Fermentatiom thermometer

[Kaiser]

Hi there

Does anybody monitor the fermentation temperature inside the fermenter?

I'm using these stick-on thermometer on my glass carboys but I'm worried that they can be significantly off If I'm having a strong fermentation and are not using a water bath to cool the carboy. So far I have always been assuming that the inside may be 4F-6F warmer than the outside (given a strong fermentation) and I started to aim for 48F on the thermometer to achieve an actual fermentation temperature of 52F

Kai

 

[cgravier]

Hi there

Does anybody monitor the fermentation temperature inside the fermenter?



Kai

one day i noticed smoke coming out of a light switch at my house, so when the firemen came they had this cool little device that whatever you point it at it reads the internal temperature, according to the depth that you set it at. i thought this would be a great, completly accurate and sanitary way to measure your beer temp,no matter where, in the middle of the carboy, or whever you want, without even touching the beer.
im sure this thing cost big bucks though, im guessing like 300 bucks for basically just a thernometer, albeit a really cool one!

 

[david_42]

I just tape a probe to the side of the fermenter and put a piece of insulating foam (AKA a sponge) over the probe. Neither glass nor plastic buckets are very good insulators, so the temperature on the outside will be very close to the actual temperature.

cgravier -some remote temperature detectors are available for less than $80 US, but they will only measure the surface temperature. I'd be interested in a URL for one that can measure temperature at a depth as you described.

 

[DeRoux's Broux]

i use the stick on thermometer strips. they are usually reading 2-4 degrees higher than my thermometer in the chest freezer, so i feel confident it's pretty close to the internal temp.

 

[cgravier]

another thing about stick ons and there so-called innaccuracies, im thinking that while the beer is fermenting stuff is moving around so much that what is in the middle doesnt stay there, and whats on the outer edge is constantly changing, so i would assume you are getting the most accurate reading at this time, as apposed to when fermentation slows and there would be possible a 2-4 degree difference from the outer edge than the middle...ie. dont worry about it...