Scorching mash-

[Bavis54]

Well, I tried something I been thinking on for while today. I had 10 gal of all grain wash ready to distill, like usual I poured it thru strainer, n since I used corn meal- it clogged up immediately . So I thought screw it- I'll run it on the grain n go really slow getting up to temp... bad idea. Took forever getting hot n it still scorched the hell outta my wash. Word of advice from someone who jus learned hard way- Don't run corn meal in boiler. I can strain everything else but I'll never use frkn corn meal again. Yuuuuuk this stuff is awful

[RedwoodHillBilly]

Direct steam injection

[NZChris]

Put the corn in a thumper.

[Pikey]

Thanks for teh warning Bavis.

Other people seem to manage to make it work - does a "brew-bag" work with meal ? or does it settle out after the ferment finishes ?

[Opdog]

I use a 15 gallon brew bag with a 20 gallon brute fermenter on ground corn. I ferment on the grain then scoop into a 15 gallon pot with the brew bag as a liner. I have a pulley mounted tô the ceiling with a hook. I hook the bag handles and lift the bag up so that it is just over liquid level of the pot. There is a metal support pole right next to the pulley that I use for a tie off. 15 gallons of saturated corn meal is very heavy.

I'll let gravity do its thing for a while, raising the bag as the liquid drains out. As it starts slow down to a the a drip, I'll switch the pot for the brute and rack the contents of the pot to a carboy.

As it drains I will "milk the cow" working my way around the bag from top to bottom squeezing as much liquid from the bag as I can. It doesn't clog too much, but it is very labor intensive. I'm strongly considering a mop bucket press.

[Bavis54]

I've done the mop bucket press with grain bags and cheese cloth, on cracked corn, barley, rye n everything else I'll do that. Normally I use cracked corn but ground corn gives better conversion. At any rate that's what I normally do , should've jus done it this time but thought with all that goodness stuck in that gooooooey meal I'd try to put in boiler. Very bad idea. Nearly burned the frkn bottom out the pot. My father built a steam rig, and the damn thing used to shake rattle n roll but it never scorched a mash. Used to make me nervous as hell around it even as a kid. But I suppose they could be made safely now. Anyway from now on I'll just strain all my grains n put solids in the thumper. Thank u guys for ur input n help.

[MichiganCornhusker]

Steamers are made safely now but they still shake rattle & roll!
And that's the way, uh huh uh huh, I like it.

Condolences on your scorch, btdt, sniff, dump, move on.

[Fart Vader]

Condolences on your scorch, btdt, sniff, dump, move on.

Yup, like MCH says. It's pretty much a right of passage. You need at least one scorch under your belt to really be part of the club. Oven cleaner and a steel bruch will help with the cleanup on the element.

[MichiganCornhusker]

Or fire!
If you have a boiler that can stand it (not soldered copper!) just turn up the fire, if you're using fire. (Thanks goose)

I've cleaned scorch from my keg this way a few times.

If electric, well, keep scrubbing,

[vqstatesman]

Unfortunately many of us have a scorched story

If and when you plan an upgrade move to steam or a bain marie setup. I'm in love with my BM, mash, ferment and distill on the grain in a single vessel

[Bavis54]

I had always read and heard that if you ever scorch- you'll know it, the smell will be awful... awful doesn't cut it to describe it, the smell is freakn hoooorible like a burnt corn biscuit fart- stupid me I smelled it early on and thought maybe jus maybe it'd be ok..nope. Soon as got about half a pint outta the Liebig I smelled n tasted tiny bit n if I live to be a thousand I'll not forget that horrible stench or taste.

[vqstatesman]

No amount of ageing will fix it either.

I have a few bottles stached away that are a few years old. Still taste like shit I need to tip them out.

[Kareltje]

Lately I got a bit of a scorched mash. Cleaned the copper boiler by cooking water plus washing soda in it. After cooling could scratch the black stuff easily from the bottom.

[papapro]

Hi Guys I did it to but after I put all grain in other smaller stainless steal container then I put that container in the boiler which sits on 10 1/4 inch nuts
and I fill half with water or backset then distill it. after is finished I have paste left in container. From 8 L grain I can still get arond 1l of alcohol

[Truckinbutch]

Well pat me on the back . I've never had a scorch because I've profited from the mistakes of others I read about here .
Constant reading does pay off .

[OtisT]

Well pat me on the back . I've never had a scorch because I've profited from the mistakes of others I read about here .
Constant reading does pay off .

It is said that a wise man learns from his mistakes, and that a really wise man learned from the mistakes of others. Like you, Butch, I'm currently in the really wise category. I'm sure that won't last.

[Truckinbutch]

Well pat me on the back . I've never had a scorch because I've profited from the mistakes of others I read about here .
Constant reading does pay off .

It is said that a wise man learns from his mistakes, and that a really wise man learned from the mistakes of others. Like you, Butch, I'm currently in the really wise category. I'm sure that won't last.

Didn't for me , neither . Created my own mistakes so as to not follow the herd .
Sharing what we learn makes the path smoother for the next fellow if they read before leaping .

[Truckinbutch]

Well pat me on the back . I've never had a scorch because I've profited from the mistakes of others I read about here .
Constant reading does pay off .

It is said that a wise man learns from his mistakes, and that a really wise man learned from the mistakes of others. Like you, Butch, I'm currently in the really wise category. I'm sure that won't last.

Didn't for me , neither . Created my own mistakes so as to not follow the herd .
Sharing what we learn makes the path smoother for the next fellow if they read before leaping .

[Truckinbutch]

Well pat me on the back . I've never had a scorch because I've profited from the mistakes of others I read about here .
Constant reading does pay off .

It is said that a wise man learns from his mistakes, and that a really wise man learned from the mistakes of others. Like you, Butch, I'm currently in the really wise category. I'm sure that won't last.

Didn't for me , neither . Created my own mistakes so as to not follow the herd .
Sharing what we learn makes the path smoother for the next fellow if they read before leaping .

[homebrewer007]

Very wise advice. Not only will a person suffer from a messy and irritating stuck mash, but scorching the grains in any sense is bad juju. I prefer to mash in the mashtun at 152* F for 60 minutes and use my hot liquor tank to recirculate my mash from the bottom of the grain bed gently dropping it on top using a sparge arm. I also include about 1 pound of rice hulls per 10 pounds of grain if I use flaked malts to act as a filter and alleviate the potential of a stuck mash.

I am of the school of thought that I do not want to ferment on my grain bed, and I would much rather sparge to volume and ensure I hit my pre-boil gravity. If I am a few points shy of my target I can add a few pounds of Dry Malt Extract to the kettle to bring up the OG.

Scorching the grains, or even taking the grains to a temp of 175 or higher will extract harsh tannins into the wort/wash along with unwanted proteins which will create a hazy product. I find it easiest to run off from the mashtun by doing a fly sparge and boil the sticky wort leaving the grains behind to make dog treats or toss in the garden as mulch.