I did something stupid.

Hey all...
So as I mentioned, I did something stupid. For my last batch (an IPA, not that it matters really) I did some dry hopping. I put the hops (some pellet, some leaf) in a muslin bag and wanted to weigh them down with something. I had a little bag of some marbles and a couple polished rocks so I figured why not just throw them all in there.

One week later I'm done dryhopping and I keg and then get the marbles/rocks out while cleaning up and toss them in a bucket of iodophor. I look back 5 minutes later and I notice that the rocks are oozing some color out around them. So it turns out the rocks were dyed with something and whatever polished coating was on them had dissolved away during the week and most likely started dissolving dye into the beer. Not good.

Out of curiosity I left the rocks in a bucket of water overnight to see how quickly the dye dissolved into solution and by the morning the water was pretty blue, so that was not what I was hoping for.

This is what the rocks look like:



The rocks were originally from a board game, Mancala.

So my question to you all is...what should I do, do you think any dye that got in there could be toxic and I should just dump it?

Thanks,
Dan

PS the beer tastes fine and does not have any noticeable discoloration.

Why take the chance? I would dump it.

Reelale said:

I don't know about the dye effects on the beer, but I think you should immediately resize your picture.

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lol I did, it was absolutely terrifying when I hit post.

I thought I perfomed a ninja delete, but you caught it. And I would probably dump that batch. If you don't you'll be thinking of dye with every beer.

Reelale said:

And I would probably dump that batch. If you don't you'll be thinking of dye with every beer.

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That's my current plan...the only way I would keep it is if someone on here said "Oh I dye rocks for a living and we use food coloring and rainbow clouds to color our rocks, its very safe" or "I eat three painted rocks just like that for breakfast every day and I'm 96"

We'll see how that goes.

I didn't read any of the other replies yet but....

I think you'll be okay. I eat rocks daily that have been painted with led paint and I'm 96 years old.

No but seriously though I would dump it.

cushdan said:

That's my current plan...the only way I would keep it is if someone on here said "Oh I dye rocks for a living and we use food coloring and rainbow clouds to color our rocks, its very safe" or "I eat three painted rocks just like that for breakfast every day and I'm 96"

We'll see how that goes.

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I'm only a little better than half of the 96 and can't say for sure I've ever eaten rocks, even when it diapers, but I have worked with rocks. I'm thinking, "From a Mancala board, probably not made in the USA, and most foreign countries are not real strict on their safety guidelines." In my area, Chinese drywall is REALLY messing people up. Hate to say it, but I'd dump it.

Are those rocks really rocks, or could they be some sort of resin or plastic? If they're resin or plastic it's possible that there are carcinogenic compouds in them, or maybe lead. Not trying to be alarmist, just pointing out a very real possibility. Regards, GF.

I'm no doctor, but how bad could it be? If the amount of the dye isn't enough to discolor the beer, how much lead/biohazard could be in the beer percentage wise?

I'd keep it.

Then again, I also drink PBR.

You would be suprised how small of a concentration it could take for some compounds to be poisonous. If you know someone with a lab/mass spec you could always ask them to test it for you, or the rocks..... Or call the nearest University, their chemistry department may be willing to run a quick analisys.

I'd dump it. But I am still curious about the rocks.

I'd taste it

if it tasted good i'd drink it

Phuck it, drink it. Nothing wrong with a little blue food coloring. If it tastes like arse, then dump it. Or donate it to your local guy with a still.

I'm thinking Poison Dart Frog. All you got to do is touch the skin and you're done. I'm not saying this is that, but it could be something pretty nasty. Especially if you don't know what it is. Could be harmless, but are you willing to die to drink your beer?

No way. It's highly unlikely they color rocks with neurotoxins.

Humans can handle tons of abuse chemically speaking. Just ask Mickey Rourke.

Could be lead based? I wouldnt F with cheap boardgame paint.

lesson learned - dump it.
No more muslin bags just throw those hops right in.
Or, get a few brass fittings from the Depot for a couple bucks, wash, sanitize and throw them in.

Man- I'd dump it. But I am also pretty picky about what I put into my body.

And these posts never cease to amaze me. I love reading posts titled, "Stupid...Disaster...Ran out of propane....brewed but forgot X....bung mishap....Uhh Ohh.....Too much spice.....Dumb Move.....wife spit in wort....dog licked.....kid threw.....on and on and on!"
Now watch I will probably have something stupid happen to my beer. AND I am not counting the leaf or the bee that landed in my boil this weekend either!

Drink it. The are pieces from a board game designed to be handled, they are not toxic frogs!

On the one hand, how bad can it really hurt? If we are to believe everything that's spewed at us daily from Nancy the Worrywort, EVERYTHING causes cancer except bean sprouts and brown rice.

On the other hand, Chinese dog food kills dogs, the paint kills babies, and the drywall is killing old people.

... Tough call, really. This from someone who smoked two packs a day for ten years, and quit for the money (not the health), yet grows his own produce because he's worried about e.Coli and stuff. Good luck, whatever you decide. I'll raise my fourth pint this evening to you sir!

pernox said:

On the one hand, how bad can it really hurt? If we are to believe everything that's spewed at us daily from Nancy the Worrywort, EVERYTHING causes cancer except bean sprouts and brown rice.

On the other hand, Chinese dog food kills dogs, the paint kills babies, and the drywall is killing old people.

... Tough call, really. This from someone who smoked two packs a day for ten years, and quit for the money (not the health), yet grows his own produce because he's worried about e.Coli and stuff. Good luck, whatever you decide. I'll raise my fourth pint this evening to you sir!

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Sprouts are actually a prime source of e.Coli. I'm really not sure what I would do here. If it was my beer I would probably drink it and then be paranoid by every weird muscle pain, heartburn, and headache I got in the future.

pernox said:

On the one hand, how bad can it really hurt? If we are to believe everything that's spewed at us daily from Nancy the Worrywort, EVERYTHING causes cancer except bean sprouts and brown rice.

On the other hand, Chinese dog food kills dogs, the paint kills babies, and the drywall is killing old people.

... Tough call, really. This from someone who smoked two packs a day for ten years, and quit for the money (not the health), yet grows his own produce because he's worried about e.Coli and stuff. Good luck, whatever you decide. I'll raise my fourth pint this evening to you sir!

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Saw a report about the brown rice....
I'm not saying this is a frog but some things handled are not toxic because you can't take enough in through your skin. But, when you mix them with a strong acid inside the body, who knows without a proper test.

I quit too, after some 30 years. And, part of the reason was the money. Every time I'd light up, I'd picture how much money I was burning. First year of not smoking completely paid for my boat. Been about two years this time and there are days when I still want a smoke.

Specialkaye, my hat goes off to you. My mother is currently trying to quit smoking after about 40 years of smoking. She was up to about 4 packs a day. So far she's been smoke free for about 2 months, but it's been hard.

Nice work on the butt out!

Geppu said:

Specialkaye, my hat goes off to you....

Nice work on the butt out!

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Thanks. Smoker's Rescue helped this time. I think I'd be like NorCalAngler. Drink a little bit and then let the paranoia set in. But I sure wouldn't drink much. Poisons are usually a long, suffering, ugly death.