Measuring accuracy

[BigFatDad]

I have been noticing that my beers have been very dry lately. All of them, even the bigger stouts and pale ales. So yesterday I tested my thermometer against an old stick one and one my wife uses for cooking. No joke, they are all different. Here's a Pic heating up strike water.

Then I tested with crushed ice and water. Again, very large disparity with "ol trusty" saying it was 72 deg, stick saying 44 and kitchen saying 36.

Next up, check out refractometer VS hydrometer. Might be time to upgrade of improve my calibration game.

 

[MaxStout]

I hope that's not really crushed ice, as those thermometers are reading 173, 144, and 136.

Go to Thermoworks, and get a good thermo. Calibrate in ice water.

 

[BigFatDad]

Sorry, I was a bit unclear. The Pic is from strike water. I agree, very different readings. Also, I found out (new to me) that water boils at 224 degrees. At least according to the stick thermometer.

 

[day_trippr]

Woof. I would start by tossing that entire hot mess out and start over

Cheers!

 

[balrog]

Regardless of what measurement tool you buy, at what cost, you have to occasionally calibrate *ANY* measurement tool. Things change with time. Drift happens. Entropy and all that.

For instance, even since I turned 30, many moons ago, the ground has gotten both much much harder, and further away from me, while gravity seems to have gotten stronger.

 

[doug293cz]

None of those thermometers are fit for brewing use. Some of the cheap ($10 - $15) digital sticks are much more accurate, but you need to verify with a crushed ice bath and boiling water. If your elevation is significantly above sea level, then you need to correct the boiling temp downwards. The "gold standard" among brewers seems to be the Thermoworks Thermopen, but it's pricey.

If you are using the stick for brewing, since it reads high, the actual temps are lower, which would explain why your beers are dryer than desired.

Brew on

 

[CascadesBrewer]

The Thermoworks MK4 is currently on clearance for "only" $69. I have debated a few times if I should pick one up. Thermapen Mk4 Instant-read Thermometer for meat & more

I have been using an inexpensive glass "lab" thermometer to calibrate my other thermometers (cost maybe $10). It was dead on when I calibrated with ice water and boiling water. It is too slow to read and a bit too fragile for general use, but I have been happy with its performance. I don't see the exact one I have listed (got at locally, but I see several listed on Amazon).

 

[IslandLizard]

The Thermoworks MK4 is currently on clearance for "only" $69. I have debated a few times if I should pick one up.

If you brew much, or cook at critical temps, such as sous-vide, a Thermapen is a very good investment. I wish I had bought mine earlier on.
That's a very good price too, I got mine for about the same in an "open box" sale.

 

[Falstaff]

I have been noticing that my beers have been very dry lately. All of them, even the bigger stouts and pale ales. So yesterday I tested my thermometer against an old stick one and one my wife uses for cooking. No joke, they are all different. Here's a Pic heating up strike water.

Then I tested with crushed ice and water. Again, very large disparity with "ol trusty" saying it was 72 deg, stick saying 44 and kitchen saying 36.

Next up, check out refractometer VS hydrometer. Might be time to upgrade of improve my calibration game.

I've had the same problem. Super frustrating.l, especially when mash temps have such a big effect on FG, incomplete conversion, etc.

As for the "next up", why use a refractometer? A hydrometer is so low tech and reliable. Also at 9am on Sunday you are just "checking for quality" when you DRINK the sample

 

[balrog]

I used (still do sometimes) this simple one.
I also got this one, thinking I'd be able to let it alert me when rising/falling temp was reached but I'm too OCD not to just stand there so the alert feature is not required.

 

[Beerstein]

I purchased the Hanna brewing thermometer. Buy once, cry once. The long stainless probe makes it easy to stick deep into a mash grain bed, or just leave in a bucket of sanitizer.

https://www.hannainst.com/brewing-thermometer.html

 

[Tom R]

This Inkbird product works GREAT! Very fast and acccurate.

It's waterproof and rechargeable. I use it for cooking and brewing.

 

[Transamguy77]

That Inkbird product IS great! I have one and use it all the time, and for the price you can’t beat it.

 

[BigFatDad]

Thanks for all the replies. I will be looking into replacing the thermometer. Might have to bite the bullet and get a thermo works one. The Hannah one looks awesome but too spendy for me.

 

[IslandLizard]

The Hannah one looks awesome but too spendy for me.

Aside from price, the 1 meter (~3.3 feet!) probe it comes with (FFS!) is sheer overkill, and cumbersome for most homebrewing applications. I'd put that "feature" in the minus column.

My Thermapen gets used for more than just brewing, I use it all the time for cooking, baking, and such. I like the way the probe folds along the thermometer body when not in use and there is no power button.

Warning: Don't dip the probe end of the body into wort (or anything else), as I accidentally did one time and it's become a bit sticky/harder to open/close ever since.

 

[day_trippr]

fwiw, I bought my first Thermapen in 2008 - for BBQ and general kitchen use. Frankly, I don't find it all that useful for brewing beer, imo - save for being an excellent reference for devices that are more suited to brewing. And that is important!

So, I calibrate all of my digital sensors against my Thermapen(s), as well as my other analog kettle thermometers, and my digital handhelds. And in regard to the latter, this is a truly useful digital thermometer for brewing beer, imo. It has the reach (depth) that MK2 and MK4 don't have...

https://www.thermoworks.com/RT610B-24
Cheers!

 

[doug293cz]

fwiw, I bought my first Thermapen in 2008 - for BBQ and general kitchen use. Frankly, I don't find it all that useful for brewing beer, imo - save for being an excellent reference for devices that are more suited to brewing. And that is important!

So, I calibrate all of my digital sensors against my Thermapen(s), as well as my other analog kettle thermometers, and my digital handhelds. And in regard to the latter, this is a truly useful digital thermometer for brewing beer, imo. It has the reach (depth) that MK2 and MK4 don't have...

https://www.thermoworks.com/RT610B-24
Cheers!

I also have to give this one a thumbs up. Takes a little longer to get a reading than a thermopen, but still quicker than a liquid filled thermometer. Mine has always read within a fraction of a degree F of my thermopen.

Brew on

 

[dmtaylor]

Instruments do not need to be expensive to be accurate. They just need to be calibrated to be accurate.

 

[DuncB]

and to be consistent, because if you calibrate and they drift straight away they are inaccurate.

 

[oakbarn]

None of those thermometers are fit for brewing use. Some of the cheap ($10 - $15) digital sticks are much more accurate, but you need to verify with a crushed ice bath and boiling water. If your elevation is significantly above sea level, then you need to correct the boiling temp downwards. The "gold standard" among brewers seems to be the Thermoworks Thermopen, but it's pricey.

If you are using the stick for brewing, since it reads high, the actual temps are lower, which would explain why your beers are dryer than desired.

Brew on

You need to adjust the boiling Temperature BY PRESSURE. You can get a close approximation from a Local Airport with a weather station. While Altitude is used, it is based upon a standard day where the pressure is 29.92 in at seal level. Pressure does decrease as you gain altitude normally, but highs and lows in a weather pattern can change the pressure at a specific altitude.

You need both elevation and pressure to be accurate.

This is a great online calculator:

https://www.thermoworks.com/bpcalc
How to test a Thermometer for boiling.

https://blog.thermoworks.com/thermometer/thermal-secrets-boiling-point-calibration/
How to test a Thermometer in an Ice Bath:

https://www.thermoworks.com/thermapen101_creating_an_icebath
You should check your Reference Thermometer (Thermapen) in this manner and use it to check your other Thermometers.

The Thermapen is certified when you get it and very accurate.

We check ours on a regular basis by checking our Mash with an Instant Read like the Thermapen. If it seems off, we go with the Thermapen and then calibrate the off Thermometer (or replace it) before the next brew.


If you can Calibrate you Thermometer, then do so. If it is a manual screw, be aware that if it can be adjusted, it can also move by itself over time.

BruControl can make adjustments internally in different manners to help you be more accurate.

Generally only the Mash, Sparge and Fermentation Temperatures are important. We also check our Thermometers against the Reference at 150 F because we Mash between 148 and 156. We also check them at 165 F and 65 F.

If we replace a Thermometer, we do check them.

We always check in situ as wiring could effect readings.

If you want exceptional accuracy, you need a quality 3 wire RTD. When accuracy is not that important, less expensive probes may be used.

In my mind, you need to measure your Mash with the best Thermometer. If your Sparge is 160 to 170, you would be fine. Also in fermentation, slight variances are not of great concern.