Fermentation bucket thermometer

What's the best way to monitor the temperature in a fermentation bucket without opening the top? Is it possible?

Thanks for the help!

Buy a sticky thermometer, like the kind used for aquariums, and stick it on the outside of the bucket (sideways) at about the 4.5 gallon mark.

iron_city_ap said:

Buy a sticky thermometer, like the kind used for aquariums, and stick it on the outside of the bucket (sideways) at about the 4.5 gallon mark.

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+1 This is what I do.

So the thermometer on the outside of the bucket will give an accurate reading?

So something like this should work if I just stick it on the outside of the bucket?

JWest said:

So something like this should work if I just stick it on the outside of the bucket?

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Yup. So will this (and there is no shipping). I have these and they work just fine. I don't do Lagers, so any temp. below 64 (the bottom of the scale on this one) is too cold.

iron_city_ap said:

Yup. So will this (and there is no shipping). I have these and they work just fine. I don't do Lagers, so any temp. below 64 (the bottom of the scale on this one) is too cold.

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Thanks...I appreciate the help. I think I'm about to order a wort chiller from Northern anyway, so shipping on the thermometer wouldn't be too big of a deal.

I was just surprised that it would give accurate readings from the outside of the bucket.

JWest said:

Thanks...I appreciate the help. I think I'm about to order a wort chiller from Northern anyway, so shipping on the thermometer wouldn't be too big of a deal.

I was just surprised that it would give accurate readings from the outside of the bucket.

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As long as you dont have any large temperature differentials on the outside it should be relatively accurate.

For instance I have recently been putting my fermenters near my gas fireplace downstairs in the bar to keep temps at or around 66-68. If I face the temp strip towards the fireplace, I get a false high reading.

I would imagine this would work the same if you were chilling.

No problem. If you are already ordering something and paying shipping, then it makes sense. Enjoy.

Why not put a sanitized thermometer with a long probe through the bung and monitor the internal temp? Similar to the thermometers used when frying things in a turkey fryer

Roadliner said:

Why not put a sanitized thermometer with a long probe through the bung and monitor the internal temp? Similar to the thermometers used when frying things in a turkey fryer

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A brewer on another beer forum that I frequent did just that. His analysis was that there was half a degree difference between the middle of the wort and the outside of the bucket. Hardly enough to measure let alone worry about.

I have a non contact infrared thermometer that works pretty well. Just point and shoot. I found that the temperature of the fermenter would reach about 65 at the peak of the ferment when the fermenter was sitting in a 62 degree room. I had tried the stick on fermometer but I had trouble reading it when the bucket was sitting on the floor in less than ideal lighting.