Best type of Thermometer for mash

[byronyasgur]

I broke my thermometer last brewday so I'm in the market for a new mash thermometer. What's the best type to go for. I see a lot of people have the dial style ones that plug in but I wonder are they as accurate and quick to react as the digital ones with the probes, but on the other hand the dial type is always there giving it's reading you don't have wires coming out of the tun like with the digital probe one - or are there other types to consider. This is my third thermometer and I wasn't really happy with either of the others so I'd like to get something that would a)last a while b) be accurate and c) not be awkward to use

 

[JonM]

IMHO, the Thermoworks Thermapen is worth every penny, especially if you cook/grill. You can often find them at a pretty good discount if you sign up from their emails or like them on FB.

 

[huzahhdahdaddda]

I am old school, I use a glass lab thermometer to verify the mash temp. I have also dialed in (adjusted) my bimetal dial thermometers to be most accurate at 145F.

 

[McKnuckle]

I use this one with an extra long (24") probe at various points during the hot side of brewing:
http://www.thermoworks.com/RT610B-24

If you drill a small hole in your kettle lid, cooler lid, etc., you can just leave it in the mash. The only downside of the more typical smaller probe thermometers is that you have to open the vessel to check. Not a big deal, but I like the option of continuous monitoring with the long probe unit.

 

[byronyasgur]

great ideas there thanks everybody

I like the option of continuous monitoring with the long probe unit.

love your ideas but do you not need to stir the mash though to get the right temperature - and if you apply heat then if the bottom then I suppose the long probe would be thrown out by the heat source - though I suppose you'd be stirring if applying heat anyway

 

[McKnuckle]

Normally I mash in a kettle with a recirculating pump. I have a brew thermometer inserted in the plumbing.

I use the long probe digital one when I mash in a cooler. I stir at the beginning and the end. Disparate temps are unavoidable, but at least I can raise and lower the thermometer and check different spots.