Do a crossword. Time it. Drink the beer. Do the crossword again to see how much your brain hurts. Although teh alcohol will be a bigger influence than the lead.
I think the only real way to measure lead would be to filter the beer through a 45 micron filter (because you only want to know dissolved lead, not suspended), then get an ICPOES scan done. Which for a single element might cost maybe $30 ish from memory.
Why wouldn't I want to know the suspended lead content? I'd still be drinking it............
Not keen on doing the crossword test, may have to look for another volunteer for that one....
I wanted to offer this little link on lead as well, I found it to be quite a balanced view of the subject.
http://www.lead.org.au/lanv8n1/l8v1-11.html
It does start by looking at the subject of lead contamination in drinking water from lead based solders and lead water piping, but it also goes on to raise a couple of other points about potential sources of lead in our everyday lives that we probably all tend to overlook in the name of practicality and 'not being one of those woossy types that worries about every little thing' if you know what I mean. And the stuff is everywhere - in the air that we breathe and the earth we stand on - there's no denying that at all. This isn't scaremongering or some cheap attempt to promote a particular view. People will do what they do regardless of what everyone says is good for them anyway (just look at cigarette smokers), but there might be some people out there who care about what goes into their body (within reason)
But anyway, the bits I found interesting were ;
'
"Will that be leaded or unleaded coffee sir?"
A study conducted in Perth on water collected from water boilers, urns and coffee and cappuccino machines from restaurants, offices, workplaces and schools, found that 67% of the samples contained excessive levels of lead. The probable source of the contamination was brass components in contact with hot water'
and
'
One quarter of the tank water samples tested in a Victorian study contained more than the acceptable drinking water level of lead. Lead contamination of tank water could be the result of lead paint or flashing on roofs, lead paint or soldering in the guttering, soft soldered tanks or lead fallout from air pollution including from smelting, mining, lead paint removal, vehicle emissions and wood smoke, lead washers from corrugated roofing (which sometimes fall into the tank), overflow from hot water systems and evaporative air conditioners. Go to www.dhs.vic.gov.au/phd/9911054 for a pamphlet on maintenance of tanks, entitled "Your Private Drinking Water Supply". '
and
'Avoid using hot water for drinking or cooking purposes (this advice applies equally to non-leaded plumbing systems - in order to reduce copper intake) '
But for those who care anyway, have a read. Some interesting facts and figures. I think I might go do a brew, I'm obviously bored...
