Electric stove top burnt wort

[bartleby913]

So I currently have a 8 in electric coil stove top that I'm using to brew my 5 gallon malt extract brews. When I use the electric coil stove I keep burning my wort to the bottom of my stainless pot. So I have a couple of questions.

For those that use a glass top stove do you ever have burns? Before I spent 6/700 bucks on a stove I want to know if I'm still going to have issues. Wife has been hounding me for a new stove for years and now that I'm into brewing beer I've allowed it.


Second, Anyone have good tips for getting this burnt off stuff of the bottom of the pot?

 

[Sailingeric]

I would recommend that you remove the pot from the heat when adding the extract and stir to make it dissolved before adding back the heat. If doing less than a full boil I would add about 1/3 of the extract.

 

[BlueHouseBrewhaus]

For burned on wort I've made a paste of Oxyclean and let it sit on it for a while. I had a totally scorched pot that I almost tossed because nothing would touch it. Finally tried heating (NOT boiling) some hydrogen peroxide in it for about 20 min and the stuff flaked off using a plastic scraper.

 

[dsaavedra]

Bar Keeper's Friend should do the trick on burnt wort. In the future, remove your pot from the burner when adding extract, add the extract SLOWLY, and only add a small amount of the extract for the duration of the boil, add the majority right at the end of the boil.

Glass stovetops suck for boiling large volumes - it's just not what they're made for. You'd be better off spending $50 and getting a propane burner and taking your brewing outdoors!

 

[TheBrewingBear]

A heavier bottomed pot will scorch less. I did a coil top 1st which sucked. The glass top wasn't much better. Going propane burner makes the wife and I happier.

To clean, boil water in a different pot. Add oxyclean or PBW to scorched pot, then pour the boiling water into it. Use a dish brush with a handle to scrub without burning yourself. You may have ro let it soak a while, but hot PBW works wonders on grime.

 

[bartleby913]

Thanks for the advice. I tried the oxy clean stuff. I got a good amount of it but some of it is baked on pretty good. When I'm stirring the brew before pouring it into the primary bucket there are always a few flakes of burnt stuff.

However when I siphon to secondary I never really see any more so I think it settles at the bottom and doesn't transfer.

Thanks for the burner that was posted. I sent it to a friend that I brew with and we are gonna split the cost. He has a nice little shed that has power and heat in the winter so we can still brew if need be.

For those who brew outside, do you ever have issues with contamination? Pollen, bugs etc? My wife would be SOOOO happy if I stopped doing it in the house. She was complaining last night when she went to the bed that the bedroom still smelled like brew.

 

[jpakstis]

My very first batch was on a glass-top stove and I burnt it. I think it was because I didn't stir it enough when I poured the extract in. I also didn't take the pot off the hot burner but just turned off the burner while I added. Ever since I have paid more attention to stirring and to making sure the pot is off the hot burner and I haven't had any burnt batches. But now I just use a propane burner outside.

 

[JohnSand]

I brew outside on a burner, or inside on a glasstop. My glasstop has the power to boil 7 gallons on it's "Speed Heat" burner, also on the triple ring burner. I do have to be careful with any thinner pot, the bottom will warp. SS or iron goes back to shape, aluminum not so much. I have an old Sears pressure cooker/canner that will take the heat. A warped pot will not sit flat on the glass, therefore not heat well. Usually when brewing inside, I'll do a partial boil, even if it is a grain batch.

 

[kh54s10]

1) When adding extract remove the pot from the burner and stir very well while adding the extract. Then make sure it is well dissolved before returning to the heat.
2) Turn down the heat. You do not need to have a Jacuzzi spa action going, just a rolling action during the boil.
3) You may need a higher quality pot, maybe with a multi layer bottom.