Any thermometer work?

What type of thermometer do I need for all grain?

A very good and accurate 0-220 instant read thermometer. I have used both digital and analog and I have to say, I really like my analog one.

I'm a thermometer geek. I'm very picky. Most thermometers are useless to me. But I have two of these

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00009WE45/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

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And they are within a few tenths of a degree from my expensive mercury lab thermometers, at both 20C and 100C and in between. Highly recommended. I bought one of those floating thermometers at the brew store but I took it back because it was like 3 degrees off.

Those look good, how many do I need? Two enough?

Do turkey fryer ones work well enough

benzy4010 said:

Those look good, how many do I need? Two enough?

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You need one for the HLT, mash, mash return if using a recirculating system, and kettle.

The accuracy is only as good as you want, ad you get what you pay for. Those listed on amazon look like a steal if they're that accurate. Can't say I've used a turkey fryer thermometer, but something tells me it wont be hugely accurate. Then again, if you want to mash at 153 +/- 3, pretty much any will be fine.

benzy4010 said:

Do turkey fryer ones work well enough

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If they can be calibrated and you check them at freezing, boiling and mashing temperatures. I use a turkey fryer, dial probe and lab thermometer. The dial one seems accurate at freezing and boiling but may be off at mash temps??

Turkey fryer dial thermos are useless and generally off by 20F or more and the range is too wide too. You really only need one instant read thermo because you'll spot check wherever you want throughout the process. The taylor ones from Amazon are what I started with and I really liked it for the price. However, check out the CDN I have on my site. It's better than the taylor for a couple reasons, mostly because it has bigger numbers and a hold button.

I agree that most dial thermo's work. As long as you can calibrate them accurately. BYO has a good writeup for calibration. I just recent purchased a thermoworks with high-temp probe...wonderful, but pricey. You will find alot of people praising whatever one works for them. Most cheap ones are just that...cheap. Could always go with a good lab grade floating one. I would stay clear of those "green" alcohol based floating ones they seem to take to long to equalize and never seem on target.

The CDN I have is accurate and has taken two years of all sorts of abuse. I had several of the Taylor models when I owned a food business and they all crapped out on me within a year or so.

If I was going to use the thermoworks for cooking I'd consider it because of the speed/accuracy, but for brewing I'm fine with the slightly longer time for a reading.

In fairness, I still do have one of the two taylors and it's still going strong after 3 years but the other one (I got two at the same time) crapped out when the supposed water proof battery compartment flooded. The contacts got all rusty. The reason I sell the CDNs right now is that I was a happy user and recommended it to all my homebrew bros.

What about IR

I started with a digital type that had a probe on a flexiable cable. It was pretty good. Still have it. But I purchased an all glass lab thermometer at the LHBS. You have to be careful not to break it. But I like it a lot. I think it is accurate and it is quick to respond. Viewable resolution is good to about 1 or 2 degrees F.

I saw these thermometers that are digital but the thermometer is on a metal coated wire that is attached to a small screen. Will that work, it said " water proof" but I'm not sure how water proof it is.

By small wire it's probably 1 foot long or possibly a bit longer

I purchased a couple of those with the metal mesh coated wire...needless to say they got destroyed because where the actual thermistor tip is located is not "waterproof" and, even though I siliconed the crap out of them to make sure they were waterproof, they still crapped out after a couple uses. I would stay clear of those.If you don't have alot of dough I would stick to a CDN or lab grade for the cost.

PS the best wire probes are PTFE rated.

Srceenplay said:

What about IR

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Doesn't work for a mash.

benzy4010 said:

I saw these thermometers that are digital but the thermometer is on a metal coated wire that is attached to a small screen. Will that work, it said " water proof" but I'm not sure how water proof it is.

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Post a link if you have the one you are looking at. In general they will work, but wort will get into the probe and cause it not to work.

BetterSense said:

I'm a thermometer geek. I'm very picky. Most thermometers are useless to me. But I have two of these



And they are within a few tenths of a degree from my expensive mercury lab thermometers, at both 20C and 100C and in between. Highly recommended. I bought one of those floating thermometers at the brew store but I took it back because it was like 3 degrees off.

Click to expand...

I have a older Taylor 9842 and a newer Maverick PT100 Instant read digital (Thermopen chinese knockoff). The Taylor works like a champ. The Maverick is a piece of junk...money NOT well spent.

Taylor is one of the best for the money.

cheezycow said:

I agree that most dial thermo's work.

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I don't have a lot of dial thermo experience, but the ones on my Blichmanns are not that accurate. My brewkettle one is 20+ off.

It's therma pen and ranco for me, imo you can't be accurate enough for mash temps.

_

I realllllly want a thermapen.

Doesn't work for a mash.

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Why?

BetterSense said:

Why?

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IR's measure surface temps. You want to know what the temp is in the mash.

wildwest450 said:

I don't have a lot of dial thermo experience, but the ones on my Blichmanns are not that accurate. My brewkettle one is 20+ off.

It's therma pen and ranco for me, imo you can't be accurate enough for mash temps.

_

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Have you tried recalibrating the dial thermo using the screw on the back? My blichmann brew dial is nuts on with my lab thermometer...

Thermapens are amazing.

Hah, Henkels, I just realized you're in SF also.