Help! My element scorched - but how? What happened?

[Salt Must Flow]

If reducing power to 50% helps, it might warrant installing a 2nd element in the future. Two identical elements operating at 50% should be the equivalent of operating one element at 100% power.

[Tammuz]

beta-glucanase can help with your rye in the mash.

[shadylane]

beta-glucanase can help with your rye in the mash.

+1 on the beta-glucanase, also wipe off any build up on the element between runs.

[higgins]

Looks like the forum is running good again

I've done 2 100% flaked rye mashes in the past year using YLAY
15.5 keg, 5500w element, inline sight glass at bottom of 2" riser, 2" x 20" shotgun condenser

Stripped the (not very clear) beer by heating fast at full power, slowed down when foam showed in the sight glass, then as the foam resided I ramped it up, ending at full power. About 4 hours to do two 7.5 gal runs (1st run preheats 2nd, 2nd preheats 3rd. I also degas by power stirring during preheating).
Stripped the slurry using steam, another 3 hours.

Spirit run heated fast till near drips, then slowed to about 12% power. Once in hearts I go to 15%, tails 50%.

Neither had any hint of a scorch, and my element is clean. Its possible that YLAY breaks down whatever collected/burned on your element.

[Bee]

Maybe try some ViscoSEB L beta-glucanase enzyme. I believe that is made for rye "slime".

[shadylane]

Mashing: I've done 6 AG ferments for Bourbon so far without issue. However, there were two differences between this one and the previous batches:

1) the mash in question had a recipe that contained +30% malted rye, in place of malted barley and malted wheat in the pervious 6 mashes....
2) I was sparging much more this time, to extract as much fermentable sugar as possible from the malt bed.

1) I figure you already see the problem.
Even with a good protocol, "rye slime" coated the element and started the scorch.

2) That ain't the problem, more like a good idea to avoid what happened.
For whiskey, I like the idea of fermenting off the grain and using plenty of sparge water. Nothing wrong with extracting all of the fermentable sugar and having a lower original gravity.

[PalCabral]

beta-glucanase can help with your rye in the mash.

+1 on the beta-glucanase, also wipe off any build up on the element between runs.

Maybe try some ViscoSEB L beta-glucanase enzyme. I believe that is made for rye "slime".

Neither had any hint of a scorch, and my element is clean. Its possible that YLAY breaks down whatever collected/burned on your element.

I've looked for ViscoSEB L and Sebstar L but found very few suppliers that sell it, and the one that do, ships to Europe for $163 (the 4oz container cost $15) - UPS will never get that kind of money from me for a such tiny job. A search for Beta Glucanase also gives a Chinese supplier (Ali) that seems to sell the same type of product, but as usual the English translation is so poor it could just as well be horse stool pills they are selling. Not really sure I want to buy any of the obscure "enzyme" products for sale on ebay et al when the descriptions on the products are so vague.

In yesterday's brewing (the same recipe) I increased the length of the beta glucanase (43C) and protein rests (50C) to 15 minutes each, I am hoping these changes to procedure will have some effect on viscosity forming during fermentation, as I don't have viscosity issues in the mashing process.

But what about YLAY? Higgins raises an interesting question, does YLAY contain beta glucanase which handles the issue with viscosity and "rye slime"?

[PalCabral]

1) I figure you already see the problem.
Even with a good protocol, "rye slime" coated the element and started the scorch.

Yes, thanks, Shady! I see the problem but perhaps not yet the light But yes, the picture is certainly getting more clear now. I have increased the beta-glucanase rest during mashing that I hope will alleviate some of the problem - if I can get hold of beta-glucanase I may buy and use. From now on, when I have rye in the mash, I will run the stripping run much slower and add stirring during heat up, as per your suggestion, to create movement in boiler.

[PalCabral]

If reducing power to 50% helps, it might warrant installing a 2nd element in the future. Two identical elements operating at 50% should be the equivalent of operating one element at 100% power.

Yes, I will probably want to go down that line. The boiler has ports for two element, so it can be arranged.