Broke thermometer in wort boil

[BeachedBumm]

FML about half way through the boil I found my therm floating sideways. weird thought I. So I picked it up to look at it and noticed about a 1/4 inch on the bottom has broke off. Im guessing there is no salvaging this one then right?

 

[thummel1]

If it were a red thermometer it was just an alcohol solution so you have nothing to worry about. I do not believe it is in any way poisonous. Not to mention it was a very very tiny amount inside.

Just make sure there is no broken glass and I think you'll be fine...
(no guarantees though... haha I am not liable!)

 

[lumpher]

it should be ok to strain the beer, as floating therms usually haven't had mercury in them for years. if it was red on bottom, then it didn't have mercury

 

[Hockeyhunter99]

would have to say that was stupid. i don't usually use glass. (it can be fragile)

 

[joetothemo]

FML about half way through the boil I found my therm floating sideways. weird thought I. So I picked it up to look at it and noticed about a 1/4 inch on the bottom has broke off. Im guessing there is no salvaging this one then right?

Ask the LHBS or whoever sold it to you if it contains mercury or lead. If so, dump. Otherwise strain.

This happened to me this weekend.

 

[BeachedBumm]

It is a red one. its actually less than a 1/4 inch. more like a 1/8 or less. I gently skimmed the bottom but could find no glass only small bits of the little black balls. charcoal maybe? Im guessing if I whirlpool the crap out of it and rack to secondary and rack to bottling bucket at the appropiate times it should be ok, you think?

 

[thummel1]

The black balls may be if it were a hydrometer/thermometer... and those were used to calibrate the hydrometer. No idea what they are made of though?

I'd say if you filter well and let it sit in the secondary you'll be fine...

 

[HalfPint]

This actually happened to me a long time ago, but it was strike water, so I just threw that water out and started over. I have not re-purchased a floating thermometer, nor will I ever probably.

 

[lumpher]

strain and drink. the apa i'm drinking right now i dropped the therm into too hard, and it broke. hint: never brew later at night after drinking several

 

[BeachedBumm]

hint: never brew later at night after drinking several

exactly my circumstances right now. I cursed that thermometer out real good!!!

 

[joetothemo]

LHBS told me the black balls in my thermometer were steel, not lead.

 

[BeachedBumm]

good to know because there was a crap load of em. I ended up leaving about a cup and a 1/2 of wort and sediment at the bottom of the kettle. there was a few pieces of glass and a lot of those little balls. im pretty confident after the secondary and the bottling bucket it will be ok.

 

[joetothemo]

My glass, etc are in the primary right now. I intend to put a sanitized hop sock over the end of my racking cane when I rack to secondary...then again when I rack to my bottle bucket. Just to be safe.

 

[CoalCracker]

I've done it and the beer turned out fine. If there is anything in the wort when you transfer. It will settle out over the 3 weeks it sits in primary. Just don't suck any yeast up when you bottle or keg. You'll be fine.