Scorched Wort eBIAB RyePA

[bphelan]

I just brewed my first 3 gallon biab electric-assisted stovetop batch in my newly converted ekettle. I have mounted the camco ulwd 1500 w 120 v element many people are using. Basically, I use it like most use a heat stick but mine is directly mounted to the kettle. When I boil I leave the element plugged in and control the vigor of the boil by adjusting the stove burner intensity. Neither the stove nor the element can maintain a rolling boil individually.

I did a normal biab, no sparge full volume mash procedure (got 80% efficiency too!). My recipe was a rye pale ale, just under 30% of the grist was rye. After I drained the kettle there was definitely burnt sugars/other kettle material caked on the element. I wasn't even able to even completely get all of it off the element. I think I detect some burnt flavors in the wort as well. I decided to go ahead and ferment the batch because I had already pitched the yeast by the time I tasted the hydrometer sample.

I'm looking for some advise trouble shooting this problem. It doesn't make sense that an uldw element would scorch the wort significantly. I'm thinking that it may be possible that the amount beta-glucan and protein in the rye malt is what led to the scorching? I'd really like to get this working because I can brew more often in my apartment as opposed to going to my brew partners house who has my propane 10 gallon ag system stored in his garage.

I hope someone can help me out, before I give up on this.

 

[cheezydemon3]

RECIPE.

It will probably be fine, but it would be good if there was some crystal 40 or higher in there.

 

[bphelan]

Recipe:
5 lbs Pale ale malt
2 lbs rye malt
2 oz chocolate malt

Ended up more of an amber than pale ale.

How will crystal help prevent scorching?

 

[stpug]

I recall reading a thread where some folks were saying that some LDW elements were being sold as ULDW elements for some reason or another (camcos I believe). Perhaps this is the situation you're running into ??? It's a long shot but worth reading up on. If I can find a post I'll post a link.

EDIT: Sorry, misinformation. Ignore what I said above. I had this backwards (some LDW elements are actually ULDW)

 

[jeffmeh]

Recirculate or stir while it is coming up from mash temperature to boil. Once boiling there should be enough agitation to keep particulates in suspension, off of the element.

 

[bphelan]

Ok well I definitely didn't stir much after I removed the grain as it was heating from mash out to boil. I guess it wouldn't be a bad idea to put a ball valve on the pot and use my chugger to recirculate. Now I just need to figure out how to get the burnt crud off of the element...

 

[oconnorshomebrew]

I second jeffmeh, stirring definitely helps. The other thing to be really careful of is making sure the bag doesn't rest on the the element if you are using it during the mash to maintain temp, I've seen an element scorch grain and wort when they're in direct contact like that.

 

[bphelan]

The pot is one of those imusa aluminum tamale pots so there is a steamer tray that is basically a false bottom and keeps the bag off the element. I'm fairly confident the burned on material on the element did not occur during the mash.

 

[wilserbrewer]

The pot is one of those imusa aluminum tamale pots so there is a steamer tray that is basically a false bottom and keeps the bag off the element. I'm fairly confident the burned on material on the element did not occur during the mash.

Do you remove the Tamale steamer tray after the mash? That could keep all the protein trub at the bottom as well?

Yes, my only scorched batch was when I took a break b/w mash and boil to run a few errands...the trub all settled like mud and I scorched....guessing had I stirred it back up I might have been alright.

 

[bphelan]

Yea I pulled it out after the mash. It was still in when raising from 155 mash to 170 mash out, I'm thinking that the scorching may have started when heating to mash out and then just continued to become exacerbated at I heated from mash out to boil.

I guess I'll try another batch and really make sure the wort stays in motion by the element before I get to a boil.

 

[wilserbrewer]

I would skip the mash out as well...or drain a gallon or two and pour back in the bag

 

[bphelan]

Just brewed an ESB and skipped mashout and stirred as I heated to a boil. No scorching issues, thanks for helping me fix this!