Infrared temperature gun

[Mapleleaf]

Has any any one used these for checking the temperature of the wine and juice? Will they give accurate temperatures? If not, can any recommend a good digital thermometer?

 

[barbiek]

I use both a floating thermometer and an infrared I use the infrared when I don't want to disturb the must and I use the floating one to compare readings but its always right on just make sure you hold it there for awhile so that it reads deeper

 

[Mapleleaf]

I use both a floating thermometer and an infrared I use the infrared when I don't want to disturb the must and I use the floating one to compare readings but its always right on just make sure you hold it there for awhile so that it reads deeper

Thanks for the advice. This is what I wasn't sure about because I had read somewhere that it only takes the surface temperature.

 

[francois_du_nord]

Yep, I use an infrared all the time. Mine reads a couple degrees cool, but I don't need to worry about sanitation or disturbing nice quite fermentation and bulk storage!

 

[sour_grapes]

Infrared pyrometers will have varying degrees (no pun intended) of accuracy. I have a very inexpensive one that reads nearly 10 degrees cool. It is useful for finding air leaks in the winter, for example, but not that good for my must.

For a quick-reading digital thermometer, it is hard to argue with a genuine Thermapen. This is also useful in your kitchen. If you don't NEED to know the temp within 3 seconds, the same company makes some slower ones that cost a fraction of the thermapen. They also make IR pyrometers.

 

[richmke]

I use a Thermapen. Awesome speed and accuracy.

With IR, you have to be careful about what you are reading.

Water (wine) and glass (carboy) have very close emissivity, so the readings should be similar.

http://www.thermoworks.com/emissivity_table.html