My thermometer broke!

[BriU]

It is a floating thermometer, the glass at the bottom broke and spilled the little weights out. Is my beer contaminated?

 

[Kaz]

Contaminated with broken glass, I wouldn't try to drink it if the glass is in the beer.

 

[eastoak]

glass does not float so i'd say rack it to another vessel.

 

[BriU]

I should have mentioned that I strained it... I was more worried about what material the weights are made from. It doesn't look like lead but I don't know.

 

[SoBored]

Try to pick them up with a magnet. If it doesn't work, it more than likely is lead.

 

[BriU]

Ok, so they are magnetic, so I should be good, eh?

 

[Kaz]

Ya, if it is just those little balls, those thermometers should be food grade, meaning there is nothing toxic in them.

 

[BriU]

Great, thanks.

 

[bigbeergeek]

The balls are steel. The liquid is alcohol. You're beer is safe. The glass that isn't strained out in the mash will settle out in the fermentor -- I know this from (relevantly recent) first-hand experience. Drink on.

 

[Boleslaus]

Yea this happened to me as well. I was fine. Like beergeek said, everything is food grade. However, as others have mentioned in threads before, if a significant amount of glass got in, it can be a risk. Most likely it will sink to the bottom and you won't rack any of it, but do it at your own risk or leave a lot behind, because even one sliver could be painful.

 

[HexKrak]

I've done the same thing. Beer turned out fine, and I'm still around to talk about it.