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Author Topic: What's the best thermometer?  (Read 20651 times)

Offline timberati

  • Assistant Brewer
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  • Posts: 163
  • Norm
    • Batch-22
Re: What's the best thermometer?
« Reply #15 on: March 29, 2011, 04:54:13 pm »
Wow, expect a flurry of responses to this question.

We have a kettle thermometer in our mash tun, but the guy I brew with is a professional chef, so we also have a small collection of digital kitchen quick-read thermometers.  The kettle thermometer is analog and works fairly well.  The digital quick read does an excellent job too, and only costs around $15.  Calibration for each one is simple.  The kettle thermometer uses a screw in the back to adjust the dial relative to the position of the needle.  The digital has a menu to do the same.

We cut up a wine cork and slid it down the shaft of the quick-read, so now it floats.  We almost never float it, but it can be done.

This is the thermometer we use.

http://www.amazon.com/Taylor-9842-Commercial-Waterproof-Thermometer/dp/B00009WE45/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1300723094&sr=1-1-catcorr

Great price. Does it work well for mashing, that is, it's accurate enough?
Cervesariis Feliciter
Batch-22 http://52beers.wordpress.com/
Twitter: timberati

Offline Tim McManus

  • Assistant Brewer
  • ***
  • Posts: 236
    • Haskell Brewing Company
Re: What's the best thermometer?
« Reply #16 on: March 29, 2011, 06:38:01 pm »
Wow, expect a flurry of responses to this question.

We have a kettle thermometer in our mash tun, but the guy I brew with is a professional chef, so we also have a small collection of digital kitchen quick-read thermometers.  The kettle thermometer is analog and works fairly well.  The digital quick read does an excellent job too, and only costs around $15.  Calibration for each one is simple.  The kettle thermometer uses a screw in the back to adjust the dial relative to the position of the needle.  The digital has a menu to do the same.

We cut up a wine cork and slid it down the shaft of the quick-read, so now it floats.  We almost never float it, but it can be done.

This is the thermometer we use.

http://www.amazon.com/Taylor-9842-Commercial-Waterproof-Thermometer/dp/B00009WE45/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1300723094&sr=1-1-catcorr

Great price. Does it work well for mashing, that is, it's accurate enough?

Yes.  It's used by a lot of folks in food service and is required (a digital quick-read thermometer) by the NYC food cops.  It's not a lab thermometer.
Tim McManus
Haskell, NJ