True Wort Temperature?

[Fish]

I currently have a Robust Porter fermenting in my fridge-mate temperature controlled fridge. My question being how accurately do people think the ambient temp measured by the fridge-mate sensor is to the wort temperature? Im conscious of but unclear about the fact that the fermentation process creates heat.

Ideally I want to ferment at 20C
I have set the fridge-mate to 18C
Last time I looked the ambient measured was 19C

Cheers
Fish

 

[Cocko]

There is an NTC probe option, you drill a hole in your fermenter lid and it fit in a standard airlock O-Ring, it goes into the wort!

Maybe this is an option for you!

http://www.mashmaster.com/p/366867/ntc-sen...fridgemate.html

 

[gap]

There is an NTC probe option, you drill a hole in your fermenter lid and it fit in a standard airlock O-Ring, it goes into the wort!

Maybe this is an option for you!

http://www.mashmaster.com/p/366867/ntc-sen...fridgemate.html

Why bother. The standard probe bluetacked to the fermentor side is close enough for me.

Regards

Graeme

 

[mckenry]

Ideally I want to ferment at 20C
I have set the fridge-mate to 18C
Last time I looked the ambient measured was 19C

Cheers
Fish

There is too much worry about a degree or two IMO. Just blu-tac it to the side of the fermenter, covering the entire probe with blu-tac, half way up the liquid. In this case close enough is good enough.
No drilling required, no worries about introducing another source of infection
mckenry

 

[mckenry]

Why bother. The standard probe bluetacked to the fermentor side is close enough for me.

Regards

Graeme

ha, beat me by a ......

 

[Fish]

Thanks for both suggestions.

Ill go the blue-tak to start with. As mckenry said, Im not that keen to introduce another source of infection re. drilling the hole.

As an aside, why is blue-tak like crack to my cat?

Cheers
Fish

 

[gap]

As an aside, why is blue-tak like crack to my cat?

Cheers
Fish

I have never fed blue tack to my cat. !!!!

 

[Brewer_010]

I have never fed blue tack to my cat. !!!!

Might have something to do with the oils in it.

Years ago I discovered my cat was licking my fingers like mad after I'd been scratching my ear....yuck. Then one night I woke up as he was licking my friggen ear lobe! Yeee-eech.

Strange but true.

 

[stillscottish]

There is too much worry about a degree or two IMO. Just blu-tac it to the side of the fermenter, covering the entire probe with blu-tac, half way up the liquid. In this case close enough is good enough.
No drilling required, no worries about introducing another source of infection
mckenry

+1

Nice and simple and better than letting it hang in the fridge or mucking around with it in a glass of water.

Campbell

 

[dicko]

Thanks for both suggestions.

I'll go the blue-tak to start with. As 'mckenry' said, I'm not that keen to introduce another source of infection re. drilling the hole.

As an aside, why is blue-tak like 'crack' to my cat?

Cheers
Fish

Hi all,

I just use a block of polystyrene foam with a groove cut in it for the sensor probe and then fasten it to the fermenter with an occy strap or trouser belt so that the probe is against the fermenter and the foam insulates it from the ambient temp in the temp controlled fridge.
While there is still a slight temp difference for the pedantics to argue about it is very small and it is only when the fermentation is in the first day or so.
You can account for the temp difference if you set your fridgemate or similar a degree or two lower for the first couple of days of the ferment.

KiSS and cheers

 

[WitWonder]

Probe sitting in a ~600ml spraybottle of water sitting next to the fermenter here. Large base, narrow opening at the top and being plastic makes it ideal.

 

[SJW]

I have my probe taped to the side of the fermenter and the wort is always 1.5 deg C warmer than the fridgemate, and its set at a 1 deg C differential.
I have never understood why people say the wort heats up during fermetation, I have had wheat beers climbing out of the fermenter and a Kolsch that spewed out for 3 days and they all were 1.5 deg C above the fridgemate set temps. Armed with this knowledge I would not bother with making any fancy dip tubes or water baths or anything.
Stick ya probe anywahere you like as long as you know the differential who cares, and I think the longer it takes to register a change, like having the probe in a bottle of water the less control you would have over the wort.

Steve