Triple scale broke in my brew!

[tm999xxx]

While chilling the wort my digital thermometer crapped out, so i was using my triple scale. At 78 degrees I took it out and clipped the side of the chiller. The bottom broke off and most of the little balls fell out. The thermometer did not break. I strained the crap out of it prior to pitching the yeast and think I got everything. I plan to run in through another strainer (smaller) prior to the secondary. (yes i kept the brew) (for now)

So here are my questions:
1. Is that lead inside?? If so, it was in the beer for max 2 mins while I cried (not really); Is it harmful?

2. Whats the red stuff that holds the thermometer and weight in place? Is it harmful?

My gut feeling is to get rid of the beer. Im also tempted to keep it, ferment it, try a glass, and then dump it. I don’t plan on serving it to anyone else.

I planned on calling the manufacturer today but figured I would ask here first.

 

[King of Cascade]

While chilling the wort my digital thermometer crapped out, so i was using my triple scale. At 78 degrees I took it out and clipped the side of the chiller. The bottom broke off and most of the little balls fell out. The thermometer did not break. I strained the crap out of it prior to pitching the yeast and think I got everything. I plan to run in through another strainer (smaller) prior to the secondary. (yes i kept the brew) (for now)

So here are my questions:
1. Is that lead inside?? If so, it was in the beer for max 2 mins while I cried (not really); Is it harmful?

2. Whats the red stuff that holds the thermometer and weight in place? Is it harmful?

My gut feeling is to get rid of the beer. Im also tempted to keep it, ferment it, try a glass, and then dump it. I don’t plan on serving it to anyone else.

I planned on calling the manufacturer today but figured I would ask here first.

Dude that sux...I dont know if it will harm you but its always better to be safe than sorry.

 

[shawnbou]

The manufacturer should be able to tell you whether the balls are lead or something else harmful. Same with the red stuff - that might just be wax, but who knows if it's something you want to ingest.

But even if all the inside materials are safe for ingestion, and even if it looked like a clean break, it's very possible you have some glass particles in the brew.

I think I'd go with your gut on this one. I hate to advocate dumping beer, but your safety is more important.

 

[Germelli1]

All my thermometers say "Lead and Mercury Free. Contains Alcohol for Fluid indicator"

Or something along those lines.

I would either commit to keeping it or dumping it. I would keep it but you don't want to strain it after fermentation or you will oxidize the poo out of the beer.

 

[makomachine]

My vote is to dump it. Even one tiny glass shard isn't worth the chance - take it from someone who has had a couple of kidney stones, it doesn't need to be large to cause a lot of problems. Ingredients are cheap when I consider the possible problems!

 

[Germelli1]

Meh I would just be careful to siphon a high enough to leave the trub and an inch of beer. Any glass shards will sink to the bottom anyway so I would just be careful about leaving it all behind. But I am admitadly reckless in how I live my life so I completely understand the caution

 

[wittmania]

I would say don't over-react. If you're repeatedly filtering your beer (not a bad idea in this case), nothing will get through that's big enough to harm you. The red stuff is alcohol which, if you do it right, should be in your beer anyway. The little metal balls are stainless steel shot, probably made of the same thing as your kettle. There's probably some wax in there as well, which won't dissolve into your beer and will easily be strained out.

I'm not your doctor or your lawyer, but if I were you I would definitely think twice about dumping a batch just because a thermometer broke in it. If you search the site you'll find dozens of threads on the topic because it happens all the time.

 

[tm999xxx]

thanks guys.

 

[Dhruv6911]

Discard the beer, although the materials are not harmful we do not know how the metal beads were produced. My bet is that the hydrometer was made in China so I would definitely discard it.