# Recovering after scorching



## Codehopper (18/12/17)

My last batch has been scorched. I use a 2400W heating element (http://www.5stardistilling.net/weldless-2400w-element-guard/) and for the last 2 years it's been fine. This time it gave me a smell and subtaste of scorched cereal ;(

I consider a few two possible reasons for that:
a) the heating element might have been not thoroughly cleaned. It kinda lost its shine, and although I usually soak the kettle in a dishwashing powder solution after each brew, I might have brushed it not enough,
b) too much unmalted and wheaty grain in the bill. The recipe had 25% unmalted wheat and oats, topped with another 16% of wheat malt.
c) I also tried a different kind of BIAB basket, which likely leaked too much hard particles.

Q1: Which ones might be the main cause?

Q2: If I add a proteine rest in the mash (Palmer in How To Brew suggests a rest at 40-43C), will that contribute to avoiding scorching? (I'm gonna try it anyway with one of my next batches)

Q3: Is there any hope that after fermentation and cleaning with gelatine the scorched flavour will dissipate or at least diminish?

So I've scrubbed the heating element with a stainless steel kitchen scourer, after oven cleaning foam did't help, and I failed to find a brass scourer in shops nearby. I'm concerned that I might have left scratches on the heating element.

Q4: Any idea if some polishing stuff like Barkeepers' Friend would be of help here to prevent any further scorching?

If anyone with experience in these matters chimes in I'd be much grateful.


----------



## thumbsucker (18/12/17)

If by scorched you mean burnt, then you are out of luck. I have burnt two batches in an attempt to do a decotion mash. That burnt taste, just gets worse with time & age. You think you might have like a rauch beer on your hands, instead I have found that burnt malt tastes like the bottom of burnt pot week old beef stew. Yuk, and it never gets better no matter what you tell yourself.


----------



## manticle (18/12/17)

No, the burnt taste won’t go.
Yes if you mash in without the element and do a protein rest (I’d aim mid 50s*, 5-10 mins max), you should reduce the likelihood of crud but you need to ensure you clean the element thoroughly after every brew.

I clean mine by boiling some sodium percarb solution with it and scrubbing crap off in hard to reach places using a toothbrush. Stainless scrubber really shouldn’t go near it.


----------



## Hermies (18/12/17)

Have to agree with the last two posts . Myself and a fellow brewer decided to make a Rye Ale ( 60% Rye Malt ) that was fun not . I boiled with my immersion element and the flour in the boil kettle was so high that it burnt the wort and even after a year or so bottled it still tasted burnt . Tip it and move on don't even bother fermenting it for it is a waste of time effort and energy .As far as cleaning the element you could also try bicarb and vineger .


----------



## nosco (18/12/17)

Ive seen on other forums how an air pocket around the element can cause scorching/burning on the element. In one case it was caused by the resirc pump pumping out too much and the wort not draining back down quick enough, if that makes sense. In my own experience Ive seen it an air bubble form if I forgot to put in the false bottom/ element guard. As the water heats up and the bag folds over the element an air bubble gets trapped under the bag. But if your using a basket that probably wouldn't be the case.

I guess you can tell if this happened by the shape of the scorch marks on the element.


----------



## rossbaker (19/12/17)

I recently scorched the base of my robobrew which also tripped the thermal cut off switch, meaning I can't power it on or off or use heat to help remove the burnt wort. I tried a few runs if 100% sodium percarbonate and a small running brush, which lifted some. I also had a brief go with a bread and butter knife which I now regret... 

I ended up trying an overnight soak with a strong star san solution and the burnt crud was all floating in the morning - highly recommended. 

Luckily for me, I was brewing a very big dopplebock (1.106) and the burnt taste wasn't detectable to me in the final sample. Good luck with the clean up and the brew!


----------



## Codehopper (28/12/17)

Update: I dumped that batch and brewed another with the same recipe, but had a protein rest and used a controller that was set to allow only 80% power. I still had some burnt stuff on the heating element (even though I polished it with soda bicarbonate a lot), but less than before, and no burnt smell/taste. Keeping fingers crossed. I'm gonna try another batch with a recipe that has no wheat and see if that was the issue. So far it looks like I need to replace the element


----------



## Osangar (29/12/19)

Codehopper said:


> Update: I dumped that batch and brewed another with the same recipe, but had a protein rest and used a controller that was set to allow only 80% power. I still had some burnt stuff on the heating element (even though I polished it with soda bicarbonate a lot), but less than before, and no burnt smell/taste. Keeping fingers crossed. I'm gonna try another batch with a recipe that has no wheat and see if that was the issue. So far it looks like I need to replace the element



Sorry for reviving an old post

yesterday i brewed a weizen, and it scorched on the bottom of the robobrew. I did a 45’ rest, then up to 65’. An uncommon process for me. 

It seemed to be circulating, but slowly. However, in an attempt to reduce crud ive been using a big biab bag with some success. 

But the weizen did not work. Which after reading this thread made me ponder the use of the overflow pipe. 

Does anyone intentionally pump to have an overflow, and keep liquid on the elements ?


----------



## wide eyed and legless (29/12/19)

Osangar said:


> Sorry for reviving an old post
> 
> yesterday i brewed a weizen, and it scorched on the bottom of the robobrew. I did a 45’ rest, then up to 65’. An uncommon process for me.
> 
> ...


The overflow is there for a reason, keep the wort going through the grain bed while keeping enough wort over the element. Not recirculating leaves a static wort above the element. Recirculating to fast leaves no wort above the element so then the surface of the element is subject to scorching.


----------

