Beer Forum

So I had a little problem when I brewed over the weekend. I had a few beers while I was brewing, and at some point (without my knowledge) the outside shell of my floating thermometer cracked. I just found this out when I looked at my thermometer today. The question I have is this - Are the little black balls int he tip of the thermometer made of lead and/or the little stopper that keeps them in the tip of the thermometer made of something toxic? Should I just dump this batch just in case or is there anything I can do to try to save it? The actual thermometer itself did not break, so there is no mercury or anything in there. This is the type of thermometer it was-
http://morebeer.com/view_product/18683/ ... -_Floating

There shouldn't be anything toxic in there if that thing was made anytime in the past 20 years or so. Rather than using a floating thermometer, I recommend using one of these. http://www.williamsbrewing.com/BREWER_S ... R_P546.cfm

This way you can get a reading without having to pull the thermometer completely out. This type of bi-metal thermometer will give you a reading a little quicker than the floating one and it is also capable of being calibrated.

Wayne

p.s. Williams Brewing is also a BN sponsor

I would assume lead. Did you rack or pour (ie. what are the chances that the lead is now in your fermenter?). If you left some trub behind, or used that dumb funnel filter - then the lead is probably not in your fermenter - and I wouldn't worry about it. If you are not sure, you could always rack to another vessel. Considering the relatively short contact time of the lead in the acidic beer (and I assume a small amount of lead that might have gotten in there in the first place) - you probably won't be much stupider after drinking that keg then any other keg. Don't serve it to children, either...


Mylo

That exact thing happened to me....

I drank it. I'm no worse for the wear... heh.

apresskibrewer wrote:I drank it. I'm no worse for the wear...

Says you.