scorching honey using electric coil heating?

[Aqualab]

Considering upgrading to a Blichmann Boilermaker brew kettle with the electric BoilCoil. My concern is the electric heating element coil preventing adequate stirring during the boiling process and scorching the honey. Getting tired of using propane in the garage in the winter (or anytime for that matter) to boil the wort and then either gravity flow to the holding vessel located in the basement via tubing or boiling a smaller batch in the garage and adding water to holding vessel in the basement and then adding water to final volume/level. Too cold and just too much of a PITA. I'd rather have my entire operation in the basement for year round use. Any experience out there with electrical heating kettles? Thanks

 

[wildmazer]

if you casn set the thing to the sweet spot - hot enough to 'cook' or boil but not hot enough to create too much foam-up - stirring isn't necessarily an issue. i guess the volume would have to large enough to take whatever expansion the honey does go through, too.

 

[bernardsmith]

Hi Aqualab, If you are making mead then there is no need to boil or even heat honey. Wine making is not brewing. If you are making bochet, (caramelized honey mead) then all you do is place the honey in an iron or ceramic pot with a lid (I use my slow cooker's pot) and cook it in the oven at 350 F for a few hours. No scorching, no propane, no garage , and no pain in the neck or arse.

 

[Aqualab]

I'm thinking about 6-gal batches using a 10-gal kettle and 120-volt coil - no hurry to bring to temp, but I will probably still want to stir it to prevent scorching on the coils. The coil only knows on and off, so it will run full which could/would burn the sugar. So I don't bring the must to a boil, I just heat the must enough (160 degrees or so?) to dissolve and blend together?

 

[wildmazer]

oh, i guess i thought you were talking about intentionally burning the honey, a la bochet. agreed with bernard, no heating necessary for making a regular must. just stir.

 

[bernardsmith]

A paint stirrer (sanitized and not used for paint) attached to a drill will mix the honey without any problem. I pour my honey into my blender and mix that way.. The honey is at room temperature and if it seems to be too thick to pour I place the honey jars in a pot with warm water (off the heat ) for five minutes to increase its viscosity. I think folk used to heat the honey to remove the wax but unless your honey is mixed with wax I would keep it well away from any heat source. All you are doing is destroying the aromatics..