lab grade thermometer

C-man

Where can I get one?

like a milk one but much more accurate.

David8

I recently bought a digital candy thermometer from "The hospitality store" in south brisbane. It seems pretty good. Haven't had a decent use of it yet. Or a digital meat thermometer, depending on the temp you need?

Lacehim

I doubt you will get one unless you want to pay big $$$. What do you need to be so accurate for?

C-man

My milk one is all over the place, I just want the water 92 degrees or pretty close to it otherwise I get a slight bitter taste. Do they make dial ones that are within Tolerance? I did not want to mess with batteries if I don't have to.

FreshCoffee2

Not lab grade but digital and able to be used for coffee & equipment related stuff nevertheless: Jaycar Electronics or Tricky Dickie Smith, digital thermometer, around $70.00. But it isnt going to help because while we apparently expect our brewing parameters not to vary or waiver, the coffee beans do as do our respective coffee brewing techniques. Specifications are only a guide not something to strive for without allowing any deviation. Hope that helps.

C-man

are you saying different beans like a different brew temp.?

FreshCoffee2

well, yes you can go to that extent, but then it will also depend on how they are roasted etc. So, more than just different beans, each different batch roast even, and brew method....... If you dont want to do your head in, suggest you dont go there 

WotB

Also be aware that unless you also pay big $$$ there is a lag in the reading.  A 2 second lag will lead to temperature overshooting.  The stick on milk thermometers are possibly your best bet.

Brett H

on 1343623015:

Not lab grade but digital and able to be used for coffee & equipment related stuff nevertheless: Jaycar Electronics or Tricky Dickie Smith, digital thermometer, around $70.00. But it isnt going to help because while we apparently expect our brewing parameters not to vary or waiver, the coffee beans do as do our respective coffee brewing techniques. Specifications are only a guide not something to strive for without allowing any deviation. Hope that helps.

on 1343625689:

[brewing temperature variances?]... well, yes you can go to that extent, but then it will also depend on how they are roasted etc. So, more than just different beans, each different batch roast even, and brew method....... If you dont want to do your head in, suggest you dont go there 

These statements are keepers!  Grazie Maestro!!

beanflying

on 1343625689:

well, yes you can go to that extent, but then it will also depend on how they are roasted etc. So, more than just different beans, each different batch roast even, and brew method....... If you dont want to do your head in, suggest you dont go there 

Very wise to not go there Just checking but is this for your presso? Best thing is make sure the unit is nice and toasty and uniformly heated all over. I like one of these for my brew temperature checking as the battery lasts for ages. Also doubles as kitchen or brew timer. I tested one of these against several other digital thermometers and they were very consistant. Lots of other options and links in this thread http://www.bestcafes.com.au/forum/roasters-different-roasting-equipment/electronic-monitoring-of-the-roast/

C-man

Yes for the brew water in the Presso. My mrs. with her sophisticated Euro palate still says she has not yet had a better coffee than I make on the Presso that's a big call as we have been to all the roasters up here, and had some good coffee, just not yet better. the problem is, I am just not consistent with it yet.  I am just trying to stabilize some of the many variables. like"  beans,( staying with professional roasted for now)  grind, distribution, dose, tamp and Temp, pressure and flow to get some consistency. And yes I pre- heat up everything  I am getting some great looking naked head pours almost every time, just the taste that varies.  

C-man

Oh yeah, and I think it was kelsey that told me not to let the water boil better to get a 95-97 deg. kettle boiling does something but I can't remember what? so I try to grab it just at the start of a boil until I get another kettle

lemoo

cman you can get kettles that have temp controls if you want instead of getting a thermometer to measure how hot the kettle gets you'll be able to set the temp of the kettle to which it boils to then stops

C-man

on 1343625689:

well, yes you can go to that extent, but then it will also depend on how they are roasted etc. So, more than just different beans, each different batch roast even, and brew method....... If you dont want to do your head in, suggest you dont go there 

without doing my head in could we simply buy saying darker roasts like my decaf likes hotter or colder? when I get the temp just right it is just so sweet tasting.

beanflying

on 1343634395:

cman you can get kettles that have temp controls if you want instead of getting a thermometer to measure how hot the kettle gets you'll be able to set the temp of the kettle to which it boils to then stops

The variance in some of these is several degrees, it would still stop the kettle coming to the boil and dropping the dissolved oxygen and other disolved gases which plays up with the taste (flat tasting) if you re boil it - some reading here http://www.mydilmah.com/2010/04/14/why-should-one-never-reboil-water-when-brewing-tea/ . While it might seem a little OTT I can taste the difference between a Siphon brewed at 92 and one brewed harder at 94 and it is fairly easy to vary this during the process.

hazbean

AM is right, lab grade accuracy doesn't come cheap. I have a lab surplus heater / pump (Braun Thermomix 1441) that will hold a water bath rock solid anywhere up to 100C. A bit bulky though. I got it in a sale of darkroom gear, wouldn't want to pay new price for it. Almost as good is my darkroom bulb type thermometer. This goes to 100C. But it's glass, so needs a bit of care. Should be available from photographic shops,  again don't know how much as mine was secondhand. Both of the above I use for calibrating thermocouples. At one point I set up a (borrowed)  PID controller on a Birko kettle and programmed it to hold at 95C. This worked very well, but Spouse Rejection Factor was rather high. Now for brewing I use a Cuisinart temp controlled kettle set at 90 or 95. As BF says these are a bit variable but with a bit of "temperature surfing" can give a reasonable result (and  it does keep the water from boiling which we do not like to happen). With a bit of judgement it's possible to pick a point in the heat / reheat cycle that gives good results.

C-man

yeah I need to get a new kettle too