Recipe critique - American Rye IPA

[Bubbles]

Ouch! What's the story with your elements? You seem to have a lot of trouble with them. Would you consider replacing them? Although, if you're getting a lot of scorching it might point to poor mash conversion.

[Rossa]

What about trying to get your wort into the kettle in the clearest form possible via recirculation the through the grain bed for longer. Should keep the crud off the elements.

[nigel_c]

Not fun. I've gotten into the habbit of always cleaning both of my elements right before first draining of the mash. It's a real pain when an elements kicks off and even worse when the second goes. It has happened to me.
It's just part of my beew day steps now. I find I get a lot of caramilized gunk stuck to the elements. A covering with lighter beers and can scrape if off when brewing big beers.   

[Shanna]

Valueable allround had allready started to recirculate for longer before draining. I also pass the wort through a bazooka screen before it goes in the kettle. Could not do any of this last night as I ended up using a saucepan & sieve,  it was carnage. Real problem is my mill gap & the huge amount of flour in the grits from the rye. I thought I was baking bread. The elements are a symptom not a problem per se. Just too much solid material. Once I change the mill gap & don't use rye :-) & if I still have problems will consider changing the elements.

Shanna

[Bubbles]

Have you considered that the bazooka screen might be the problem? If it's the same type of bazooka screen that is sold by the homebrew shops (and which I have in my boiler) I can't imagine the coarse mesh is the best material for lautering grain. Though I know some people use them and have no problems..

Is it a roller mill you have?

[Shanna]

Have you considered that the bazooka screen might be the problem? If it's the same type of bazooka screen that is sold by the homebrew shops (and which I have in my boiler) I can't imagine the coarse mesh is the best material for lautering grain. Though I know some people use them and have no problems..

Is it a roller mill you have?

Sorry was not clear. I have a candle tray in my mashtun as a false bottom. On top.of that I have a wire mesh that acts like a sieve. I attach the bakooza screen on to the end of the tube that exits my solar pump before it enters the boiler. That is in effect three levels of screen. Normally it works well but last night all.normal.process went out the window. Don't hold out much hope for this beer but who knows it could be just another chapter in my crazy brewing record

Shanna