Electric Stovetops - Preventing Scorching?

[Deacon240]

The one issue I had with my first brew was I scorched the stovetop. How do you prevent this from happening on a standard coil electric stovetop? I wanna do a brew here either today or tomorrow but would rather not piss SWMBO off more by scorching the stovetop again. Could it be as simple as putting a layer of aluminum foil around the stove where the kettle touches? (not on the coil obviously)

 

[scinerd3000]

if your talking about extract- its as simple as turning the stove off when you add the extract....or just remove the pot when you add. You can always add the extract within the last 20 minutes or so.

 

[Deacon240]

I'm talking about the stovetop itself...

 

[Darwin18]

I had a similar issue this past weekend Deacon240. My 10G brew pot with 6.5G in it did a little bit of damage to the stovepot. I don't think the electric burner is actually meant to handle that large of a load...Any suggestions?

 

[BuffaloSabresBrewer]

Dish soap. Thin layer on the stove top will make clean up after a boil over alot easier.

 

[MoRoToRiUm]

I had this my first few brews- got to love the scrubbing. To remedy this, I lined my drip pan with aluminum foil. I did a brew yesterday, and today, and it seems to really help overall. It didn't scorch the stove top, it helped my heating efficiency, and probably save me some $ as well. I still had a little bit of a swirl pattern on the bottom of my kettle, but the stove top is fine.

 

[BrewBeemer]

I used a lathe cut 12" x 3/8" thick disc from work, set it between the electric element and pot for more even heating. I used cloth soaked in olive oil coating the stove top preventing any sticking and easy boil over oops accident clean ups. With 409 and a little dish washing soap a fast easy stove top cleaning. When the War Department is happy everyones happy. This was with extract for a few brews before going AG in kettles outdoors.

 

[scinerd3000]

I'm talking about the stovetop itself...

sorry i misunderstood. Electric stovetops deffinily arnt meant to carry that much weight. I would go get a turkey frier on the cheap (since thanksgiving is over, wallmart has them on sale.) Plus that way its much quicker boil times...

 

[Ecnerwal]

Best to get a "canning" element - sturdier, sits up a bit higher than the normal burner above the stovetop. Designed to hold oversized pots...

I always line the reflector pan with fresh, bright aluminum foil if the old stuff is crusty or dark, and often cover the stovetop under the pot with foil as well - more for drips, but will also help with overheating somewhat.

Something like 15 years of doing it this way, no problems.

As for inside the pot wort/extract scorching (even though that is not your question), I take the pot right off the stove (I have a metal typing table I use to move the pot across the kitchen so I don't have to walk with boiling-hot wort when I'm headed for the sink at the end of the boil) and stir in the extract, then put it back on the burner after it's well-mixed. Could also just move it sideways to a cold burner for that step.

 

[MoRoToRiUm]

I always remove my kettle before adding the extract, and have only little scorching (in the same pattern of my burner). I'm was thinking about doing something like BrewBeemer did, a SS plate to distribute the heat better, but wasn't sure if it would work. Bottom of my kettle is pretty decent, so I'm still not sure if it will. Might have to check out some other options like the canning element.

Oh yea, live in apartment with no space to store a whole lot more, or do outside work with propane. Some day...

 

[Deacon240]

sorry i misunderstood. Electric stovetops deffinily arnt meant to carry that much weight. I would go get a turkey frier on the cheap (since thanksgiving is over, wallmart has them on sale.) Plus that way its much quicker boil times...

Yeah I got a turkey fryer from them for dirt cheap cause it was missing the thing to pull the turkey out with and a metal bar. I just need to buy a metal bar to hold the burner and a propane tank to get that goin.

I tried the thin layer of soap thing and that worked well.

I always remove my kettle before adding the extract

Stovetop lol.