Keg King Element Carbon layer...scorched.

[Damn]

I have a later generation KK element (purchased June 2013) which I use for BIAB. It cleaned up nicely after ea brew. After the last brew I did, a wheat/rye ale, my element had build up on it as it always did after a brew. This time it wouldn't clean off. I kid you not you couldn't budge it with chisel. Image attached. I tasted the brew from a dropper only and only noticed it was sickly sweet. I rang KK. He said as the carbon build up won't budge it shouldn't impart on your beer. Well....3 weeks later, bottling time, take the only gravity reading I normally take. FG 1.011. Taste it.....tastes like burnt beer, you know like when you leave soup on the stove too long. I haven't ditched it yet. I'm taking a bottle down to KK and hopefully work something out. Its screwed up my brew calendar...going to be short this summer and I certainly aint brewing with that element again. Brewed 19 brews in it. Any thoughts welcome. No I didn't burn my bag, nor left any grain in after mash. I take it the beer is stuffed? Like, this isn't a taste unique to wheat or rye ales.

 

[roller997]

I suspect that the wort was of a different enough consistency to be scorched this time around.

Did you try a stainless souring pad on the element?
I would soak it for a few days and then I would use a stainless scouring pad.
It sounds like your element has burnt the wort and the issue is that once it starts and is not cleaned properly the liquid can't get to the element to cool it down which results in the element failing and the wort having a burnt taste to it.

 

[Damn]

Haven't tried SS scourer. KK were of the opinion nothing will budge it except caustic soda I think he said which I wasn't prepared to do.

 

[hathro]

I had the same problem when using rye with a buffalo urn. It took a lot of elbow grease to remove the charred wort from the element. The wort tasted burnt and is currently fermenting. I tasted a sample and it isn't great... I'll still keg it and see what happens.

Is there a solution for BIAB and using rye?

 

[klangers]

To be honest the problem appears to be in the design of the element - it is so short that the power density would be huge, causing the surface temperature to rise well beyond 100 deg C.

Although that's not particularly useful for you right now, sorry. I just feel that it will keep happening as the root cause won't change if you do clean it.

 

[sp0rk]

To be honest the problem appears to be in the design of the element - it is so short that the power density would be huge, causing the surface temperature to rise well beyond 100 deg C.

I don't think that it would be incredibly high
I'll measure mine and do the sums when I get home this afternoon

 

[sp0rk]

Going off the dimensions in an old post by MHB, the watt density is 91W/in2
Admittedly this IS about twice the watt density I'd recommend for a boil kettle
An element like the below one will have much greater surface area and should suit a kettle much better
http://www.5stardistilling.net/2400w-heating-element/

 

[klangers]

Going off the dimensions in an old post by MHB, the watt density is 91W/in2
Admittedly this IS about twice the watt density I'd recommend for a boil kettle

Interesting...

So for the OP:

• Easy experiment (if you have the equipment that is) is to reduce the voltage of the element (thus reducing the power) and see if this affects it
• Is there localised flashing/boiling on the element before the whole kettle has reached a rolling boil? This will indicate that the surface of the element is getting a bit too hot and potentially scorching your wort

 

[Wolfman]

Try vinegar to rid you of the scorching.

 

[sp0rk]

Interesting...

So for the OP:

• Easy experiment (if you have the equipment that is) is to reduce the voltage of the element (thus reducing the power) and see if this affects it
• Is there localised flashing/boiling on the element before the whole kettle has reached a rolling boil? This will indicate that the surface of the element is getting a bit too hot and potentially scorching your wort

Reducing voltage will in turn reduce wattage and possibly not boil at all (or just take forever), but will prove that the lower watt density will lead to a lower occurrence of scorching on the element surface
The best measure would be change to an element with a lower watt density