When you purchase a Brewhaus complete moonshine still such as the Essential Extractor Pro Series II, you have a variety of options, from couplings to column packing to thermometer type. Regardless of which thermometer you choose, the thermometer will be placed at the top of the distillation column in order to measure the temperature of the vapor just as it passes the cooling lines and enters the condenser. The laboratory grade thermometer and digital thermometer both fit into a pre-drilled gum bung whereas the solar digital thermometers, which are more expensive, are fitted into a built-in NPT coupling welded to a tri-clamp ferrule and end cap, eliminating the gum bung. You can learn more about each option below and decide which one is right for you.

Laboratory Grade (with bung)

Many of Brewhaus’ complete moonshine stills (excluding the flute systems) come with this laboratory grade thermometer that is placed at the top of the distillation column via pure gum bung. This thermometer is a standard, liquid-filled thermometer that is about 12” long and reads in both Fahrenheit (0F - 230F) and Celsius (-10C - 110C). The bung is custom-drilled in order to properly fit the thermometer. Additionally, even though many refer to the bung as a “rubber bung” or “rubber stopper,” it is not made with rubber at all. Brewhaus bungs are made from solid food-grade pure tan gum that is highly chemical-tolerant, specifically to ethanol, as opposed to rubber, which is not.

Digital (with bung)

When ordering a Brewhaus complete moonshine still, you have the option to upgrade from the laboratory grade thermometer to a digital thermometer. Our digital thermometer is a standard-grade thermometer with a 180 degree swivel head. It displays in both Fahrenheit (-58F – 572F) and Celsius (-50C – 300C) and delivers accuracy within 1 degree. Like the laboratory grade thermometer, the digital thermometer is also fitted at the top of the distillation column within a custom-drilled bung made from pure food-grade, chemical tolerant gum. Although we had issues with a bad batch of digital thermometers back in 2012 as noted in the product reviews, we have made significant improvements to the product since then.

Solar Digital (fitted into built-in NPT coupling)

If you’d rather have a thermometer that is mounted onto the top of the distillation column without a bung at all, you also have the option to upgrade to one of our solar digital thermometers. These high-grade thermometers have a stainless steel body and probe with swivel head and are fitted into a built-in NPT coupling welded to a tri-clamp ferrule and end cap. Available in either Fahrenheit or Celsius, these thermometers offer a high degree of accuracy and run on solar power with a battery backup. The Fahrenheit version has a range of -50F - 320F, and the Celsius version has a range of -50C - 160C. This upgrade includes the thermometer, tri-clamp end cap with ½” NPT coupling, tri-clamp, gasket, the tri-clamp ferrule, and the welding labor.