ounces, pounds, or kilograms. This feature enhances convenience and adaptability in various brewing and distilling recipes.

5. **Portability**: For home brewers and craft distillers, portability is often a key consideration. Portable scales are lightweight and compact, making them easy to transport between brewing locations or to take on-the-go for events such as competitions or festivals.

6. **Digital Displays and Interfaces**: Modern brewing and distilling scales typically feature digital displays for clear and easy-to-read measurement readouts. Some advanced models may also include additional features such as tare functions, timers, and programmable settings for added convenience and functionality.

7. **Battery Life and Power Options**: Since brewing and distilling setups may not always have convenient access to power outlets, battery-powered scales or those with long-lasting rechargeable batteries are highly desirable. This ensures uninterrupted operation during brewing sessions, even in remote locations.

**Applications:**

– **Grain Measuring**: Scales are used to precisely measure various types of grains, including malted barley, wheat, rye, and oats, ensuring accurate recipe formulation and consistency in flavor profiles.

– **Hop Additions**: Hops contribute bitterness, flavor, and aroma to beer and spirits. Scales help brewers accurately measure hop additions, whether in pellet, whole cone, or extract form, allowing for precise control over bitterness and aroma characteristics.

– **Fermentation Monitoring**: During fermentation, it’s crucial to monitor the weight of fermentation vessels to track the progress of fermentation and calculate alcohol content. Scales equipped with load cells or weighing platforms facilitate this monitoring process.

– **Ingredient Blending**: Some brewing and distilling recipes require precise blending of ingredients. Scales enable brewers and distillers to blend different grains, adjuncts, and flavorings in the correct proportions, ensuring consistency in the final product.

– **Recipe Development**: For craft brewers and distillers experimenting with new recipes, scales are indispensable tools for accurately measuring ingredients and fine-tuning formulations to achieve desired flavor profiles and characteristics.

In summary, scales for brewing and distilling are essential instruments that enable precision, consistency, and quality throughout the brewing and distilling processes. From small-scale home brewing setups to large commercial operations, investing in high-quality scales is crucial for achieving excellence in beer and spirit production.

Edited April 1 by Classic Brewing Co

[Back Brewing]

I got mine from woolies and bunnings have a good selection also 

[Oldbloke]

On 4/1/2024 at 10:35 AM, Back Brewing said:

I got mine from woolies and bunnings have a good selection also 

Agree   any reasonably accurate and reliable set of scales will do the job.

Personally I steer away from electronic .

Edited April 2 by Oldbloke

[Aussiekraut]

On 4/1/2024 at 4:05 AM, davids47 said:

What are recommended kitchen scales for home brewing , i am sending back to Amazon my kitchenaid  scales https://kitchenaid.com.au/products/ka-dual-platform-digital-scale

when they work they are very good ,but just stop working, Amazon replaced first ones and gave me back my money on second set ,

i would like a set that does grams and points of grams so i can weigh hops

For measuring grains, I have a 10kg device I picked up on Amazon for something like $40. For hops, I use some "drug dealer" scales that go down to 0.01g. Bought them on eBay years ago. 

[Classic Brewing Co]

53 minutes ago, Aussiekraut said:

For measuring grains, I have a 10kg device I picked up on Amazon for something like $40. For hops, I use some "drug dealer" scales that go down to 0.01g. Bought them on eBay years ago. 

The dgital scales I bought from @Hoppy81 go down to that too, that's why they are more accurate than supermarket scales.

[Back Brewing]

Supermarket scales that are sold are very accurate when you buy them just have a look to see if they do what you want them to do the ones I bought are accurate as I have tested them against other scales

Edited April 2 by Back Brewing

[Oldbloke]

So, it's all BS. Scales you buy from xyz supermarket are good enough. 

Q. Who has there scales calibrated?

A. Nobody here.

 

If not buy them from bunnings.

 

https://www.mws.ltd.uk/scale-calibration-guide/

[kmar92]

I have 3 scales that I use all the time. I have the "drug dealer" scales that are great for measuring hops or salt compounds for water additions, it has a very accurate and small resolution. I also have a 40kg capacity Chinese built scale that cost less than $50 and it is great for weighing grain, filling kegs accurately and is actually just very handy for a lot of other things, e.g. weighing LPG gas bottles so you know exactly how much gas you have in them. I also have a cheap 10kg capacity unit that I use for measuring pool chemicals, I am not concerned with how accurate it is just so long as it gives consistent weights and it is separate from my other scales so that I do not cross contaminate stuff.

You can check the accuracy fairly easily, just weigh a container and then fill it with exactly 1l of water and the weight should be 1kg.

[Oldbloke]

9 hours ago, kmar92 said:

I have 3 scales that I use all the time. I have the "drug dealer" scales that are great for measuring hops or salt compounds for water additions, it has a very accurate and small resolution. I also have a 40kg capacity Chinese built scale that cost less than $50 and it is great for weighing grain, filling kegs accurately and is actually just very handy for a lot of other things, e.g. weighing LPG gas bottles so you know exactly how much gas you have in them. I also have a cheap 10kg capacity unit that I use for measuring pool chemicals, I am not concerned with how accurate it is just so long as it gives consistent weights and it is separate from my other scales so that I do not cross contaminate stuff.

You can check the accuracy fairly easily, just weigh a container and then fill it with exactly 1l of water and the weight should be 1kg.

  do some research on "calibration"

 

like i said, unless you calibrate them just buy from bunnings.

 

if you want have 2 or 3 "weights" set aside and "check" them occassionally.  Always use the same weights.

[Shamus O'Sean]

10 hours ago, kmar92 said:

just weigh a container and then fill it with exactly 1l of water and the weight should be 1kg

Just like with scales, the trick is finding a container within which you can accurately measure 1 litre.

[Classic Brewing Co]

Yes, all you do is tare a scale (meaning zero out the weight of what was already on the scale) such as a bowl, plate container.

We all have various kitchen scales; I have some chef scales that are excellent & others just bought for convenience but as @kmar92 states, the "drug dealer" digital type are more accurate.

You can weigh items up to 1000grams in 0.1gram increments.

 

 

[kmar92]

5 hours ago, Oldbloke said:

  do some research on "calibration"

What sort of research would you suggest @Oldbloke?

[Graculus]

20 hours ago, Aussiekraut said:

For measuring grains, I have a 10kg device I picked up on Amazon for something like $40. For hops, I use some "drug dealer" scales that go down to 0.01g. Bought them on eBay years ago. 

With the amount of hops in your freezer I find it hard to believe you would ever have the need to weigh out 0.01 grams of hops.

Personally the digital kitchen scales I have are accurate enough for my needs, but yes I do get that some people may need a bit more accuracy.

If I ever get to that stage I'll get the "drug dealer" ones too.

[Oldbloke]

To calibrate a 1kg scale normally 4 or 5 NATA tracable weights would be used. The scales need to be adjustable. Only expensive scales are adjustable. So for us it's just a check from zero to about 900 grams.

These weights are examples only. 

 

Zero/tare the scale.

 

Place the 50g weight on the scale. Does it read 50g?

 

Place the 100g weight on the scale. Does it read 150g?

 

Place the 250g weight on the scale. Does it read 400g?

 

Place the 550g weight on the scale. Does it read 950g?

 

This way the scale is checked throughout its capacity, 0 to max.

 

You have checked the scale.

 

I have other interests that require weighing extremely small weights. I carry out the above regularly. However I don't use cheap electronic scale. I use a quality beam balance. More reliable IMO.

 

For home brewing any cheap scale will do with 2 or 3 check weights much like above.

Almost any metal object will do. Put them aside to use next time.

[kmar92]

1 hour ago, Oldbloke said:

To calibrate a 1kg scale normally 4 or 5 NATA tracable weights would be used. The scales need to be adjustable. Only expensive scales are adjustable. So for us it's just a check from zero to about 900 grams.

These weights are examples only. 

 

Zero/tare the scale.

 

Place the 50g weight on the scale. Does it read 50g?

 

Place the 100g weight on the scale. Does it read 150g?

 

Place the 250g weight on the scale. Does it read 400g?

 

Place the 550g weight on the scale. Does it read 950g?

 

This way the scale is checked throughout its capacity, 0 to max.

 

You have checked the scale.

 

I have other interests that require weighing extremely small weights. I carry out the above regularly. However I don't use cheap electronic scale. I use a quality beam balance. More reliable IMO.

 

For home brewing any cheap scale will do with 2 or 3 check weights much like above.

Almost any metal object will do. Put them aside to use next time.

OK thanks @Oldbloke.

Checked the specifications of my 40kg scale accuracy, and it is apparently 1/3000 F.S which equates to an accuracy of +/-13g so I think that I can live with that 26g potential error when I weigh out 10kg of grain for a brew, that is potentially a 0.26% error in the grain bill.

My small drug dealer scales I couldn't find an independent accuracy rating, but the vendor quotes accuracy at 0.05g, so as I am unable to accurately add such small additions to the scale, I reckon that it is good enough for my purposes.

Thanks for the insight @Oldbloke, I learnt some more good stuff today because of you.

Edited April 3 by kmar92