Broken thermometer

Lawpaw · #1 12-09-2011, 08:49 PM

Made the mistake of stirring a traditional mead with my floating thermometer and broke it in the primary.

I bought the thermometer at a brew store and it is mercury free, also the actual temperature reading glass part didn't break.

Pretty much just the little weight balls and whatever chemical was floating with them (wax?).

I immediately siphoned out what I could without getting the mass of the broken glass and thermometer material, but the mead now has a distinct "plasticish" smell to it.

It is a traditional mead made with 2lbs. of my favorite farmers market misc. honey (bee keeper said they visited a lot of berries and it has a berry flavor I love) and 1lb. orange blossom.

I'd hate to lose it if I can save it.

Thoughts?

Lawpaw · #2 12-09-2011, 08:54 PM

http://www.midwestsupplies.com/winem...ermometer.html

This exact thermometer, it says no toxic materials.

Chevette Girl · #3 12-10-2011, 12:54 AM

If you've already racked it off the broken glass and little metal balls, I don't know how much more you can do. I wouldn't throw it out, as it there should be nothing toxic in there.

What stage was this at? If it was early primary, then I'd say aerate the heck out of it and maybe it'll lose that smell. Have you tasted it to see if the smell carries over to the taste?

Lawpaw · #4 12-10-2011, 02:03 AM

It's only been 2 days since I pitched the yeast. Gravity has only dropped .01 and I hadn't even added all the honey or nutrients yet.

I decided to keep with it and even added the rest of the honey like I planned. Hopefully that smell blows out during fermentation.

I did aerate it between a couple of sterilized containers, and that did help. This early I'm not the slightest bit concerned about that.

Chevette Girl · #5 12-10-2011, 08:45 AM

At this stage, aerating the heck out of it is a good thing! Hopefully a nice vgorous fermentation will take care of anything that aeration doesn't! Good luck with it!

JLindsey · #6 12-10-2011, 11:32 AM

I had a very similar experience. I bumped the same thermometer on the edge of the boil kettle during the chill. I was making a beer at the time. THe bottom portion of the glass and all the beads went in. Well, waste not want not, and you can bet I wanted that batch! I racked to primary with a bit of nylon wired over the end of the racking cane. And left more wort in the bottom of the kettle than I normally would. The ale came out fine and all with whom I shared it are still alive! (I told them of the incident before they drank it).