Urk. Yesterday I brewed my first all-grain beer, and I was all proud of how my home-made mash/lauter tin worked and marveling at how wonderful it smelled, and after I finished the boil and cooled the wort and poured it into the fermenter, I noticed something strange in the bottom of my brewing pot.
Little shards of glass and chunks of iron. The bottom of my floating thermometer had broken at some point during the process, and I hadn't noticed.
The glass I know will sink to the bottom of the fermenter, and if I'm willing to lose the last gallon or so, it should be safe to rack. But what about the iron bits? I'm sure there are a few tiny fragments of iron that got into the fermenter as well. Are they going to destroy the beer? Should I just pour out the whole batch and chalk it up to experience? Or is it safe to allow it to ferment, as long as I'm careful with the racking?
The part of the thermometer that holds the mercury was still intact, btw.
Anyone know what to do? I hate to lose all the work and care that went into this batch, but I don't want anyone getting sick either.
Oh, and it took much longer than usual to start bubbling, and is proceeding slower than usual as well.
Have I ruined this batch?
Little shards of glass and chunks of iron. The bottom of my floating thermometer had broken at some point during the process, and I hadn't noticed.
The glass I know will sink to the bottom of the fermenter, and if I'm willing to lose the last gallon or so, it should be safe to rack. But what about the iron bits? I'm sure there are a few tiny fragments of iron that got into the fermenter as well. Are they going to destroy the beer? Should I just pour out the whole batch and chalk it up to experience? Or is it safe to allow it to ferment, as long as I'm careful with the racking?
The part of the thermometer that holds the mercury was still intact, btw.
Anyone know what to do? I hate to lose all the work and care that went into this batch, but I don't want anyone getting sick either.
Oh, and it took much longer than usual to start bubbling, and is proceeding slower than usual as well.
Have I ruined this batch?