10th batch is it runied???? seriously mercury poision

[GreenwoodRover]

I brewed a stout today. All went well during mash and boil.
However.
My floating thermometer was sanatized and placed into the kettle about half way though the chill. I had to move when i gave it one last stir I heard a crack. I know that i'm an idiot, but do you think the little balls (lead) and some of the red fluid (mercury?) are a bad thing?

 

[k1v1116]

I think the balls are steel (test with magnet to be sure) but I dont know about the red fluid, maybe alcohol but what type im not sure.

 

[RedIrocZ-28]

The red fluid is alcohol as far as I know, mercury is shiny and silver colored. Would I pitch it? Maybe. I have not had this happen before but I remember reading where someone did. Lets see if they chime in.

 

[nakros]

I've read a few posts now where the same thing happened to people. The answers were "Don't worry about it. Be certain that it isn't mercury, and if it isn't, then you're fine." i.e. Pitch, and let ferment. While it's fermenting, figure out if it is mercury or not.

 

[z987k]

mercury is not red. The red fluid is not mercury.

I'd be worried about glass pieces.

 

[RC0032]

That sucks but I wouldn't risk it

 

[ddan7]

Exact same thing happened to us - only on the first batch ever! We were a little panicked, but I contacted the company where we purchased the thermometer and the cust. service rep said he's gotten that question alot and that it wasn't anything to worry about. We strained the wort and found the one missing piece of glass and collected all of the balls in the strainer.

I wish I would have found your post and the reassuring answers that night though!

 

[Rhymenoceros]

Most of the pieces will settle out at the bottom with the trub.

 

[KingBrianI]

As has been said, mercury looks like liquid metal, which it actually is. It's silver and shiny and looks sort of like that guy in terminator when he's in an amorphous state. The red stuff is alcohol. As for the balls, you might want to check with the manufacturer to see what their composition is. Or if you have any you strained out, try to flatten one with some pliers or something. If it squishes easily it's probably lead. If not, you're good.

 

[GreenwoodRover]

Thanks all. I really hit the panic button and forgot the cardinal rule RDWHAHB.
All is well, only a few metal balls escaped and the the red liquid is not mercury.

Thanks again everyone....

 

[dotknott]

I had the same thing happen to me.. only in my AQUARIUM.

So I did my research, found out that if there were balls in there, they were usually steel or sometimes lead (Lead is not magnetic, so thats a pretty easy test.) If the liquid was red, it was possibly ethanol or kerosene, or a number of other liquids.

I hope that helps. I certainly helped me not freak out about my discus.. Im inclined to agree with the others above who have said that it shouldn't be a problem

 

[supermoth]

I have a bunch of those red-alcohol thermometers at work. One of them broke recently, and the smell of it was really strong and nasty. I don't know what type of alcohol is inside, but it smelled like gasoline or kerosene or something, and not like ethanol or anything you'd want to ingest. I'd do an internet search for what kind of alcohol is really inside those thermometers before you decide to drink the beer.

 

[GreenwoodRover]

the actual thermometer liquid did not escape. The glass tube and ball that contains that was intact and not compromised. The balls were not magentic so i'm assuming they are lead. only about 1/4 of the total number escaped into the wort. Not enough IMO to be worried, additionally the the total contact time with the wort was less than 20min so I guess I'll take my chances with the lead...
I Racked it to a Irish Ale Yeast cake from my red ale and getting ready fo blow-off city.

 

[BierMuncher]

Here...

I have an extra:

 

[Irish1225]

many thermometers today are alcohol and a wax/water mixture. should be good

i imagine a buzz off mercury would be pretty nice

 

[llazy_llama]

i imagine a buzz off mercury would be pretty fatal

Fixed that for you.

 

[GreenwoodRover]

Here...

I have an extra:

I have two of those. They each read the same sample 8*F apart. The now gone floater read in the middle of those.

 

[Professor Frink]

Mercury is quite poisonous, but mercury thermometers are not even available anymore. The alcohol in thermometers is not harmful.

 

[Corkster]

Personally I think if ya wanna boost your ABV you should just add dextrose instead of thermometer juice!!

 

[dotknott]

Mercury is quite poisonous, but mercury thermometers are not even available anymore.

While mercury is not common, due to (now obvious reasons of toxicity,) they are still available. Often, they are marketed for medical applications, and cannot be found at retail.

That said, the OP is still with out a thermometer, and I hope he manages to get a new one quick.

 

[Saccharomyces]

Those floating thermometers like to crack for no reason at all after 4 or 5 uses releasing the steel balls and red wax into your mash. I have given up on them.

I have a probe type like BM posted a pic of I calibrated using boiling water and ice water so I know it reads 3* low. I water proofed the probe using aquarium tubing so I can use it in the mash. I also have a dial type which is spot on I use for heating strike and sparge water.

Over the weekend I ordered a Thermoworks digital for quick readings since the cheap digitals you find in various stores all seem to be worthless; they either die after two uses or are hopelessly inaccurate.

 

[maltMonkey]

I have two of those. They each read the same sample 8*F apart. The now gone floater read in the middle of those.

It's not the thermometer - it's the probes. I have 2 of those and ordered 5 replacement probes. All 5 probes read +- 5° from the "true" temp.