I just finished brewing and have the carboy chilled and yeast pitched but the pickle is my tilt says 71f my Johnson with thermowell says 67, I swapped the Johnson with a inkbird which say 66, so 3 different pieces 3 different temps which one should I trust? Cheers
2 Likes
So a min max delta of 5 F. In my book these are all pretty much the same. Based on the info you gave seems like 66-67 is the answer since these are essentially identical.
1 Like
I might suggest going to the library or resale book store and read The New Complete Joy of Homebrewing. Yes it is dated but the most important aspect is that it will put you in the correct mindset. Relax Don’t Worry Have A Homebrew. All the photos show people drinking beer while brewing. Main point is don’t be so serious.
With proper cleaning and sanitation (not sterilization) beer is hard to screw up and is very forgiving.
My biggest advance in brewing was going all grain. Still the same advice applies. Relax Don’t Worry Have A Homebrew. Enjoy it’s a hobby not a profession
2 Likes
Right on, thanks bud I will relax cheers
1 Like
There is an old saying that “A man with two watches never knows what time it is.” The same goes for a brewer with 2 (or 3) thermometers. I don’t know the accuracy on a Tilt, but most thermometers are only accurate to +/- 1 C or +/- 2 F, so a spread of 4 degrees F is certainly possible. If you really care a lot you can spend a lot of money for a highly accurate thermometer, but I don’t think it is really worth in in this case.
4 Likes
Seems like you are pretty dialed. I have used three different thermometers and a Laser Thermometer and have gotten something similiar. Say within 4-5 degrees and you are good.
1 Like
For what it’s worth, at one point in my career, I was responsible for maintaining the machinery in a steel slitting plant to ISO 9002 standards. That means all measuring devices must be calibrated to NIST (National Institute of Standards and Measures) every 6 months. In following this very tight standard, I learned that temperature accuracy was the most difficult and the most expensive to maintain. So, a temperature measuring device used by every day folks that is within 3-4° of set-point is perfectly normal. My Inkbird maintains +/- 1° (2° Delta T). While 2° is loose (according to NIST) is close enough for our purposes. After that, it’s a matter of trust.
3 Likes
The tilt is plastic with air inside. The plastic and air are insulators. For me, it takes the tilt quite a while to show the same temp as the readout on my temp controller which has a probe in a thermowell in the wort.
When the temperature is steady the tilt matches the temp control readout. When the temp is changing the tilt catches up eventually.
4 Likes
In addition to brewing, I love to cook. You can get a really good thermometer for $100+ (Thermapen ONE) with a one second response. My go to, though, is this one (ThermoPro), currently $15.99 at Amazon. They claim a 3-4 second response; I’d say 6-7 seconds, but still very fast and accurate.
3 Likes
I gifted my first Thermapen to a neighbor so I would feel justified in upgrading to the Thermapen One. I use it for cooking and baking all the time. During my brew sessions, I use it to check temps on practically everything. I keep a glass of sanitizer on my brew table just for the Thermapen probe. I also use it for things like checking the temp on top of our kitchen fridge (for estimating sourdough starter times). It is not cheap but it is a huge plus.
2 Likes
Thanks all, I do luckily own a thermapen 
the best! I also cook so handy, and just like the gentleman mentioned the tilt is plastic and air takes time to adjust so luckily I chose the inkbird to trust , a day later the tilt and inkbird are within a 1/2 or full degree at any time definitely relaxing not worrying and having a homebrew cheers
3 Likes
As a survivor of doctoral studies (triangulation, baby!) I appreciate someone who uses a a Tilt AND an Inkbird. As a librarian, that’s a very librarian approach (said with admiration).
2 Likes
Mostly use the tilt for gravity but cool to correspond temp with the inkbird
1 Like
Trust the thermometer that reads 32 F in ice water, and whatever the boiling temperature is at your particular elevation above sea level in boiling water. Trust no other methods, this is the only way.
5 Likes
This^^^ (Dave Taylor’s post)
And you can use a correction if it doesn’t read as it should at freezing and boiling. I’ve found that the freezing point is a little tricky to test. The container has to be packed full of ice, with water filling the spaces. ymmv
1 Like
I have found that digital thermometers rarely read the same. If this is important to you then either buy a digital thermometer which can be calibrated at water freezing and boiling point or buy a scientific alcohol in glass thermometer that you have checked its calibration at water freezing and boiling point. I have an accurate alcohol in glass thermometer which I use to calibrate my Tilt.
My Thermapen is my favorite piece of brewing (and cooking) equipment. I highly recommend it.
1 Like