Thermoworks Thermapen MK4 Thermometer Review
In the process of brewing my beer, and one of the issues I was facing so far as controlling the temperature of the fermenting wort. I knew that I had to control the temperature to an optimal level. Any high temperature would end up hampering the final flavour by making the brew harsher or make it exhibit a fruitier characteristic.
I did not want to wait till winter to control my fermentation temperature, and that’s why I got myself the Thermoworks Thermapen MK4 thermometer. I’ve used Thermapen for a couple of months, and there’s no doubt that it’s one of the best investments I’ve made as a brewer.
Features of Thermapen MK4
The Thermoworks Thermapen is extremely simple to use and has a digital display that makes it simpler to read the temperature. Here are the more salient features of the temperature:
- The auto-rotating display that the thermometer comes with ensures that the thermometer flips to the right side intuitively, no matter what the position.
- The thermometer also comes with a water-proof level of IP67 which means that it stays safe from immersion that’s between 15 cm to 1 meter, for at least up to 30 minutes.
- The intelligent sensor within the thermometer instinctively shuts down when its kept down and is always on when it is in use.
- There is also an option for personalisation within the battery department where I was able to disable the sleep mode, lock whatever display position was available, set the temperature to Celsius or Fahrenheit, along with 1° or 1.0° resolution.
- The patented Super-Fast Technology is still good with this version of the thermometer, giving me the same performance and speed as its predecessor. The longer battery life gives up to 3,000 hours with an AAA battery setup.
- The thermometer comes with different colour options, including orange and black, allowing you to use separate thermometers for different brews.
My Experience
Since I began brewing, I always had an issue trying to gauge the right temperature to get the beer to ferment. The system is excellent and allows me to receive full readings within just 2 or 3 seconds. It also has excellent accuracy and speed, making it one of the best in the world. Brewing is a passion of mine, and I always wanted to make my own brand of beer, right at home. However, making it meant I needed to have a good temperature measuring setup.
I generally begin the process by mixing the malt extract along with water and then pouring it into the fermenter. The process generally requires brewing the milling grains with water and boiling the same and extracting the wort. This is then boiled, after which the hops are added. The process generally takes around 30 minutes, but I wasn’t able to clamp down on the right temperature. That’s when I used the Thermaworks MK4 thermometer, and I’m so glad I did. It allowed me to control the temperature to around 70 degrees Fahrenheit and the accuracy was brilliant.
Obviously, now the beer tastes fantastic and allows me to brew for longer as well. The thermometer also allows me to experiment with more grains while fermenting the next batch as well. By following the instructions well, I’m able to get that perfect batch of beer every single time I brew, and my first batch of ale came out absolutely fantastically.
ADVANTAGES
- The AAA battery is all I need to make this thing work. It gives me around 3000 hours of use, which will last for many months.
- While it doesn’t come with a sensor that tells me when my beer is brewed to perfection, it does give me a lightning fast indicator on the temperature so I can then move on to the next process during brewing.
- The Thermapen is hand-tested and assembled by utilizing a professional thermocouple design for proficiency every single time.
- The reduced needle tip on the probe makes it more sensitive to any temperature change, and this makes it a great investment over the long term if you’re planning on brewing for many more months.
- The setup comes with a thermocouple probe that is foldaway and can be portable as well. The auto-rotating display is patented as well, and it can be used on either hand. The sleep and wake mode, along with the motion-sensor makes it easier to calculate the temperature to the perfect accuracy.
- The backlight feature allows me to brew even at night. As I prefer working when the lights are down, this feature comes as a great advantage for me.
SHORTCOMINGS
- The 3,000 hours of functioning doesn’t include the time you have the backlight on. This means that if you work longer at night or in the dark, you’ll need to replace the batteries sooner
- The price point is a little expensive owing to the technology that goes into making this, and you’ll have to consider it as a long-term investment if you’re serious about brewing beer.
Why this Thermometer is Worth Your Money ?
The thermometer is an excellent investment, as the pros speak for themselves. It is great for anyone who’s serious about brewing beer at home, and its intuitive display allows you to read in a different setting, including Celsius and Fahrenheit. The backlight feature is an added bonus, and considering that it gives at least a year’s worth of readings on a single AAA battery, purchasing this is almost a no-brainer.
