I use one of those 10 gallon orange Rubbermaid coolers for my mash tun. Up til now, I’ve been using a probe thermometer to measure the temperature, but that’s getting to be kind of a pain.
I’d like to install a thermometer into through the side of the cooler, like you see in most boil kettles. Has anyone tried this? If so, did you need anything special in terms of the thermometer? Was the install pretty simple?
Morebeer.com sells a 6" thermometer for this purpose (http://bit.ly/bgJd7A), but warns that “Special tools and training are required to install this unit. This must be done here at the shop.” Sheesh, how hard can it be?
The problem I’ve found with installing a permanent thermometer is that then you only know the temp in that one place. I prefer being able to move the thermometer around so I can make sure there’s an even temp throughout my mash.
It can be done… but I have to agree with Denny in that you’ll find that the mash temp will vary until the temperature stabilizes. Which can only be determined by taking multiple readings throuout the mash.
Yeah, that’s a valid point. But I wonder how long it really takes for the temperature to become roughly equal throughout the mash? At any rate, I just don’t have a good thermometer for getting deep into the mash and moving around. I got a probe thermometer from Thermoworks, but it turns out the probe cable isn’t waterproof - bah! And the other thermometers I have will only let me go 3-4" deep. Plus I just don’t like taking off the lid and stirring things around any more than I have to.
One good indicator that the mash temp has stabilized is when there are no more dough balls. Once the dough balls are all incorporated, take some readings and if they are relatively close the mash temp has stabilized.
I like to see +/- a degree or two before I stop the “doughing in” process.