Broken Thermometer in Beer??

Yakima 728
Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Loudog

Loudog

Active Member
Joined
Dec 2, 2009
Messages
37
Reaction score
0
Location
Yorba Linda CA
So yesterday was a brew day, all went well. I got up this moring to see if my brew was fermenting, one was and the other was NOT..... but that's not the main problem. The main issue is that the bottom of my thermometer was broken and I can't find the glass. I don't know if it broke in the wort and I just did'ent notice it when I was checking the temp. so now I don't know what to do with the beer. Any suggestions....Also is there any chemical in the thermometer that can hert me or my beer?
 
If it is a mercury thermometer you wouldn't want to ingest the mercury, but they haven't made those for many years. If the glass did break in the wort I would toss it all. Sure the glass will sink to the bottom and most likely not be an issue at all, but on the off chance you suck a sliver up into your bottling bucket and that somehow gets into a bottle that you swig down you could be in some bad shape with a sliver of glass in your throat. To me the safety issue is great enough that tossing a batch of beer would be my least concern. Now if you had a filter then who cares...
 
Unless the liquid is silvery, it's an alcohol thermometer, which is a bit of a misnomer since it can be filled with ethanol, toluene, kerosene, or some other organic molecule. As far as I understand it, ethanol thermometers are only good to 70 degrees Celcius, which isn't good for brewing temperatures. I'd toss the batch, toluene is some nasty stuff, kerosene isn't much better, and glass slivers suck.
 
OMG! before reading this I was going to automatically say - do a search. but there are still people saying throw it out... DON'T!

I have answered about five of these in the last two months.
DO NOT TOSS OUT THE BEER!
thats rule #2 of home brewing!!!! #1 is RELAX!

a silver band is a mercury thermometer.
red is usually alcohol. but definitely food grade. the little balls in the tip are NOT LEAD. they are steel.
I broke the tip of mine, and it still worked as a thermo, just had some of the balls spill out and a few slivers of glass.
WHIRLPOOL it, and siphon the beer leaving that behind, no problem! RELAX.
RDWHAHB is rule #1
 
steakandale said:
OMG! before reading this I was going to automatically say - do a search. but there are still people saying throw it out... DON'T!

I have answered about five of these in the last two months.
DO NOT TOSS OUT THE BEER!
thats rule #2 of home brewing!!!! #1 is RELAX!

a silver band is a mercury thermometer.
red is usually alcohol. but definitely food grade. the little balls in the tip are NOT LEAD. they are steel.
I broke the tip of mine, and it still worked as a thermo, just had some of the balls spill out and a few slivers of glass.
WHIRLPOOL it, and siphon the beer leaving that behind, no problem! RELAX.
RDWHAHB is rule #1
Click to expand...

Alcohol thermometers are usually used for measuring body and meteorological temps, since the boiling point of ethanol is 173 degF and is very inaccurate beyond that. A thermometer that has readings up to boiling at 212 degF is more likely a different molecule, and since toluene is a central nervous sytem toxin, as well as very terrible for your kidneys, liver, and blood system, I personally wouldn't chance it. Same for kerosene or any other organic molecule.

But that's just me, so do what you like.
 
dorklord said:
I think the big question here is, what kind of thermometer was it?
Click to expand...

I do all the supplies ordering for the chem lab I work in, and they all say "alcohol" unless they're mercury, even if it's toluene or something else, so it's impossible to say unless you run the liquid through a test.
 
swankyswede said:
I do all the supplies ordering for the chem lab I work in, and they all say "alcohol" unless they're mercury, even if it's toluene or something else, so it's impossible to say unless you run the liquid through a test.
Click to expand...
Right, but is this one of those floating boil thermometers? A lab thermometer? An old glass oral thermometer?

We could be talking about a floating thermometer, and only the little 'ball' end is gone, and the thermometer inside is intact.
 
The thermometer It's the kind with the red line it's about 10 yrs old, I was having a few brews and never even noticed. next time I'm going to brew in the mornning so I don't feel like I have to have a beer.
 
dorklord said:
Right, but is this one of those floating boil thermometers? A lab thermometer? An old glass oral thermometer?

We could be talking about a floating thermometer, and only the little 'ball' end is gone, and the thermometer inside is intact.
Click to expand...

I busted my floater last batch, I kept the batch 'cause just the little steel balls rained into the wort, and none of the red mystery liquid. Still a pain in the ass, but like someone said above, I just whirpooled the crap out of it and siphoned it off from the side. Nothing crunchy in the hydro samples I've tasted, so I think I'll be alright...

Then again, bleeding from the mouth on beer you made is so effing metal... :rockin::rockin::rockin::rockin::rockin:
 
I am going to wager that Loudog's thermometer just broke the glass containing the weights. If he used his thermometer through out the boiling process I don't see how you could break the actual bulb and not notice because the thermometer would no longer read anything accurate.

Even if you did break the bulb the thermometers contain mL if not uL of whatever is in them. Coupled to the fact that it is being diluted in 5 gallons of liquid I'd say you are fine. Maybe the yeast will eat it?
 
I'm not entirely sure the liquid is the part we should be worrying about here.

A sliver of glass can KILL you. Yeah Kill...just cut the intestine and the next thing you know you go Septic internally drop into Septic shock and DIE.



Granted this is a worst case...but I'd filter that beer when I was done before I considered drinking it.
 
Yes it was a floating thermometer and it was the glass bulb that broke, I cant see how it broke though....
I check my bucket of starsan for glass, thats where I put it when I removed it from the wort. I was hoping it would be in threre but it was not. So that makes me think it broke in the wort. I just must have missed it.
 
JayInJersey said:
I'm not entirely sure the liquid is the part we should be worrying about here.

A sliver of glass can KILL you. Yeah Kill...just cut the intestine and the next thing you know you go Septic internally drop into Septic shock and DIE.



Granted this is a worst case...but I'd filter that beer when I was done before I considered drinking it.
Click to expand...


A piece of glass no matter how tiny will settle into the trub .
 
Just got home here are some pix of the thermometer.

/Users/Homemac/Pictures/iPhoto Library/Modified/2010/May 3, 2010/IMG_1136.JPG

/Users/Homemac/Pictures/iPhoto Library/Modified/2010/May 3, 2010/IMG_1137.JPG

/Users/Homemac/Pictures/iPhoto Library/Modified/2010/May 3, 2010/IMG_1135.JPG
 
 
JayInJersey said:
I'm not entirely sure the liquid is the part we should be worrying about here.

A sliver of glass can KILL you. Yeah Kill...just cut the intestine and the next thing you know you go Septic internally drop into Septic shock and DIE.



Toluene can kill you too. It isn't worth a hospital trip. I think everyone on here has said it enough: alcohol is not the chemical in there and it is some other organic chemical-which are all toxic. Just enjoy the other batch.
Click to expand...
 
I already dumped it. I'm not takin the chance on a $30.00 kit and a few hrs. of my time...
besides I would not want to have any friends or my self drink anything I made that I was unsure of.

Thanks for all the advice.
Loudog-
 
swankyswede said:
I do all the supplies ordering for the chem lab I work in, and they all say "alcohol" unless they're mercury, even if it's toluene or something else, so it's impossible to say unless you run the liquid through a test.
Click to expand...

I don't believe that a food grade thermo would have anything toxic in it . Kerosene/fuel oil/Diesel are not toxic either . The problem with them is if you inhale into the lungs . Poison control advises to drink a couple glasses of water and or milk
 
springer said:
I don't believe that a food grade thermo would have anything toxic in it .
Click to expand...

The chemical toluene itself is not; however, it is not water soluble and can't exit your body unless it is. It has to get metabolized to benzyl alcohol (major byproduct) eventually. But having toxic metabolites around the liver is not usually recommened by the medical community.
 
reinbrew said:
The chemical toluene itself is not; however, it is not water soluble and can't exit your body unless it is. It has to get metabolized to benzyl alcohol (major byproduct) eventually. But having toxic metabolites around the liver is not usually recommened by the medical community.
Click to expand...

again they wouldn't put it in if there was problem with ingestion. Most likely kerosene and its not toxic. I had to call poison control a few months back because a possible ingestion my neighbors kid got a hold of a small kerosene lamb their response drink two glasses of water and or milk . In inhaled they advised going to the ER because it will damage the lining of the lung
 

Similar threads

BigMooseBrewing
New Kegerator Help
Replies
5
Views
269
BigMooseBrewing
BigMooseBrewing
YaleH
Accidentally watered down my wort!!!
Replies
4
Views
270
YaleH
YaleH
L
Krausen drop in less than 12 hours with US-05
Replies
6
Views
478
day_trippr
day_trippr
advaitbanga
Belgian beer with cascade (leftover)
Replies
0
Views
195
advaitbanga
advaitbanga
Clint Yeastwood
Asymptomatic Covid and Beer Taste
Replies
21
Views
727
Clint Yeastwood
Clint Yeastwood
Williams Brewing 300

Latest posts

Back
Top