Thermometer May Just Be Rubbish

[Alouyius Phlegm]

Hello all,

Well today was my first try at BIAB using a 40 litre electric urn (2nd hand at an Auction house for $40).....

After a very short while I am now pretty concerned I've wasted a stack of grain!!!!

Anyway, I am using a digital thermometer with a probe (from IKEA - new last week) in the urn and its showing 68 before I add the grain. I add the grain and it shows 68 still. Stirred and agitated but after 30 minutes when went to stir and accidently touched the liquid, its very cold.... like tap water cold.... my thermometer still showing 68......

I am now an hour through the mash, at what I now reckon to be 30 degrees max..... Thermometer faithfully showing 68.....

I take it this is a lesson to be learned from and that I should not waste my hops by boiling this soup like stuff.....

Lesson being, get a thermometer that works....

Thanks all

 

[wambesi]

Always have a spare - of everything!

You can by them with a certificate of calibration which I have (one of them) and the others I have a cheapies from the supermarket/kitchen shops etc. I regularly compare them to ensure they all around the same temp.

Sounds like you must have got a dud which is a major bummer, I take it you dont have any other's around the house, or ones that you use on the kids etc for checking temps.

My good one I got from cheeselinks in Melb as I also do some cheese and yoghurts, but the others you can pick up all over the place.

When you do get it, boil some water in the saucepan and then check what the reading is. Also maybe get some water with some ice cubes and check to make sure it is reading correctly.

 

[bradsbrew]

Put in cold water then hot water and see if you can shock it into action. Does it have some sort of set/reset??

Cheers Brad

 

[lokpikn]

If you can get the temp up to any where round 63 to70 will give you something to ferment and not have to toss the grain out. 63 deg will be dry 70 will be sweet but at least it will work so dont toss it all out yet

 

[Alouyius Phlegm]

No reset on the bugger of a thing but will try the shock treatment. My concern now is that the I've missed the boat enzyme conversion wise etc and its there's no salvage that can be undertaken... oh well.

A second of everything... Shall be doing so in future. Very sound advice thanks.... Will try the kids thermometer and see where I'm at but reckon my guesstimation is going to be pretty close unfortunately..

Thanks guys for the quick replies

 

[blackbock]

Maybe it is set to read Fahrenheit?

 

[Alouyius Phlegm]

If you can get the temp up to any where round 63 to70 will give you something to ferment and not have to toss the grain out. 63 deg will be dry 70 will be sweet but at least it will work so dont toss it all out yet

Thanks Lok. Will bump it up now and see how I go for an hour or so at that!

Blackbok.... NO unfortunately its Celcius!!!! Double checked that one!

 

[Alouyius Phlegm]

Well, despite having the probe placed between 2 ice packs, the temperature would not drop below 43 degrees. had no probs with going up to 100 in boiling water however....

but was reading incorrectly still in the mashing temp zone (cos it read at 70 degrees again in the cold urn after the shocking in hot and cold)..... So no way to tell if its really between 63 and 70..... Guess its stuffed.
Anyway, will order some more grain and a thermometer and start over.
Bit disappointing, if the truth is known.

(walks to fridge and grabs an extract brewed beer!!!)

 

[wambesi]

(walks to fridge and grabs an extract brewed beer!!!)

At least you got a brew to relax with now (or rather unwind!)

 

[Alouyius Phlegm]

At least you got a brew to relax with now (or rather unwind!)

larf. Indeed mate. Glad I had the beers in pairs, at least , in the fridge. Would have been a disaster othewise.

(mental note - 2 of everything!!!!!) Cheers

 

[Hutch]

larf. Indeed mate. Glad I had the beers in pairs, at least , in the fridge. Would have been a disaster othewise.

(mental note - 2 of everything!!!!!) Cheers

You might be feeling pi$$ed off, and rightly so for all the wasted effort, money and expectation.
All the more rewarding when you get back on the horse, get your temperature issues sorted and crank out your first AG.
Hope it works out for you!

 

[Alouyius Phlegm]

thanks Hutch.

there've been a number of hiccoughs getting this far with AG so, after a couple of beers this arvo, I'm thinking that something like this was probably always on the cards first time up. larf!!!

Am really looking forward to trying the wonders of AG!!!! I've pencilled in next Saturday as a brew day, provided the grain and thermometer can be here by then!!!!

 

[Darren]

AF,

Next time this happens, just remember, you will be able to hold your finger-tip in 55 C water/mash. You will not be able to hold it in 65 C water/mash. Its a rule of thumb that always comes in hande when thermo dies.

cheers

Darren

 

[Tony M]

I purchased 3 of these from ikea as they were 12.95 ea and I need a couple for cooking. I did the purecrushed melting ice/ boiling distilled water temp test on these and another from grain and grape that I have used for several years and only one of the ikea ones varied from the norm and that hit zero at 1C and 102 at 100C,
I would say that yours is NFG. I haven't pulled them apart yet but in the days of simpler electronics, there would be a trim pot or two inside that would set the max and min readings. Perhaps you should look. you have nothing to lose.

 

[pint of lager]

A thermometer is one of the most important bits of gear a mash brewer uses. It is one area that we really should lash out and buy something good.

Sad to read about your mash, but it would have been fine to heat up from cold to mash temps. Not much happens at 30 degrees.

 

[goatherder]

I'll repeat a good thermometer tip I read somewhere here.

If you've got kids and you've got one of those shitty Tommee Tippee thermometers that come with them, they are very accurate around body temp - 38 degreesish. It's close enough to mashing temps (closer than boiling or ice water anyway) that you'll get a decent calibration or check on your ikea or mashmaster for brewing.

 

[enoch]

I had a different brand one which went way off for a while (weeks). Ultimately worked out it was that moisture had gotten into the lead and presumably the probe. Fixed next time it was in the oven.

 

[Weizguy]

It's good to see that you're bringing the right attitude to the situation. No point letting it get you down.

The first time is a learning experience, and the best you can hope for is a drinkable beer.
Some people have a trouble-free first AG.
Others make it difficult for themselves; increase the grade of the learning curve, by performing a triple decoction Oktoberfestbier, which has to be fermented cold. That's a whole 'nother level. Yep, it was me!

May next Saturday be much more pleasant!
Beerz
Les