Ice Bath, Wort Temperature.

I have a question about wort cooling. I'm a tad confused. During the ice batch cool down, how do you take the temperature of the wort? I did a search but I'm still unsure. Do you take the actual temperature of the wort with a sanitized thermometer, or just go by the feel of the outside of the pot? I know what temperature I'm shooting for, just not how to get there exactly while it's cooling. I hope this makes sense.

I usually keep a thermo in the wort during the entire cooling process.

arturo7 said:

I usually keep a thermo in the wort during the entire cooling process.

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I don't keep it in there, as I've broken more than one during cooling.

But I keep one handy, in a little saucer of sanitizer, and check it when I think I'm getting close.

Use a sanitized thermometer. I usually have a spray bottle full of star-san and I usually save some in a bowl or something from when sanitized things at the start of the day in case I have to resanitize things, like a thermometer. Definitely don't go by the outside of the pot, it will much cooler than the wort in the middle.

Yooper said:

I don't keep it in there, as I've broken more than one during cooling.

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Actually, it's just the probe of an electronic unit. Given the rate at which I go through hydros, using a regular themo would lead to disaster.

Yooper said:

I don't keep it in there, as I've broken more than one during cooling.

But I keep one handy, in a little saucer of sanitizer, and check it when I think I'm getting close.

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Broke because of temp charge or what?

I have a turkey fryer. It unfortunately didn't come with a real lid. The thing is like a small grate. The holes are big enough to stick the therm through. I put it on cover it with foil then poke the thing through. Would like an instant digital thing. A chiller would be nice too!

Beezy said:

Broke because of temp charge or what?

I have a turkey fryer. It unfortunately didn't come with a real lid. The thing is like a small grate. The holes are big enough to stick the therm through. I put it on cover it with foil then poke the thing through. Would like an instant digital thing. A chiller would be nice too!

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I've broken them because they are glass! One "clink" against the pot and there it goes!

So now, I'm much more cautious! I also now have some better gear, like a Thermopen. I don't break cheap themometers anymore- I can now break expensive ones!

I did my first brew yesterday!!! Remember you have to sanitize the fermentor before you stick the wort in. What I did was to make up a 5 gal batch of sanitized solution in my fermentation bucket. Anything that touched the wort post boil went into that bucket first. It was handy for sanitizing the thermometer, hydrometer, my cup to start the yeast in, and my stirring spoon.

Yooper said:

I've broken them because they are glass! One "clink" against the pot and there it goes!

So now, I'm much more cautious! I also now have some better gear, like a Thermopen. I don't break cheap themometers anymore- I can now break expensive ones!

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Hmm ok. I don't think I could break mine the way I do things. Yeah thermopen would be awesome.

Thanks for clearing that up. I've been reading Palmer's book. After my first batch, I learned a lot about sanitizing. It's something I should of read up on before I started the 1st one. Now I'm learning about temperature control. I think my 3rd batch will be awesome. I just find all the science behind home brewing fascinating.

kansas_cty_shfl said:

use a sanitized thermometer. I usually have a spray bottle full of star-san and i usually save some in a bowl or something from when sanitized things at the start of the day in case i have to resanitize things, like a thermometer. Definitely don't go by the outside of the pot, it will much cooler than the wort in the middle.

Click to expand...

+1