Thermometer broke

[joetothemo]

I'm scared there is glass and lead shot in my fermenter.

I discovered this fact after I pitched my yeast.

Do I RDWHAHB or freak out about the lead shot?

 

[MalFet]

Lead would be bad, mercury would be worse. The lead shot makes me think this is a floating kitchen thermometer. Those are usually alcohol, but not always. If you have any doubt that there might be mercury in there, don't even try to save it. Lead is not quite as dramatic, but still not ideal. Glass is no biggie, as it will just settle in with your trub. Be careful when cleaning, though.

 

[XXXXX]

This is one case where I would dump it. Glass/lead/mercury in beer is not good. Glass is not a huge deal, but heavy metals? Why even risk it.

This is one situation I'd dump it.

 

[joetothemo]

Well, I am not 100% sure that is where the lead and glass went.

It was not a mercury thermometer, btw. And only the outer shell broke (kitchen/floating type)

Dammit if I do know what happened to it though.

I'm gonna let this thing run its course then dig in the trub after racking to secondary. If I see the lead, I'll dump.

Dammit dammit dammit

 

[joetothemo]

Update, if anyone cares. LHBS told me the weight from the broken thermometer is steel. The steel shot and the glass *should* wind up in the trub.

Apparently, this happens all the time (as evidenced in the "similar threads" links below).

I'm gonna take extra care looking for glass when I rack this thing to my carboy in a week or so. Maybe keep my racking cane high above the trub. Maybe tie a muslin bag around my siphon.

Lesson learned, dial or digital thermometer from here on out.

 

[MalFet]

Update, if anyone cares. LHBS told me the weight from the broken thermometer is steel. The steel shot and the glass *should* wind up in the trub.

Apparently, this happens all the time (as evidenced in the "similar threads" links below).

I'm gonna take extra care looking for glass when I rack this thing to my carboy in a week or so. Maybe keep my racking cane high above the trub. Maybe tie a muslin bag around my siphon.

Lesson learned, dial or digital thermometer from here on out.

Glad to hear it, and glad to hear that they're not using lead as much these days. If you need to move your fermentor, I'd let it settle for a day or two before racking.

 

[joetothemo]

Glad to hear it, and glad to hear that they're not using lead as much these days. If you need to move your fermentor, I'd let it settle for a day or two before racking.

Excellent point about letting it settle after moving. I'll be sure to. Thanks!

 

[joetothemo]

So this beer has now spent 3 weeks in bottles. I chilled one for 24 hours and drank it last night. In addition to being severely undercarbed (despite using tastybrew.com's carb calculator)....

It tasted metallic.

I assume this was caused by my brew sitting in primary with the steel balls from the thermometer for a week. After that, the beer was in secondary without any real thermometer debris for an additional 14 days.

Funny thing is, I tasted this beer throughout the process and it never gave off metallic tastes.

Anyone think this taste will dissipate over time?

 

[MalFet]

Hmm...that's too bad. It sounds like you are tasting the iron leached from the steel shot.

The fact that you never tasted anything metallic throughout the process is strange. There are things that can give metallic tastes other than just exposure to metal, too. I certainly wouldn't dump it.

 

[joetothemo]

Hmm...that's too bad. It sounds like you are tasting the iron leached from the steel shot.

The fact that you never tasted anything metallic throughout the process is strange. There are things that can give metallic tastes other than just exposure to metal, too. I certainly wouldn't dump it.

Any chance of the leached iron settling out, if that is the case?

My other fear is oxidation from straining the beer 2x between secondary and bottling. This would explain the late-developing off-taste, right. I think in that case, I am hosed.

 

[MalFet]

Yeah, that's the trouble with tastes; it's hard to be precise about them, especially in a written form. I could see oxidation tasting metallic in some ways. As for iron dropping out, I think it depends what form it takes in solution, but I'm not enough of a chemist to understand that. Perhaps someone with more science background will be able to say.

I still say keep it. I've been often surprised by what time can heal.

 

[NorCalAngler]

Is it metallic or minerally? Some yeasts like London Ale will leave a strong mineral flavor in the beer.

 

[joetothemo]

Tasted metallic to me. And the yeast was WLP001. The first time I used it, but I used it expecting it to be clean and neutral.