"Smoky" beer from ULD element "char"

[BeeRRunBrewery]

First time I've experienced this and I'm thinking my beer will be ruined. Noticed a smoky smell half way into my 90 min boil and come to find out, my Camco 5500 ULD heating element has "char" built up all over it. The wort does taste "smoky" too. Anyone experience this? Beer ruined? Will the "smoke" flavor subside? The element was always submerged. I'm an all grain brewer and have more than a dozen brews under my belt....but this is a first. HELP!!


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[BeeRRunBrewery]

Forgot to post a few pics. A single piece of the char off the element and a bunch of char pieces I scraped off and left in the kettle to get a picture. (The lighter colored material is orange peel)


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[wilserbrewer]

First time I've experienced this and I'm thinking my beer will be ruined. Noticed a smoky smell half way into my 90 min boil and come to find out, my Camco 5500 ULD heating element has "char" built up all over it. The wort does taste "smoky" too. Anyone experience this? Beer ruined? Will the "smoke" flavor subside? The element was always submerged. I'm an all grain brewer and have more than a dozen brews under my belt....but this is a first. HELP!!

This has happened to me once in many many years of e-brewing. Paused a boil to run some errands and I believe a bunch of trub settled and burnt on the element when I re-fired the kettle.

15 gallons down the tub drain...almost made me cry.

I fermented it out, didn't taste horrible but I figured it would continue to annoy the hell out of me so I swallowed the bitter pill and dumped it.

 

[BeeRRunBrewery]

Thanks for the quick response. I didn't halt the boil. Used a spice bag to put my hops in. Only called for a 1/2 oz of hops. My mash was frigged up though.... would a higher than typical carryover of grain to the boil kettle cause my problem I wonder??


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[wilserbrewer]

Not really sure...did you have a lot of wheat. I feel it is the trub or proteins that scorch.

I use HWD elements and typically have no problems, but letting all the trub settle did me in I believe.

The scorch flavor doesn't age out at all...unfortunately IME.

Also, it was a double batch, so the elements took a long time from mash to boil.

You do clean your elements well after each brew?
A build up can cause a scorch as well, I believe.


Wilserbrewer
Http://biabbags.webs.com/

 

[BeeRRunBrewery]

No wheat. But pumpkin in the mash. But I've done this before with no issue. Yes, I give my element a good scrub after each use. I did pitch my yeast. I'll probably end up dumping it, but had to give it a try. :-/


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[Snicklefritz]

I've also had this happen to me once from letting trub settle and then firing the burner back up. The ashtray flavor in mine never went away. It was somewhat subdued if you drank it ice cold but in the end I dumped it.

 

[wilserbrewer]

Yep ashtray flavor...I figured rather than keg it and let it consume real estate in the pipeline it was better dump it.


Wilserbrewer
Http://biabbags.webs.com/

 

[BeeRRunBrewery]

I'm getting bummed out, but more of a head scratcher as to what I did since I never lost the heat during my boil. :-/


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