broken thermometer

Hey everybody, I have a question for you. I was making a starter today, and I when I went to put the cooled wort into by growler, I noticed that I had broken the tip of my flaoting thermometer, and all the little metal bb's were sitting in the wort the whole time it was cooling off. I had a screen on my funnel, so none of the glass or metal got in the growler, but they were exposed to the wort for at least 10 min. but what I am wondering is if anyone knows what type of metal that is at the bottom of the thermometer, specifically I am wondering if they are lead, in which case I'm sure my starter is ruined. any advice it appreciated!

I would definitely write off that starter. I'm not sure what kind of metal the bb's are, but I wouldn't take the chance. Plus, even with the screen in the funnel, there could be tiny shards of glass that may have made it through. And no matter how tuff we become after a few pints, I don't think any of us are tuff enough to be consuming glass.

I second the comments above. There's no need to take chances. Play it safe.

Most likely, those BBs are made of lead or iron. If they are lead, you should be able to smoosh them with some force (not a WHACK, but PRESS on them). If they are iron, they will stick to a magnet.

Either way, I wouldn't worry about it. This has been discussed a number of times on thus forum.

The amount of lead that (might) have made it into your starter will be minimal. If you've ever fished and bitten a lead sinker to crimp it to your line, you picked up more lead from THAT than you will from the slurry in that starter.

-walker