Why do we get scorched wort

[joshuahardie]

Hi All,

I've been having an on and off issue with an element scorching and burning the malt.

Once or twice I just put it off to bad technique, but it has happened to me today, and I am at a loss why it happened.

Simple grain bill of 50% pale and 50% wheat 45 mins into the boil i can smell ash, and the wort has turned dark brown. The thing was an utter waste so i tipped it.

Seeing this is happening randomly not every time, what on earth can make one wort scortch and the next be fine.

if it matters it has never happened with a over the side element, but this is with one of those 2400w craft brewer ones, which i am pretty sure is the keg king style one.

I am all ears on possible ideas cause i have none.

Josh

 

[TimT]

I've never had that problem, I just do mine on a pot over the stove and it's fine every time. The only time my wort gets scorched is when I do it deliberately!

Maybe some of your equipment is borked/unreliable. What's your system? Heat distribution over an open flame can happen unevenly - it's true that I've frequently noticed things like heat pockets at certain stages of the brew - and perhaps this could result in scorching.

My thoughts, anyway!

 

[GalBrew]

What is the density on the KK element? It is probably higher than an OTS element as there is less element, but similar output.

I like good old fashioned fire to boil my wort. Keep the elements to the HLT and HERMS.

 

[Online Brewing Supplies]

Hi All,

I've been having an on and off issue with an element scorching and burning the malt.

Once or twice I just put it off to bad technique, but it has happened to me today, and I am at a loss why it happened.

Simple grain bill of 50% pale and 50% wheat 45 mins into the boil i can smell ash, and the wort has turned dark brown. The thing was an utter waste so i tipped it.

Seeing this is happening randomly not every time, what on earth can make one wort scortch and the next be fine.

if it matters it has never happened with a over the side element, but this is with one of those 2400w craft brewer ones, which i am pretty sure is the keg king style one.

I am all ears on possible ideas cause i have none.

Josh

Do you use it for the mash or just a boil ?

 

[pat_00]

I had some scorching issues with my KK element, but only with 50% or higher wheat beers. Solved it by striring as much as I could while ramping to boil.

 

[joshuahardie]

As a bit more detail, I am doing biab so the element is in the pot for both the mash and the boil, but the element is never on when the grain is in the pot.

I am not sure of the density of the KK element

 

[joshuahardie]

pat_00

thanks for the input. This beer did have 50% wheat and it does look like when it has happened before the beers have had a significant portion of wheat malt.

So you have had good results in just having a constant stir while it is coming up to boil, or do you need to stir continually during the boil

I am wanting to do another beer this weekend, but it is a belgian, so it is 90% pils, so i expect no issues

 

[Online Brewing Supplies]

Looks like what I was going to mention either unconverted starch or protein getting baked on.
Nev

 

[joshuahardie]

Nev, is there any way to avoid this, I do a long mash, so I don't think it is unconverted starch, but I havnt done an iodine test.

So how do I stop protein baking on. Just the stirring

 

[Online Brewing Supplies]

I would do a iodine test to be sure , iodine is cheap and the test simple.
Make sure you have full conversion before turning on the element.
If its proteins then its more difficult, movement may help for sure, worth a try. You could always dilute the wort more then boil longer, this may help by lessening the concentration or proteins.
If you do get a build up on the element make sure its all removed well otherwise it will attract more buildup and the more it gets the more it burns.
Nev

 

[jimi]

Keep stirring and keep the mash moving is my only suggestion, however I've just got back from a week end brewery tour which included the prancing pony brewery. They make great beers and have chosen to heat their mash via fire rather than steam jacket to get more of these caramelising flavours from light scorching. They're Amber, Indian red and copper are brilliant! They've inspired me to try ramping steps using the immersion element rather than water infusions in my ambers and such

 

[pat_00]

Yep it solved the issue. That said I never had it burn so bad it affected flavour noticeably, but my hefeweizens were a tad darker than they should be.