Bear with me, I'm losing my mind a bit here. I searched and read several "scorched" threads but none seemed definitive as if someone identified the issue and permanently fixed it.
I just kegged a batch that clearly has a scorched and burnt flavor. This is the second time this has happened this drastically (I had another with a very slight scorch taste) and I can't single out how to prevent it.
The biggest issue is that I've brewed probably 40 batches on my system now, and only 2-3 have had this issue. I can't point out any specific/unique ingredient or step that was different in my process and on this batch I was actually intentionally careful.
My system is a 240V EBIAB that I made myself. Kettle is a keggle with a camco 5500 ULWD element and I have a false bottom above it (it's a stainless plate that is WELL ventilated, I'll post pictures if someone wants to see it - holes are 1/2 in to 3/4 in size all over it no more than 1/4 apart between holes). The keggle is upside down with the drain in the center (out the SANKE port) and I recirculate for the entire mash and boil. My pump is a chugger that I run at around 60% probably higher the entire time (cavitates if i run all-out).
The last batch i limited the power output to 70% at the highest point (even when ramping up to boil) just out of fear of scorching.
I use a hop spyder (nylon hop sock suspended from a stainless tub, never touches the element due to false bottom).
I've had three batches in between the last scorched batch and this one. I can't pinpoint a reason why THIS batch scorched.
Ingredients:
23 lbs 8.0 oz Pilsner (2 Row) UK (1.0 SRM) Grain 1 85.0 %
4 lbs Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) Grain 2 14.5 %
2.5 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt -120L (120.0 SRM) Grain 3 0.6 %
1.00 oz Magnum [10.80 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 4 19.3 IBUs
1.50 oz Galaxy [18.10 %] - Boil 20.0 min Hop 5 29.4 IBUs
1.50 oz Galaxy [18.10 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 6 17.6 IBUs
3.75 oz Galaxy [18.10 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 10.0 min Hop 7 22.0 IBUs
3.75 oz Galaxy [18.10 %] - Dry Hop 3.0 Days Hop 8 0.0 IBUs
Can anyone pinpoint what would cause this? I will go crazy if I have to assume this is a "random" issue and can't identify and avoid the cause.
There was a VERY slight amount of hop addition that missed the hop sock this time. could that cause it? I actually think I've done hop additions in the past that never made it into a sock so I doubt it. a long time ago I even had a hop sock that burnt from the element (pre-spider) and leaked hops out - no burnt flavor in that batch.
Help please!
I just kegged a batch that clearly has a scorched and burnt flavor. This is the second time this has happened this drastically (I had another with a very slight scorch taste) and I can't single out how to prevent it.
The biggest issue is that I've brewed probably 40 batches on my system now, and only 2-3 have had this issue. I can't point out any specific/unique ingredient or step that was different in my process and on this batch I was actually intentionally careful.
My system is a 240V EBIAB that I made myself. Kettle is a keggle with a camco 5500 ULWD element and I have a false bottom above it (it's a stainless plate that is WELL ventilated, I'll post pictures if someone wants to see it - holes are 1/2 in to 3/4 in size all over it no more than 1/4 apart between holes). The keggle is upside down with the drain in the center (out the SANKE port) and I recirculate for the entire mash and boil. My pump is a chugger that I run at around 60% probably higher the entire time (cavitates if i run all-out).
The last batch i limited the power output to 70% at the highest point (even when ramping up to boil) just out of fear of scorching.
I use a hop spyder (nylon hop sock suspended from a stainless tub, never touches the element due to false bottom).
I've had three batches in between the last scorched batch and this one. I can't pinpoint a reason why THIS batch scorched.
Ingredients:
23 lbs 8.0 oz Pilsner (2 Row) UK (1.0 SRM) Grain 1 85.0 %
4 lbs Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) Grain 2 14.5 %
2.5 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt -120L (120.0 SRM) Grain 3 0.6 %
1.00 oz Magnum [10.80 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 4 19.3 IBUs
1.50 oz Galaxy [18.10 %] - Boil 20.0 min Hop 5 29.4 IBUs
1.50 oz Galaxy [18.10 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 6 17.6 IBUs
3.75 oz Galaxy [18.10 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 10.0 min Hop 7 22.0 IBUs
3.75 oz Galaxy [18.10 %] - Dry Hop 3.0 Days Hop 8 0.0 IBUs
Can anyone pinpoint what would cause this? I will go crazy if I have to assume this is a "random" issue and can't identify and avoid the cause.
There was a VERY slight amount of hop addition that missed the hop sock this time. could that cause it? I actually think I've done hop additions in the past that never made it into a sock so I doubt it. a long time ago I even had a hop sock that burnt from the element (pre-spider) and leaked hops out - no burnt flavor in that batch.
Help please!