A sad day

[Jklisiewicz]

I'm a total noob and I just proved it yesterday when I had to throw out a batch of american amber ale just before it made it to the primary. This was my 5th batch and 4th all grain batch. Everything was going so smoothly. I was hitting my temps and gravity numbers, thanks to taking good notes, but while I was cooling the wort with my immersion chiller I was stupidly stirring it with one of those floating glass thermometers. I must have tapped it on the keggle or the chiller one too many times when it decided to commit suicide in my precious wort! Adding insult to injury, the wort temp was just hitting 70°.
Single tear.

 

[BigFloyd]

I'm confused. Why did you not strain the wort through something as you transferred to the primary?

 

[Glynn]

Mercury?

 

[SmokeyMcBong]

Mercury?

not anymore

 

[Hello]

Mercury?

There's no more mercury in those now.

OP, that sucks but I've seen someone else do it. You could have strained and boiled again for 15 minutes but chalk this up to lessons learned. It sure sucks though to dump a batch. When can you brew again?

 

[masonsjax]

Even if there was mercury in it, I'll bet yeast love to eat heavy metals. Poison for us, dessert for them. That stinks that you dumped it. Oh well, guess that just means you'll have to brew again!

 

[Jklisiewicz]

Thanks. Yea I didn't want to take any chances. We're busy all weekend so it'll have to be next week. I'll be kicking myself all week. Basically its a thermometer inside of a floating glass tube with steel shot looking stuff glued inside the bottom so when it broke I had the steel shot, whatever glue is used and pieces of glass in the wort. I thought "what if its lead?"

 

[IslandLizard]

Sorry to hear that happened. Next time when something unforeseen happens (believe me it will, brewing is like that) please ask here first before you dump or do anything else so drastic. I would have filtered it.

I broke mine too, but not in a kettle full of wort. And yes, I dumped the (small amount of) content too. I wish I had tested them, but I'm quite confident those little pellets are steel not lead. If it were lead the State of California would have been all over it.

Get one of those solid state CDN electronic thermometers for $14-16 (Amazon or brewing supply vendor). I never looked back since.

 

[Flboy]

For sure, would have been safe. 1-everything would have sunk, 2-even if lead, your contact time would have been low. Regardless of the worts ph.

 

[Jklisiewicz]

I have to say thermometers have been my biggest source of frustration thus far. I was excited about an electronic remote probe one I got from wally world. Until it got wet and read about 80° off. I'll be picking the CDN up asap. Thanks for the advice.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Home Brew mobile app

 

[jeremytd301]

I dropped mine on the floor and shattered it before. Got a dial thermometer after that. Easy to use, easy to calibrate. And I have dropped it before and it hasn't broken.....yet.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[jlg4398]

I will be in a perpetual state of mourning for thy unfortunate blunder.

 

[Yooper]

I would have dumped it, too. Minute glass shards are not something to ingest, and while it hurts to dump a beer, you'll make more.

 

[adiochiro3]

I would have dumped it, too. Minute glass shards are not something to ingest, and while it hurts to dump a beer, you'll make more.

Totally agree here. Glass is not something to take a chance with. A lost batch is way cheaper than your insurance deductible for a hospital visit.

Sent from phone while sitting on the John

 

[snowtires]

And those led balls are probably led. They're legal because they're encased in glass. That being said, I would have dumped it too. Although I bite those led fishing weights with my teeth (hot shots)

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Home Brew mobile app

 

[Jklisiewicz]

Woke up early this morning to redo this batch. I couldn't wait till next week! It went well and I feel much better now.
Thanks everyone for your input and for all the knowledge you provide on this site.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[mrduna01]

I once broke a thermometer in my fish tank. Didn't kill them so I would assume it wouldn't kill me.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Home Brew mobile app

 

[Kampenken]

I'm confused. Why did you not strain the wort through something as you transferred to the primary?

I'm with the OP on this one. I'd have dumped it too. Glass shards would concern me. My health, and anyone else sharing, is worth way more than a batch of beer.

My brother just had his floating thermometer break, but in sparge water in the kettle, so the dumping just meant more time and energy.

Hope that's the only time you have to dump a batch!

 

[icebob]

Maybe I'm fortunate enough that I'm big into smoking meat.... I have 3 thermapen in the drawer, no glass thermometer for me!

 

[insanim8er]

Man, I would've dumped it too. Maybe it's safe, or maybe the damage is long term. It's not worth it--period.

Now go buy a thermapen while they're still on sale.

 

[BigCypress]

I would have dumped it, too. Better safe than in the ER.