Brewing thermometer, scale ideas?

[mikeasu]

Hey all,

Wifey's asking for Christmas ideas, and brewing stuff is always good. My last AG batch, 2nd time doing AG, figured I didn't have a good handle on how much volume I drained (no sparge) and questioning my kitchen thermometer I was using to monitor the mash temp. I'll make a measuring stick from a wooden dowel for next time (measured per gal or 1/2 gal calibrated for my brew pot), but could use a better thermometer for monitoring the mash. What do you all use, or might suggest?

Also, thinking time for a good scale - measuring small quantities of grains or hops, so certainly no more than a few pounds, and to be used more in fraction of oz amounts. Any suggestions here?

 

[Brewsncrabs]

Thermapen is the way to go IMO. Mash temp is extremely important so spend a little more and get the best.

 

[RichBenn]

Taylor thermometers are typically within 0.5 degrees F accuracy at mash temps, and are pretty inexpensive. The right ones read fairly fast. This is not true for many other "kitchen grade" thermos; I had a department store one read 3 degrees off, which made for a bad mash. I don't adjust if the mash is off a degree or less, but in this case I was 1+3 or 4 degrees off, a bad mash.

Can't go wrong with the thermapen, which uses a thermocouple(industrial) and is well made.

Be sure to measure in multiple spots, which is why handhelds are the way to go. Then you'll know if you've stirred enough at mash in.

 

[501irishred]

As for the scale, I recommend getting two. Anything that can handle 2lb + of grains isn't going to be accurate enough to measure out 1/2oz of hops etc. Here's what I have. Cheap but accurate (I used a set of calibrating weights with the gram scale and it was VERY close, within a gram)