Where do I find a "floating thermometer"

I assume I use this while steeping my grains. Will a meat thermometer work as well?

You don't need a floating thermometer, in fact, most of the brewers I know don't use them. Buy yourself a digital probe thermometer for ~$15 at Target. Set the probe up in water, I'll use a binder clip to hold it in place. Then, you can monitor the temp very closely.

http://www.midwestsupplies.com/products/ProdByID.aspx?ProdID=4720
http://www.northernbrewer.com/thermometers.html
http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?products_id=997

I suppose anything with the right temp range would work.

I use a candy thermometer. Reads from 65 degrees to over 500. And it has a clip on it that lets me clip it on to the stock pot. And it's already food grade. You can get it at any grocery store in the baking section.

the_bird said:

You don't need a floating thermometer, in fact, most of the brewers I know don't use them. Buy yourself a digital probe thermometer for ~$15 at Target. Set the probe up in water, I'll use a binder clip to hold it in place. Then, you can monitor the temp very closely.

Click to expand...

I agree with the bird. Those glass incased thermometers are too fragile. I busted mine in the MLT the second time I used it. A digital unit is the way to go.

Not to mention, they're sometimes horribly inaccurate (ever look at the readings on multiple thermometers on the same shelf in a store?). Plus, the floating ones are full of air, which can rather significantly delay the reading of the thermometer inside. I bought a floating thermometer for brewing, used it for 20 minutes, and then threw it on the shelf and haven't touched it since.

just don't get the probe wet where it meets the wire to tthe display unit. its not watter tight.

i put silicone tubing around my wire, with plastic zip ties, so mine IS water tight. however i stole the idea from Bobby.

I got a great one at my local Walfart.
Not floating, but with a pretty long cord.

I ordered my digital from MoreBeer.com . Maybe I paid too much for it(29.95) but I really like it. It has a larger digital display. It has high temp and low temp alarms so it beeps when over or under the temps that I set, and it has a large magnet on the back so I can stick it to the face of the oven so it is out of the way. I have also used it outside on the grill.

I started out using a floating one, but I got tired of taking the lid off or my wort and trying to read a foamy thermometer.

I can read my digital from 15 feet away. If I am busy bottling or something and my wort gets below 150 it beeps. Really big help.