Est temp of actual beer

[MHBT]

When you tape/insulate a probe to the side of a glass carboy and set your controller to 65F for example, what should you expect the real temp of the beer to be being that glass insulates well?

 

[flars]

The actual temperature of the beer can depend upon what the heating/cooling source is and the location of the probe. The controller for a temperature probe that is located under a heating belt will control the temperature of the probe rather than the mass of beer in the carboy behind the probe. Eventually the beer may come up, or down to the set point of the controller. A probe that is located in a water bath that is controlled for heating or cooling will quickly bring the temperature of the beer to the set point for the water bath.

What is the set up that you are using?

Glass transmits temperature changes very well. It is like a single pane window in a house. Changes in temperature outside are readily noticed. Add another pane of glass like the old style storm windows and outside temperature changes are not transmitted as easily. It isn't so much the second pane of glass but the dead air space trapped between the two panes.

 

[MHBT]

The actual temperature of the beer can depend upon what the heating/cooling source is and the location of the probe. The controller for a temperature probe that is located under a heating belt will control the temperature of the probe rather than the mass of beer in the carboy behind the probe. Eventually the beer may come up, or down to the set point of the controller. A probe that is located in a water bath that is controlled for heating or cooling will quickly bring the temperature of the beer to the set point for the water bath.

What is the set up that you are using?

Glass transmits temperature changes very well. It is like a single pane window in a house. Changes in temperature outside are readily noticed. Add another pane of glass like the old style storm windows and outside temperature changes are not transmitted as easily. It isn't so much the second pane of glass but the dead air space trapped between the two panes.

i took the insulated envelope that they ship yeast in, folded it over and wrapped it in a small towel and wedged it between the carboy and the crate it is in, then inserted the probe..its a tight fit..so with this method i should not expect too much temp difference between the actual beer temp and what i set the controller to?..right now my controller reads 65F, im hoping the actual beer is under 70..i situated the probe mid way on the side and my cooling is a chest freezer and my heating is a brewers edge space heater pad

 

[flars]

i took the insulated envelope that they ship yeast in, folded it over and wrapped it in a small towel and wedged it between the carboy and the crate it is in, then inserted the probe..its a tight fit..so with this method i should not expect too much temp difference between the actual beer temp and what i set the controller to?..right now my controller reads 65F, im hoping the actual beer is under 70

Your beer should be at 65° or within 1°. Couple of years ago someone did a test with an insulated probe on the outside of a carboy compared to a thermometer in a thermowell in the center of the carboy.

Are you fermenting in a temp controlled chamber?

 

[MHBT]

Your beer should be at 65° or within 1°. Couple of years ago someone did a test with an insulated probe on the outside of a carboy compared to a thermometer in a thermowell in the center of the carboy.

Are you fermenting in a temp controlled chamber?

yes i have a ranco ETC dual stage controller ,chest freezer, brewers edge space heater

 

[MHBT]

idk, for some reason i believe the temp of my beer is higher then the controller reads, its set at 65F but ferm chamber smells like heavy banana which i thought would be subdued at this temp.I understand that airlock aroma does not equal the aroma of the beer but it did get me thinking that i'm not at 65F, anyone have experience with wy1388? Does it throw alot of banana during ferment?

 

[marc1138]

I ferment in a freezer as well. Dual stage controller and a heating pad and the probe taped to the side of the bucket, insulated with a piece of styrofoam.

I'v checked with a few brews at different stages of fermentation and am usually dead on with what the controller is reading and what the actual temp of the beer is. At most there's a +/- 1*F difference.

 

[MHBT]

I ferment in a freezer as well. Dual stage controller and a heating pad and the probe taped to the side of the bucket, insulated with a piece of styrofoam.

I'v checked with a few brews at different stages of fermentation and am usually dead on with what the controller is reading and what the actual temp of the beer is. At most there's a +/- 1*F difference.

yeah with plastic i see it being more accurate then glass, i need to test my ranco probe to see if its accurate after this beer is finished, but i used my themapen and stuck it in the insulation and it reads the same as my ranco 65F so im hopeful

 

[day_trippr]

It was mentioned earlier that glass is a lousy insulator/pretty good thermal conductor.
Range-top cookware has been made using glass.
And plastic is almost always going to have higher thermal resistance then glass...

Cheers!

 

[MHBT]

It was mentioned earlier that glass is a lousy insulator/pretty good thermal conductor.
Range-top cookware has been made using glass.
And plastic is almost always going to have higher thermal resistance then glass...

Cheers!

Oh really? i misunderstood Flars, thats good to know

 

[day_trippr]

fwiw, I ferment in 6.5g glass with the controller probe pinned under a ~4" square chunk of 1" thick closed cell packing foam using a velcro strap. I do the same in my keezer 'cept it's kegs, not glass.
It slows the compressor cycles waaay down - eg: my keezer compressor only turns on four to five times a day even in the dog days of summer...

Cheers!