turbid mash- burnt elements

[wilfh]

Hello all,
I’ve just attempted a turbid mash which was a bit of a user upper

Mashing went ok but all went wrong when on the boil.

50% Maris otter
10% flaked barley
10% torrified wheat
5% wheat flour
5% light DME

2 hr Boil with 20g aged bramling hops

What went wrong. I have a 50L stainless steel pan with 2 2.5kw elements and by the end of the boil. I’m not really sure why and I’ve never had it happen before. I suspect that it must be the flour but didn’t think that there would be enough.

There was no smell of burning but is evident in the taste- I’m hoping that it will age out in a year or two!

I’ve had to take the elements out to scrub them and there is still residual carbon on them. I’m not sure what to do next.

Any suggestions as to why it happened, what I do to avoid it next time and how I get the elements spotless again?
Cheers
Wilf

[Jocky]

Hello all,
I’ve just attempted a turbid mash which was a bit of a user upper

Mashing went ok but all went wrong when on the boil.

50% Maris otter
10% flaked barley
10% torrified wheat
5% wheat flour
5% light DME

2 hr Boil with 20g aged bramling hops

What went wrong. I have a 50L stainless steel pan with 2 2.5kw elements and by the end of the boil. I’m not really sure why and I’ve never had it happen before. I suspect that it must be the flour but didn’t think that there would be enough.

There was no smell of burning but is evident in the taste- I’m hoping that it will age out in a year or two!

I’ve had to take the elements out to scrub them and there is still residual carbon on them. I’m not sure what to do next.

Any suggestions as to why it happened, what I do to avoid it next time and how I get the elements spotless again?
Cheers
Wilf

It was probably the flour. I have had the same thing from using lots of wheat malt - it seems to produce more flour than barley and with less husk to filter it out. The only answer I've found is to give the mash a really good recirculation until the flour is all filtered out, and use some oat husks to help with lautering. It'll make it easier if you don't put flour in the mash in the first place too .

I also mash for longer when using a lot of wheat to make sure all the rough starches get converted to sugars - you can see this happens when the wort clears.

Scrape off a bit of the charred crud from the element, and then stick them in a bath of citric acid - you can buy it in crystals from wilko quite cheaply, or certain descalers (like Killrock) are just ready mixed citric acid. Overnight in a bath of it and it should then chip off in chunks.

When I had this happen I tipped the whole batch post fermentation. It was fine before fermentation, but tasted like an ash tray after.

Good luck.

[Fil]

+1 for a citric acid soak, a SS pan scrubie should shift any residue post overnight soak.

[beer baron]

Hi
I had burnt on crud on my element a couple of days in oxi sorted mine
Pete