Scorching On Electric Element

[Rodolphe01]

Just wondering if ayone has problems with scorching on electric elements? My stock pot doesn't work on my induction cook top, and the normal electric elemnt is very crap, takes it about 45 mins to boil 6 litres.

I am tossing up whether to install an electric elemnt in my stock pot + use the stove (was thinking of dismantling a kettle to get an element...) or do I get a gas burner?

I'm not doing ag, just kits and bits and sometimes extract so boil volume is a max of ~8 litres, so I imagine anything greater than a cast iron ring burner would be overkill ??

Cheers.

 

[Thirsty Boy]

for an 8L boil, you could just go with one of the little gas stoves that uses the disposable gas canisters. I have raised an acceptable boil in 12L with oneof these. Cheap from bunnings, most asian supermarkets - think I've seen them in coles/woolies. Lots of different places. $20 or so and the cylinders will last a couple of boils each at under $10 for a pack of 3, probably longet for only 8L boils.

A description of one on amazon
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00...niversalservice

and a picture

A kettle element would I think - have too much grunt for an 8L boil and the kettle would go nuts - they work nicely in a 25L boil.

 

[Rodolphe01]

Cheers, I might go with a 1 or 2 ring cast iron burner though because I have 2 spare gas bottles and a reg lying around.

 

[raven19]

You could go a portable immersion element if keen to stick with electric. Just check your power point amperage vs the element chosen.

Linky

No affiliation, etc., these come in handy in a multitude of applications - extra power for your HLT, stepping your mash temp up, dunk in the kettle to boil the wort.

 

[Snow]

Rudi,

I would recommend an immersion element, as it is useful for getting the wort up to a quick boil when used in conjunction with your stove top or a gas burner, and it can be used for step mashing when you don't have enough room for hot water additions to you mash. It's also perfect for adjusting the temp of the mash if you're a few degrees short of your strike temp. To avoid scorching you just move the element around slowly and rinse it after you take it out. When you eventually go to AG you will find the immersion element invaluable.

Cheers - Snow

 

[Bribie G]

I've fired up my urn 13 times so far. It's a Birko with exposed element and apart from a light haze of calcium in spots (you can get urn cleaner that nukes that) there is no burning on. Recommend an element for sure.

 

[mesa]

I use two kettle elements (2000W element from corded kettles brought from woollies/safeway) to boil double batches. I don't believe there is any signficicant scorching. Certainly now caramelised flavours and wort samples taken before and after the boil do not show any more darkening that I would expect from a gas based boil (the wort in question was about 12EBC from memory, but I don't have a colour chart to see how much it darkened). Having said that I've got no idea how it would behave with a concentrated extract boil.

 

[Thirsty Boy]

I think people have missed the bit where you said 8L boils -- all those electric options mentioned would boil the absolute bejeezus out of 8L.

If you are thinking of upgrading to AG at anytime - I think a sensible option would be a three ring burner. You can use it on one or two rings for your small boils, and it works perfectly well on a 40L boil too.

If you are sure you wont be playing at higher volumes.. then the two ring burner will be more than sufficient.

 

[haysie]

I think people have missed the bit where you said 8L boils -- all those electric options mentioned would boil the absolute bejeezus out of 8L.

If you are thinking of upgrading to AG at anytime - I think a sensible option would be a three ring burner. You can use it on one or two rings for your small boils, and it works perfectly well on a 40L boil too.

If you are sure you wont be playing at higher volumes.. then the two ring burner will be more than sufficient.

Geez, i wish i could agree, i have a 3 burner (standby only) and it is absolutely useless, I have never timed it getting 35ltr too the boil, but faaaaaaaaaaark it was long time. Saying that, it is a bbq hose and regulator so i didnt really expect anything out of the ordinary, step it up too a medium regulator and i think things would be better. I only use the gas too get me there quicker (240 kettle) if req. if in a rush.

 

[Pollux]

I've fired up my urn 13 times so far. It's a Birko with exposed element and apart from a light haze of calcium in spots (you can get urn cleaner that nukes that) there is no burning on. Recommend an element for sure.

Remind me when I next brew to take some photos of the inside of my Crown when it's emptied...

I always get a layer of stuff cooked onto the element, it washes off with a dishcloth but it has been known to overheat the element and then make it switch off mid boil....

 

[technocat]

A Nasa and a medium adjustable reg is the way to go handles any size up to 80L. A great bit of gear for the money.

 

[Thirsty Boy]

Geez, i wish i could agree, i have a 3 burner (standby only) and it is absolutely useless, I have never timed it getting 35ltr too the boil, but faaaaaaaaaaark it was long time. Saying that, it is a bbq hose and regulator so i didnt really expect anything out of the ordinary, step it up too a medium regulator and i think things would be better. I only use the gas too get me there quicker (240 kettle) if req. if in a rush.

Somethings wrong or you are impatient - I have brewed virtually all my beer on a three ring burner and bog standard BBQ reg, including a number of double batches with a 45L+ starting volume - and it works perfectly well, if without breaking any speed records. So perhaps you have a dodgey specimen?? Or maybe I have a particularly good one?

Its probably not the burner I would suggest for someone who was sure they were going to be doing full volume boils (although I don't plan to change mine any time soon) however the reason I suggest it is because of the ability to run it on one or any combo of the three rings - which makes it suitable for the much smaller boil volume the OP was talking about AND it will (should) certainly do the job on a full volume AG boil if you want it too.

A NASA and medium reg for an 8L boil ??? would you really?