noobrewer

Recipes 

So I JUST started my boil when my china made probe-wire thermometer just stopped working. Subbing with my roast-thermo yay... Any brands out there that work for over 1 yr?

-The one I have is a Taylor Wire probe style. It was nice because I tied it onto my pot handle and let the probe hang in the wart (sanitized of course). That way I get a constant real time reading so I can fine tune my POS stove.
-Another thing on stoves. Anyone with electric doing 3 gal concetrated wort boil max out their stove @ 210 degree F?? Seriously, my stove cannot get it hotter than that.. it is done..gave up.. Thanks!

g_rath

Recipes 

Get a turkey fryer set up. Works great.

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Melancholy Dog Brewery

Planed: more cider.
Primary: empty
Secondary:Dry hopped amber ale, Does Equis clone.
Keged:Pumpkin spice, wizen.
Bottled: Hard cider, Oaked bourbon vanilla cider, Vanilla Porter.

broadbill

Recipes 

I've had similar problems with the probe style thermometer. I stuck the probe directly in a mash and it fried it. I believe the probes are meant to be used by sticking into large pieces of meat and not immersed in liquid. I'm thinking if liquid gets into where the wire/cord goes into the probe it will ruin it.

Regarding your stove...are you getting your wort to boil? The thing is, Water/Wort boils at 212 deg F and will stay at that temp until the entire volume of liquid is turned into vapor. You aren't going to get the liquid above 212, regardless of how powerful of a stove/burner you are using. It has to do with the physics of the phase changes of water (from liquid to gas).

In fact there is no reason to measure the tempurture of your boiling wort. If its boiling, its going to be at/around 212 (actual temp will depend on your altitude).

If you are having problems getting your wort to boil (or if it taking too long), then consider the more powerful burners. Chances are your range isn't a POS though...

noobrewer

Recipes 

the stove tops off @ 209 F, but thats probably close enough, no one ever hits their temps right on. Good point on getting liquid into the probe, that is probably the problem. Thx

modenacart

Recipes 

If its boiling at 209 F then most likely your thermometer is off a little. I like using a themometer with my boil kettle because it gives me a better idea of when its about to boil.

Evan!

Recipes 

The best is one from professionalequipment.com. I don't feel like looking up the link right now, but it's waterproof, digital, NIST-certified.

Go there and search for digital thermo's. It'll come up. It's yellow and about $40. They even specifically mention AG brewers in their prod description.

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MOSS HOLLOW BREWING CO.
Aristocratic Ales, Lascivious Lagers

.planned:
•Scottish 80/- •Sweet Stout •Roggenbier
.primary | bright:
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Bearcat Brewmeister

Recipes 

It doesn't take much altitude for a 3 degree shift in boiling point. I am at 800 feet and it is 1.5 degrees.

As for the probe issues, you are correct - they get a bit funky if the braid gets wet. Don't toss it out - it is salvagable! All you have to do is dry it out in the oven and it should come back from the dead. I have had to do this on 3 different occasions and it has worked every time.

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Sherpa FE

Recipes 

Here ya go, I use one, and LOVE it.

http://www.professionalequipment.com/traceable-mini-thermometer-with-nist-certificate-4039/food-thermometers/

EricK The Red

Recipes 

I use one of these with good results, It's a "ready check" that I got at Bed Bath & Beeeeyonnnnd...

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Primary 1: Cheesefood's Vanilla Carmel Cream Ale
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"Beer is a vegetable"

max4677

Recipes 

Can anyone recommend a decent dial probe thermometer with a stem about 12" or so long? The few I have found are fairly pricey...
I have a rubbermaid cooler I use for mashing, and I'd like to put a small hole through the top for a thermometer so I don't have to keep opening the thing to verify temperature throughout the mash.

The best I can find for a decent price is this one, but I am not sure it will reach far enough into the mash.
http://www.target.com/Taylor-Weekend-Deep-Fry-Thermometer-Stainless/dp/B000HAMLGO/qid=1204646359/ref=br_1_4/602-3756218-0206222?ie=UTF8&node=13003671&frombrowse=1&pricera nge=&index=tgt-mf-mv&field-browse=13003671&rank=pmrank&rh=&page=4

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