Copper as a thermawell?

[37OliveStBrews]

Hey is there any reason why I can't use 1/4" copper tubing with a cap as a temp thermawell in my fermenter? It fits beautifully in the carboy hood/caps. I bought a hood with thermawell from morebeer but it doesn't fit my probe. Thanks for your in put.

 

[JJL]

No reason why not. Just make sure you seal the end of the tube somehow so the beer isn't leaking on your probe and expsoing the beer to air.

 

[dermotstratton]

It is not recommended to use copper post boil.

Listen to this podcast for more details.

You don't want a lot of contact time between your beer and copper. A small amount of copper in your wort/beer can act as nutrient for yeast, but if it sits in copper during fermentation, the amount of copper dissolved into the beer will be greater than the yeast's ability to eat it and it will have a negative effect on your beer.

I have never tasted a beer fermented in copper, so I don't have 1st hand experience, but that's the theory behind why you should avoid it.