*ANOTHER* broken floating thermometer thread

[knappster]

I was brewing midwest supply's copper ale yesterday afternoon and I was monitoring the temperature as I was bringing everything up to a boil (grains had been steeped and malt had been added). I was hoping to ease off the heat as I approached the boiling point because I was doing 2ish gallons and I was on an electric stove so I didn't want to have a boilover. In any case, I was stirring and noticed something scraping the bottom of the brewpot.

Lo and behold the glass around the thermometer broke, dropping broken glass, steel BBs and wax into my beer. I figured I had come this far, so I did my boil, cooled, and siphoned it into the fermenter, leaving about 1/2" of wort above the trub in the pot, hoping to keep glass and BBs on the bottom. I attempted to use a coffee filter over the bottom of the racking cane, but was unable to get a siphon started that way, so I just siphoned from the top as best I could.

The good news is that I found about 10 pieces of glass and a ton of BBs at the bottom of the kettle after carefully pouring out the rest of the wort and trub. The bad news is that 10 pieces of glass means that there were a lot of fractures. I am concerned of the unlikely event that a sliver of glass could have made its way through the siphon and will find its way into mine or worse yet, somebody else's digestive tract and wreak havoc.

I was just gonna let it ferment until I dump it to brew something else, but I'm starting to consider completing it and racking half into a bottling bucket, filtered through cheesecloth and then dumping the other half. Should I use something other than cheesecloth? Would I have to add more yeast for bottling if I filtered it through cheesecloth or something else?

Any other suggestions? I have read a lot of threads where people had this same issue and weren't sure whether to dump it or not, but nobody ever responded with what they did and how it turned out.

 

[mr_clean]

I dumped mine the other day when it did this.Broke many hydrometers.But this is the only thermometer i broke,it shattered in the wort

 

[carnevoodoo]

I would wait until fermentation is complete and then rack into your bottling bucket, leaving about an inch or two at the bottom. The glass, if any, will settle to the bottom, so there's no need to dump half of the beer. Make sure when you rack, you put your fermenter where you want to rack from like 48 hours before you do so. This will give it plenty of time to settle out.

 

[knappster]

In one of the threads I read a logical enough post that the glass should settle, then get covered by the yeast cake, but at what point does the risk outweigh the reward? It's a lose lose situation because I am going to be losing sleep over it regardless of what I do

I guess it's a fear of the unknown, because I have no way to know if it's there or not

 

[Duckfoot]

I dumped mine... Live and learn...

Good luck!

 

[Yooper]

I'd be really afraid of glass shards in the beer. To me, a lost batch isn't worth worrying and wondering if one of my friends will inadvertently drink a wee piece of glass. I'd dump it.

 

[dubvortex]

isnt there mercury inside of thermometers that is bad for you?

 

[Scut_Monkey]

I think I would dump it as well. Most likely you would be just fine but you just never know and that could be very dangerous and harmful. Best of luck!

 

[Gremlyn]

I broke a hydrometer in my last batch. I let it ferment out and when I racked to the bottling bucket I doubled over a nylon bag and ziptied it tight around the racking cane. I am highly doubtful and glass would get through it, especially after seeing the thick yeast cake that would be covering anything that settled out that early. I did leave a good 1" of beer at the bottom just in case though.

 

[Smitty025]

Yeah, the nylon bag could work. You might even be able to use a coffee filter.

 

[Gremlyn]

I think a coffee filter would impune the flow too much, and likely filter out a good amount of yeast that you would want for bottling. The OP said he couldn't get good flow going with one unfortunately.

 

[knappster]

The actual inside thermometer did not break it was the shell around it which makes it float. In any case, I don't think there are very many mercury thermometers anymore and this surely was not one (red alcohol color rather than the silvery color of mercury).

I tried a coffee filter over the racking cane when I siphoned the wort into the fermentation bucket but I was unable to get it to siphon because it was either filtering too slow, or the suspended bits of hops, and grain in the wort were clogging it. Once the fermentation is complete, the liquid should be less dense and there shouldn't be anything in suspension besides yeast. A coffee filter *might* work, but I just picked up some cheesecloth which I might try as well. I'm concerned that anything over the racking cane may make it impossible to siphon, so my backup plan is several layers of cheesecloth over the top of the bottling bucket when I rack it, and just live with the oxygenation that it causes when falling into the bucket.

Will yeast make it through a coffer filter or cheesecloth? Will I need to add more yeast after filtering?

 

[duskb]

Ok, I've gotta ask. I've seen this subject matter before and I always end up asking myself the same question. Why would an individual introduce potential problems into the process of brewing? I'm not even sure how neccesary temp readings are to the process...

Admittedly I use a METAL thermometer I got at my LHBS (can't ever see this shattering in the wort) every now and then to check temps but the bulk of the time its to see if the wort is COOL enough to move to the fermenter. Yeah it sucks hawking over the stove to watch for boilovers but to me that's part of the process....

Anyways if you have to use a thermometer why not spend the money and get into one that wont break? To me using glass is just begging for Murphys Law to pass judgement on you.

OTOH as far as a hydrometer breaking inside the beer I can't even see how one could manage that. I use a turkey baster to remove the beer and test it in an outside vessel. Seems like some folks in here like to live incredibly close to the edge or I'm doing something wrong.

 

[Gremlyn]

OTOH as far as a hydrometer breaking inside the beer I can't even see how one could manage that. I use a turkey baster to remove the beer and test it in an outside vessel. Seems like some folks in here like to live incredibly close to the edge or I'm doing something wrong.

I kind of used my hydrometer as a stir stick.... That glass is THIN!!!!

To the OP: as I said, I used my nylon hop sack over the end of my racking cane, I used a zip tie to secure it onto the cane. I then folded it back over the and tied it tight over bottom of the cane again (so it is now doubled over). I then zip tied the slack of the back tight against the racking cane to make sure the bag would contact and stir up trub. I has no flow issues doing it this way, and I would suspect a cheese cloth would be similar, though yeast filtering would be a bit more of a concern using it. Maybe carbonate on the higher end of the style and give it some extra time just in case.

 

[knappster]

I would say my issue was ignorance and complacency. The floating thermometer came with a kit I was given for Christmas. I was complacent in that I didn't bother looking for something quicker and more accurate, and I was ignorant because I didn't even consider that the glass was so thin and might break if I looked at it wrong.

My coworker actually went to Friar Tuck over his lunch break and picked up an LD Carlson Nylon straining bag labeled "Small Fine" which I think will work very well if the beer will flow through it. Especially if it's double or triple layered.

 

[knappster]

I kind of used my hydrometer as a stir stick.... That glass is THIN!!!!

To the OP: as I said, I used my nylon hop sack over the end of my racking cane, I used a zip tie to secure it onto the cane. I then folded it back over the and tied it tight over bottom of the cane again (so it is now doubled over). I then zip tied the slack of the back tight against the racking cane to make sure the bag would contact and stir up trub. I has no flow issues doing it this way, and I would suspect a cheese cloth would be similar, though yeast filtering would be a bit more of a concern using it. Maybe carbonate on the higher end of the style and give it some extra time just in case.

Was yours a course or fine mesh? I will be bottle conditioning so I am curious if the fine mesh on the nylon bag will filter out too much yeast. It's been in the bucket 1 week and I plan to leave it in at least 2 more, so at least I have some time to decide.

 

[Andri]

Now are you guys sure those bullets are Steal and not lead?
What wax substance is that that melts into your boiling wort and is it safe for your insides?
Positive side is that the broken glass gets the alcohol in faster....

 

[knappster]

Now are you guys sure those bullets are Steal and not lead?
What wax substance is that that melts into your boiling wort and is it safe for your insides?
Positive side is that the broken glass gets the alcohol in faster....

They are not lead, because they were attracted to a magnet.
Not sure what the wax is
Glass is more dense than beer and will hopefully be packed down by the yeast cake (in the unlikely event that any got through the racking cane when I siphoned from the brewpot). I think an additional filtering of the beer should make it pretty safe, especially if I am careful to rack above the yeast cake.

Searching the web, the density of glass is 2.26 g/cm3, whereas the density of water is 1 g/cm3. So the glass is twice as dense as water and it doesn't dissolve so there shouldn't be any in suspension. The only danger is the (hopefully) unlikely event in which the flow of beer lifts the glass off of the bottom of the bucket (which would hopefully get filtered out anyway).

At least that all sounds good to me, lol.

 

[Gremlyn]

Was yours a course or fine mesh? I will be bottle conditioning so I am curious if the fine mesh on the nylon bag will filter out too much yeast. It's been in the bucket 1 week and I plan to leave it in at least 2 more, so at least I have some time to decide.

I'd say it's a pretty fine mesh, beer flowed just fine.

 

[MBasile]

So, I'm curious as to WHY these thermometers are breaking. If it reads up to 220*, should the glass be able to handle AT LEAST that temperature?

 

[knappster]

So, I'm curious as to WHY these thermometers are breaking. If it reads up to 220*, should the glass be able to handle AT LEAST that temperature?

I think it can handle that temperature, but the glass is very thin, so when it is at an extreme temperature it breaks with the slightest tap. I had used it to monitor the temp as I was bringing it up to a boil before without any problems, it's just that this time the stirring spoon got it.

 

[Heineken]

Dump it, not worth it

 

[WaynesWorld]

you seemed to be justifying to yourself every reason plausible for NOT dumping the wort except one.....If you drank the whole batch yourself then no big deal, cause if you ingested some glass it was your own fault. If you shared the brew with friends then that's pretty low. What friend would serve a beer to another friend with even the smallest possibility of introducing glass shards into their digestive tract? With friends like you, who needs enemies... I HOPE YOU DUMPED IT!!!!

 

[WhyTee]

Could name it "Drink at your own risk Ale". And/Or tell his friends what happened and give them the option. I doubt he would offer his friend a pint of beer and say "SURPRISE! THERE'S GLASS IN IT!" After consumption

 

[Stickshaker]

Yup. I would ignore all logic and the laws of physics and dump it. Just because it would be nearly impossible to suck up the glass if you stayed an inch above the trub is no reason to not be paranoid. Also, make sure not to walk cross any streets, you could get run over!

 

[WaynesWorld]

I think it can handle that temperature, but the glass is very thin, so when it is at an extreme temperature it breaks with the slightest tap. I had used it to monitor the temp as I was bringing it up to a boil before without any problems, it's just that this time the stirring spoon got it.

I think you give him too much credit.... so do you need a thermometer to tell you when your water is boiling? Is it a thermometer for the visually impaired? This person felt it would break with the slightest tap and still placed it into the vessel...Hello, anybody home up there? Ever see an animal die of ingesting glass shards?

 

[BangorBrewer]

I'd filter it with the finest possible filter you can find. You'll be all set.

 

[WhyTee]

I think you give him too much credit.... so do you need a thermometer to tell you when your water is boiling? Is it a thermometer for the visually impaired? This person felt it would break with the slightest tap and still placed it into the vessel...Hello, anybody home up there? Ever see an animal die of ingesting glass shards?

I can already tell you're gonna be a great addition to these forums.

 

[WaynesWorld]

Could name it "Drink at your own risk Ale". And/Or tell his friends what happened and give them the option. I doubt he would offer his friend a pint of beer and say "SURPRISE! THERE'S GLASS IN IT!" After consumption

I can already tell you're gonna be a great addition to these forums.

ditto, bud (wizer)...

 

[iron_city_ap]

If it was a hydrometer that broke, I'd say be extremely careful and go for it, but like someone mentioned, because of the Mercury, I'd pitch it. If you are hell bent on going through with it, but still worried, don't let anybody but yourself drink it.

 

[avaand]

Either dump it, or make sure you're the only one to drink it...

 

[knappster]

FYI, it's been almost 4 months since I started this thread. I filtered it with a fine nylon bag that I doubled over and have drank all but 2 bottles. No bloody stool yet.

Also, there is no mercury in the thermometer and it was the outer glass that made it float that broke so that's a non-issue anyway. The liquid remained sealed.

 

[dracus]

Been there done exactly the same thing. With as many times I've seen this topic, I'm left wondering why we use glass thermometers. I know after I broke mine I switched to metal and digital..

 

[atromic]

I broke mine last night using it as a stiring rod (dumb dumb dumb). The tip nicked something and snapped right off.

Luckily it was while I was building my heated fermenter waterbath, so no harm done.

 

[Mugsfull]

I Just finished drinking my last 'Broken Thermometer' Beer and it was great to the last bottle.
My floating thermometer broke while checking the cooling wort at about 100 F. The tip broke and I noticed the BB's spilling into the wort. I almost freaked out. Once I calmed down, I started researching.
I read that the newer thermometers contain no mercury and the red fluid is alcohol. The BB's are not toxic. The main concern would be glass particles.
I filtered the wort twice through a steel strainer and cheesecloth. This removed all the BB's and probably caught any glass.
I then let it sit in primary for 3 weeks, then racked to secondary. I am sure that any glass particles did not remain in suspension, rather they settled deep into the trube. After 2 weeks in secondary, I racked to the bottling bucket leaving sediment behind again.
I consumed all this beer with great confidence.
Maybe this had some risk, but racking and straining seemed to handle it just fine.
I'm not using floating thermometers anymore.

 

[Irrenarzt]

Those bb's look like lead to me. I ditched my 4th batch which was my only batch that I broke a thermometer in. Ditch the thermometer fellas. There is no need until you get down around pitching temp. Your best investment is a 12" long bimetal thermometer from morebeer. The 9" ones are a bit too short unless you are using a small boil kettle.

 

[stromam]

Unless you are using an ancient thermometer, the BBs won't hurt you. The density of glass is at minimum 2.400 so it'll settle out REAL quick, even in your undiluted wort. If you are real worried, siphon off from the boil pot, then siphon off again into a secondary/bottling bucket. You won't be drinking glass, I promise. Best alternative, get a metal thermometer.

 

[JVD_X]

The actual inside thermometer did not break it was the shell around it which makes it float. In any case, I don't think there are very many mercury thermometers anymore and this surely was not one (red alcohol color rather than the silvery color of mercury).

No... no mercury anymore.

Will yeast make it through a coffer filter or cheesecloth? Will I need to add more yeast after filtering?

You can use a fine hops bag. That should do the trick.

 

[knappster]

I am happy with the metal thermometer I picked up after this happened. Unfortunately people who need to read this message BEFORE they break their floating thermometer will not have read it because they will not read it until they have broken their thermometer.

In any case, my BB's were definitely ferrous because they were attracted to a magnet. Lead is a non-ferrous metal so they would not have been attracted to a magnet if they were lead. I suppose there is not guarantee that they did not contain any lead, but then again I am not planning on adding them to every batch.:cross:

 

[MasterWan]

good info peeps. I learned my floating thermometer lesson yesterday cooling the wort. I guess I bumped it with the stiring spoon. I really thought it was plastic I guess. I talked to the manufacturer about it, except for the glass which he said will quickly settle out along with the bb's there are no harmful chemicles in there. He said filter the beer when your racking with a fine mesh bag or cheese cloth and you will be all set. The colored liquid which used to be mercury was replaced with alocohol long ago. THe bb's are steel and he said if you are worried try using a magnet to pick them up.