New kettle

[MrFancyPlants]

I am looking for a new kettle that would work for an all grain batch. I have a bayou kettle, but when I use my induction pad it has been scorching during the mash, even if I keep the bag off the bottom. I was thinking maybe a basket setup with a recirculating pump or something? Open to any ideas.

Thank you!

 

[hotbeer]

This is during the mash isn't it? If it's scorching, then you are simply letting the wort get to hot under the bag.

If I have to turn on the induction coil during the mash, it's at a very low setting. I also move my temp probe to different areas, which includes under the bag. And I stir to keep the temps even and not let hot spots develop.

The nice thing with induction burners is that there is no flame. So after hitting my initial mash temp from the strike water, I wrap my kettle sides with a large fluffy bath towel just out of the dryer. And put another folded one on top the lid. So I can turn on the induction and leave the towel on the side. Sometimes I only need to heat, slowly, once. And stir so the wort under the bag doesn't get so hot.

In general, for gas or electric burners, if your pot has a thin bottom it might develop hot spots. Are your scorch marks in spotty places on the bottom? Then getting one with a thicker bottom might spread the heat more evenly. I'd think this holds true for induction too.

 

[mac_1103]

even if I keep the bag off the bottom

How are you keeping the bag off the bottom? Or to put it another way, are you sure you're keeping the bag off the bottom?

 

[Broken Crow]

^^ Yeah; Are you sure you're keeping it off the bottom? In any event, those Bayou Classics are pretty thin, have you considered one of those steel disk 'induction adapters' to more evenly spread the heat? https://duckduckgo.com/?t=ffab&q=induction+adapter&ia=web

 

[Broken Crow]

Sorry...On first reading I was focussed on the kettle and wondering how you kept the bag off the bottom and my first reactions always involve spending as little as possible. Now I've thought longer and re-read; Depending on how much you have to spend, you could just get a turn-key replacement rig, highly respected and loved by those who have them:
https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/biabpackagepremium.htm
You can customize by omitting the heating element and using it on your induction burner. If you're just looking to modify what you have though, I recommend studying the system to see what you can incorporate, namely the false-bottom;
https://www.brewhardware.com/category_s/1826.htm
and definitley a recirculation pump.... The pump needn't be costly, you could go with a cheap plastic 'solar pump' as many have, or still cheap but well-regarded Topsflo TD5 https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/topsfloss.htm or the now ubiquitous MP-15RM https://duckduckgo.com/?t=ffab&q=mp-15rm&ia=web
Just some food for thought, but please tell us how you currently keep the bag off the bottom.

 

[stamandster]

To echo @Broken Crow (I was writing and posting as he was) Even with a bag kept off the bottom, there's no movement of liquid and there will be a concentration of sugars/etc that will collect. A pump will help you if you want to keep the element on during the mash. However, the cheapest/easiest option might be to just set it and insulate to help maintain temps.

 

[MrFancyPlants]

I used a steamer basket as a sort of false false bottom to keep the bag up and the burning happened under there. I like the idea of the induction converter to distribute the temp a little better, and a real false bottom would probably work better.

I see some false bottoms have a valve included. If I had a silicon line to suck off the bottom and pump back out on top, maybe that would distribute the temperature and keep the little bits from settling down and burning on the bottom?

I really appreciate the input. Two singed batches in a row has me grumpy. I’ll end up feeding the burnt batch into my Bret keg to cover up the burnt flavor.

 

[sibelman]

suck off the bottom and pump back out on top,

Mash recirculation would mitigate scorching, as would a heat spreader - or a thick-bottomed pot, of course.

 

[hotbeer]

What is scorching, the bottom of the pot or the bag? I assumed the pot since you said you had the bag suspended. But other replies have made me rethink this.

I don't suspend my bag at all. I've never scorched either the pot or the bag with induction or gas burners. If I'm heating the mash, then I am also stirring the grist. With a suspended bag, you probably can't stir too well if at all.

I'd think you'd find it more effective than the complication you are going to add with a pump. Most BIABer's mill their malts finer than for regular mashes. Also many don't use rice hulls. Also, if you are suspending the bag, you probably aren't getting great movement of the wort through the grain to wash out what need to be extracted.

So for those three reasons, you might find that pumping the wort over the top of the grain bed just result in the wort bypassing the grist and just running out the bag above the grain level.

If you are getting high efficiency numbers for your extraction, then perhaps I'm imagining wrong about how you are mashing.

 

[Bobby_M]

The issue is likely the fact that fine particles are getting through the bag and settling on the bottom and induction is very much ON off...... ON.... They run long cycles. It's probably best to stir really well or bob the bag up an down when you have to run the heat. It's not really the kettle.

 

[MicroMickey]

Like MrFancyPants, I've found a dedicated steamer basket to work wonders. CAUTION - Don't use your wife's steamer basket if you want to live long enough to finish that batch of beer.