Ale Pail and thermometer strip

How accurate can it be? Worth the time getting one?

Yes! I love mine. They are accurate to within a degree or two, so it's a good way to gauge the temperature at a glance.

They're accurate enough to keep an eye on ferment temps. Originally desined for aquariums & tropical fish that require warm temps year round. So I think they're fine for beer.

What if you're using a water bath to regulate? Just keep it up around the 4 gal mark and always do at least 5 gal batches?

Ridire said:

What if you're using a water bath to regulate? Just keep it up around the 4 gal mark and always do at least 5 gal batches?

Click to expand...

I actually have mine near the 5 gallon line, and I normally do 5.25 gallon batches in each fermenter. Otherwise, they are below the level of the water bath and then get ruined. (ask me how I know. )

You know what? I'm going to keg a batch in a few minutes. I'll compare the temperature strip with the actual temperature when I open up the fermenter. I have a very cool thermapen that is highly accurate and that will show quickly!

Yooper said:

You know what? I'm going to keg a batch in a few minutes. I'll compare the temperature strip with the actual temperature when I open up the fermenter. I have a very cool thermapen that is highly accurate and that will show quickly!

Click to expand...

Just got a thermapen. I'm all about better temperature control...but not yet ready for a ferm chamber.

Ridire said:

Just got a thermapen. I'm all about better temperature control...but not yet ready for a ferm chamber.

Click to expand...

Ok, just took the temperature of the beer.

The fermometer read 61. I put my thermapen on the side next to the fermometer and it read 60.8. I put my thermapen right in the center, and it read 60.4.

Fermentation has been over for approximately 7 days.

Yooper said:

Ok, just took the temperature of the beer.

The fermometer read 61. I put my thermapen on the side next to the fermometer and it read 60.8. I put my thermapen right in the center, and it read 60.4.

Fermentation has been over for approximately 7 days.

Click to expand...

I guess I can learn to deal with that variance.

Yep and yep... easy to read, and pretty darn acurate.

Gary

Yooper said:

Ok, just took the temperature of the beer.

The fermometer read 61. I put my thermapen on the side next to the fermometer and it read 60.8. I put my thermapen right in the center, and it read 60.4.

Fermentation has been over for approximately 7 days.

Click to expand...

My bucket has super thick plastic and feel like it really doesn't give off the actual temperature of the liquid?
I've heard it working well for carboys but mixed answers on it's effect on buckets. I'm thinking about getting a aquarium temp strip from petco

I have the "Fermometers" on all my buckets. They are still accurate to + or - 1 degree..

Gary

I'm thinking about getting a temp strip for my fermenter today at petco. Any brand suggestions? For like aquarium strips for a plastic bucket

Get one big enough to read. You do not want to be bending down over your fermenter with a magnifying glass just to read the temperature. Kidding a bit. I would think any brand would be about the same. You can check it any time, except when there is any liquid in the vessel, by putting a thermometer you trust right next to it.

This is what I use: http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/fermometer.html

My LHBS's carry one that looks similar.

I had the same concerns about the accuracy of external temperature readings off of buckets. I use an ebay temperature controller with a chest freezer. I tape the probe to the side of the bucket fermenter and insulate it with a bit of styrofoam. I brewed a dunkelweizen last weekend and a few days ago while fermentation was still hot and heavy I took an internal reading with a digital thermometer and it was about 1 degree warmer than the external reading. Good enough for me!