Anybody have a good recommendation on a thermometer?
I have had issues with the longevity of 2 digital ones, and have gone back to my glass floating thermometer (similar to: Floating Thermometer). In calculating grain temperature to estimate strike water my digital was reading 85 degrees and the floating 65 degrees (which was closer to the room temperature of the basement. Using the floater I seem to be able to hit all my target temps, hit my estimated gravities based on a good extract efficiency. Based solely on this, I am assuming that it is working.
I got away from this exact floating glass one when I had different readings between it and 2 laboratory glass thermometer (similar to Lab Thermometer). I probably am leaning in the route of another glass one in case this one breaks or to estimate whether it has become somewhat compromised. I would like to be able to check its accuracy with another thermometer or a method around the critical temperatures (50 to 195 degrees). It seems that the thermometers I have used are either accurate at the lower end or the higher end.
Even though I have had rotten luck with digitals, I love the ability to probe and get a reading. So, if you think that you have a great digital, please let me know.
I have a Thermopen. They’re pricey, but you can find them on sale sometimes. Using the Thermopen, I discovered that every thermometer I have is off by at least 5 degrees.
I don’t regret buying a thermapen but I probably would buy the RT600c from the same maker as the thermapen next time. The thermapen is a lot of money for something that is not water tight. The RT600c appears to have better water resistance (vs. splash proof).
Those RT600 units sure look good. Their water resistance is really nice too. Do be cautious with any electronic or physical thermometer though. They could lose their accuracy and you wouldn’t know it. Having a certified reference standard is still a good idea for checking that your ‘working’ thermometers are reporting accurately.
I have used inexpensive dial thermometers for over a decade and they are quite repeatable. However, they can easily be damaged or knocked out of calibration. That is where a reference standard is an important tool to have. Calibrating thermometers in the mashing temperature range is highly recommended since some instruments can have non-linear response. That means that checking them with ice-water and boiling-water baths might not be a good enough calibration check.
I picked up an Atkins 330 thermocouple on ebay many years ago, and it has been absolutely reliable the entire time. A new one would have been prohibitively expensive, but I paid less than $75 for mine. There’s one currently listed:
I’ve used the digital and dial thermometers both. The dial are more robust IMO. Just tossed another digital when it read 140* in my fridge.
Martin, what do use for a reference for a mash temp without relying on another thermometer? I understand your point about using ice - boiling water, but I’m racking my brain trying to think of what else to reference.
I have a NIST-certified mercury thermometer that serves as my reference. Clearly, you wouldn’t want to use one of those anywhere in the brewery due to its fragility and hazard. I suggest that homebrew clubs may want to invest in something like that and they can have calibration events at their meetings a few times a year so that members can check their thermometers.
I bought a Thermapen 2 months ago and don’t regret the high price. I also use it to BBQ meat to get a quick check on temps. I expect this to last for years.
I’ve been pretty thrilled with my NIST traceable lollipop thermometer. I’ve had it 2 years and have checked it against a friend’s glass reference lab thermometer 3 or 4 times and it stays reliably within ~ 1/2 a degree F, at mash temps. It’s also far less than a thermopen :
Amazon sometimes sells it for even less. It’s a good one.
I’ve been using an IR thermometer for a while and really like it. It reads temp quickly and accurately, and because it doesn’t contact the beer I don’t have to worry about sanitization when using post-boil. The drawback though is that it only reads surface temps so everything has to be well-mixed to give good temperatures.
Plus I can use it on my cast iron pan to see when it’s hot enough to put my steaks on to cook.