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Thehopguy · 06-23-2011, 04:07 PM

Just wondering what the common practice is for taking the temperature while your cooling your wort? I know as soon as the boils done everything that touches the beer from there on needs to be sanitized. So do you just use a sanitized thermometer to measure the temp? I want to pitch yeast at about 67 degrees F. thanks

**SD-SLIM** · 06-23-2011, 04:19 PM

The way I get my temps...is that during the boil process, I put my thermometer in the boil (mine is a large thermometer that came with a turkey fryer kit)...the boil will sanitize the thermometer so there is no need to sanitize it, unless I remove it....when the temperature gets down to where I need it to be, I rack it to a carboy and then I take a sample for a refractometer or hydrometer.
Hope I answered your question correctly...Happy Brewing!

BryceL · 06-23-2011, 05:39 PM

I have an instant read thermometer that I use to take the temperature of my cooling wort until I get it down to where I want to pitch it. I just keep a cup of starsan solution off to the side and sit the thermometer in it. I'll check the temp, rise it off and put it back in the cup until I check it again.

**TopherM** · 06-23-2011, 06:18 PM

One tip, when you are taking the temp of your cooling wort, note that it is not going to be uniform throughout. There are lots of pockets of different temps that seem to swing about 10-15 degrees. Since the wort needs to be airated for the yeast anyway, I make sure you get a good whirlpool going in my wort using the end of my steel probe thermometer, which mixes everything up, helps airate the wort, and give a more accurate temp reading.

Also, I've learned that yeast are very resiliant buggers. As long as you get your temp down below about 80, the yeast are going to be AOK.

**unionrdr** · 06-23-2011, 08:03 PM

I use a floating thermometer suspended in the brew kettle with a few twist ties tied together like a hangman's noose. One end tied to the handle,the noose suspending the thermometer by it's own weight.
Then use it during the ice bath to bring it down to 67-70F for pitching.

**63belair** · 06-23-2011, 08:41 PM

I use a turkey fryer thermometer similar to Slim's. It probably isn't the most accurate method/device, but it has worked well for me through several batches.

**enkamania** · 06-24-2011, 12:41 AM

+1 to what TopherM said about stirring, I made the mistake of not stirring and ended up with a craptastic tasting beer

tvtoms · 06-24-2011, 03:53 AM

Yes, sanitize the thermometer while you chill and get temp once more right before original gravity sample and reading.

I keep a spray bottle of star san solution at hand at all times during brewing and bottling. Just a quick spray and let it drip a minute off to the side in the sink or whatever, no problems.

**944play** · 06-24-2011, 07:00 AM

I use an immersion chiller, and when the kettle feels cool to the touch, I slap a fermometer onto the side of the kettle. No sanitizing, no opening the lid, and no need to affix any probes.

**63belair** · 06-24-2011, 01:18 PM

Do you go through a fermometer every batch? I don't think they would like being so hot for so long, and then when you wash the pot out getting super wet?