So, I was brewing my latest batch last Friday and my floating thermometer broke. The glass broke but not the liquid in the thermometer so I'm guessing the batch will still be good. The little metal balls that weight the thermometer would have fallen to the bottom of the pot and I do not think they got transferred to the primary. Does anyone know of a high quality floating thermometer that I should replace this with? It seems that the reviews of the ones I find online mention the exact problem I just experienced. Thanks, Tim
I don't know if they use lead balls in those anymore, but it's something to consider. I don't really know how much contact time they would need with boiling wort and/or the fermenting wort (if any did make it into the primary) to cause any health risk. Why do you need the replacement thermometer to be a floating one?
Doesn't HAVE to be a floating thermometer but I did like it. I do have another thermometer that came with my kit so I can use that instead.
I would recommend a thermapen. They are very fast and insanely accurate. I also think they are on OldSock's list of home brewing items that are a waste of money. I have two of them.
Was your thermometer a dairy thermometer? And was it modern? I only ask because my mom, for example, still uses some pretty old thermometers which I think are older than modern medicine's awareness of the dangers of lead poisoning.
Not being able to enjoy home brewed beer while home brewing ... least a cherished piece of glass equipment get all broken and shit ... is known to be the primary problem with floating thermometers.
I'm with VikeMan on this one. The only time I really want a temp reading is after the boil during cooling. To do that, I've used one of the long metal clip-on thermometers in the past. I've found those get knocked around quite a bit while I stir the whirlpool during cooling. Those bumps tend to knock the thermometers out of calibration in my experience. My solution has been to keep a sanitized glass thermometer around during cooling.
