I'm mashing now

I just had a thought. Remember that old commercial from the 70s where a woman said, "I'm cleaning my oven while I sleep"? Well, mashing is a piece of cake, isn't it. The mash does all the work. I'm mashing while I surf the net.

One question- what do you use for thermometers? I have three, and don't like any of them. My floating one doesn't seem to be terribly accurate, and the other ones don't float. I was thinking about getting a digital one with a probe, but I wondered how that worked.

I picked up a digital probe at Wal Mart for ~ $15. It's got a silicon-wrapped cord and seems to be water proof. I like it the best out of the 4 types I've tried so far (dial, floating, digital, digital probe).

If you get one with the braided cord, then water proof it with some silicon tubing like someone on here recommended. Otherwise it won't work right when it gets wet.

Lil' Sparky said:

I picked up a digital probe at Wal Mart for ~ $15. It's got a silicon-wrapped cord and seems to be water proof. I like it the best out of the 4 types I've tried so far (dial, floating, digital, digital probe).

If you get one with the braided cord, then water proof it with some silicon tubing like someone on here recommended. Otherwise it won't work right when it gets wet.

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What is the "silicon tubing" that you mentioned? I never heard of that. And where do you put it?

Here is what I did...

Here it is, spent alot of time in a quandry over just how to do this simply and efficiently. What you see here is a 10 gallon tun, in which I drilled a 1" hole with a hole saw. I purchased some #5 1/2 SOLID stoppers, drilled them with a 3/16" drill (just so I could squeak the probe through) The stopper is installed on the inside so that water pressure only makes the seal stronger. Tested today with 10 gallons of head pressure and no sign of any leaks. $10 per tun baby.

http://s168.photobucket.com/albums/u189/PolTavern/

I think they were talking about something like this. It's airline tubing for aquariums. You would put this over the braid and secure it to the probe so no water can get to the braid. Hopefully someone will chime in that's done it. I think the easiest solution is to get one that's already waterproof, though.

That's really clever. I don't have a hole saw, but I'm sure I could borrow one. Sounds like a project to add to my list!

It is simple, reliable and fool proof... I bought a 9 piece hole saw set at Harbor Freight Tools for $2... :rockin:

Been there, done that when it comes to thermometers. I've got a floater, two turkey fryer dial-type, two digital probe thermometers and a pocket-style digital probe thermometer, which is my most accurate. The problem is, they are all thermistor style thermometers, which aren't very accurate and take forever to register. Fine for doing a roast in the oven or the grill and you need know when a piece of meat is near 155oF, but lousy for quickly knowing if your mash is 149oF or 151oF!

So, I'm getting a Thermopen in the next few weeks. It's a thermocouple unit, which is quick to respond and extremely accurate.

I use a glass laboratory thermometer. Its a bit fragile though, but dead on accurate.

It's lasted through 20+ batches so far though. Of course now that I said that it's going to break on my next brew.

Yup, I did the trick with the silicone tubing. It works well for throwing the probe anywhere you want it like in the center of the mash in a rectangular cooler. You just need the tubing and some aquarium grade silicone sealant.

I have a floater and a couple of turkey type dial ones. I also have a candy thermometer. That one seems to be the only accurate one of the bunch.

One last one that I haven't tried, but maybe should is one that I got a few years ago with my Showtime Rotisserie oven that is supposed to be an instant read probe thermometer. I wonder it that one would work?

I bought this one, it was super accurate and fairly quick to respond. As it gets closer to the temp it slows down a bit though.
http://www.sciencelab.com/page/S/PVAR/21811/45-4039

Dan

Rhoobarb said:

So, I'm getting a Thermopen in the next few weeks. It's a thermocouple unit, which is quick to respond and extremely accurate.

Click to expand...

That looks like it would be a real nice equipment upgrade, long-term. I have two probe thermometers (the standard kind), and there's about a 4° - 6° difference in their readings. I'm pretty sure I'm using the *good* one, but it's hard to know for certain; when placed in boiling water, both read between 208° - 210°, but at mash temps there's a bit more variance.

I've been using my candy thermometer. It's dead-accurate, water-proof and registers quickly.

It's also glass and filled with mercury, so I'm planning on changing to a digital one.

Willsellout said:

I bought this one, it was super accurate and fairly quick to respond. As it gets closer to the temp it slows down a bit though.
http://www.sciencelab.com/page/S/PVAR/21811/45-4039

Dan

Click to expand...

That is the one I want.

Dude said:

That is the one I want.

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Yeah I really like it...it's nice to not have to worry about it dying on me. Plus I use it around the house all the time as well.

Yooper Chick said:

One question- what do you use for thermometers? I have three, and don't like any of them. My floating one doesn't seem to be terribly accurate, and the other ones don't float. I was thinking about getting a digital one with a probe, but I wondered how that worked.

Click to expand...

I had the same dilema, I found this one based on a few recommendations of other brewers. Link >> http://www.professionalequipment.com/xq/ASP/ProductID.1154/id.22/subID.174/qx/default.htm

Dude said:

That is the one I want.

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They're on backorder. 3-4 weeks.

Bernie Brewer said:

They're on backorder. 3-4 weeks.

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That Professionalequipment website says they are in stock. The site I have might have them backordered though. I ordered mine through Professional Equipment though about 2 weeks ago.


Dan

$19 at Target and a hole drilled in top of the cooler.

BierMuncher said:

$19 at Target and a hole drilled in top of the cooler.

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I had one of those, unfortunately it only lasted for about 3 brews before it quit on me.

BierMuncher said:

$19 at Target and a hole drilled in top of the cooler.

View attachment 1256

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Any significant heat loss? I want to do this with my cooler.


Dan

DO this and you can use any probe thermometer with ease!

Here it is, spent alot of time in a quandry over just how to do this simply and efficiently. What you see here is a 10 gallon tun, in which I drilled a 1" hole with a hole saw. I purchased some #5 1/2 SOLID stoppers, drilled them with a 3/16" drill (just so I could squeak the probe through) The stopper is installed on the inside so that water pressure only makes the seal stronger. Tested today with 10 gallons of head pressure and no sign of any leaks. $10 per tun baby.

http://s168.photobucket.com/albums/u189/PolTavern/

Pol

Holy repeated post, Batman!

The Pol said:

DO this and you can use any probe thermometer with ease!

Here it is, spent alot of time in a quandry over just how to do this simply and efficiently. What you see here is a 10 gallon tun, in which I drilled a 1" hole with a hole saw. I purchased some #5 1/2 SOLID stoppers, drilled them with a 3/16" drill (just so I could squeak the probe through) The stopper is installed on the inside so that water pressure only makes the seal stronger. Tested today with 10 gallons of head pressure and no sign of any leaks. $10 per tun baby.

http://s168.photobucket.com/albums/u189/PolTavern/

Pol

Click to expand...