Brewing on Electric and IPAs

Walts Malt · Posted: Mon Jan 19, 2015 8:19 pm Post subject: Brewing on Electric and IPAs

I read this over at the AHA forum in the following URL AHA Forum. Any thoughts on this? I hope he's wrong as I just ordered my control panel a few weeks ago. Very Happy

Any thoughts on these comments? I figure there are enough people here who swear by their electric systems that either this is a myth, or an issue that is easily overcome. I'm becoming less and less of an IPA fan as time passes, so if it's only IPAs it doesn't crush me.

"Hope this doesn't ruffle any one's feathers but, after brewing on one for about 2 years I'd recommend against an all electric system. I never want to brew on one again. Not that I hated it, I just think that the element creates some different flavors with the hops when you are doing IPAs. And if you get any scorching at all the batch is ruined. And it is a PITA to clean the element. Direct fire (or steam) all the way. Now, electric HLT is preferable.

Instant hot water heaters rock, especially if you can get industrial ones that pump out 170-180 degree water. Grain mills that turn grinding grain into a task of minutes are awesome (MM 3.0 is just a friggen kick ass mill.). Spiedel tanks kick ass, so easy to clean and rack and hold an entire batch and easy to carry. These are all the types of upgrades I have made for my 12 gallon home brew system. I like to save time during the brew day. That's the best way to spend your money IMO."

chastuck · Posted: Mon Jan 19, 2015 9:27 pm Post subject:

I've been brewing for over 40 years, always on electric and always using elements in direct contact with the wort. I think it's absolute rubbish. Indeed, I recently brewed a Jaipur IPA clone and friends sampling it did not believe that I had made it. They thought I had emptied real bottles of the stuff into my keg just to impress them!

**kal** · Posted: Mon Jan 19, 2015 9:47 pm Post subject:

Maybe they were not using ULWD (ultra low watt density) elements like most of us do and not cleaning properly? I don't know, I can't explain it. Though I've had many beers from other electric brewers that use high density elements (not ULWD) and the beers were all good too. I make mostly hoppy beers myself (as the recipes section of this site shows). I've only entered on IPA in a contest. It came in first place.

A blanket statement like they're making where they don't recommend any electric setup just because it's electric is illogical.

I get 100's of emails/week from people building electric setups. There are thousands (if not tens of thousands built). These issues are not things I read about or things people email me about. I spent a couple of years scouring the 'net and forums before I started building and never read or heard of issues like this. If it was even something that could remotely happen, I wouldn't have gone electric.

One of the commercial brewers even prefers it due to less caramelization. They had this to say:

**kal** · Posted: Mon Jan 19, 2015 9:53 pm Post subject:

Read a bit further, they did say they used:

"Low watt density 5500 w (the crooked ones). The regular water heater elements scorch regardless of what you do."

So no idea. The idea that a regular water heater element will always scorch doesn't make any sense either. Neither does the recommendation of installing the heating element 1/3 of the way up the kettle.

I don't doubt he noticed something, but I don't understand how it could be because of electric.

He talks about the 'sharper' hoppiness. Maybe he stopped using gypsum as much when he switched from electric to gas, or his water profile changed (maybe he changed cities?). Who knows.

Kal

Ben58 · Joined: 14 Aug 2011 Posts: 409 Location: Hamilton, Ontario

Easy answer. I read some of the postings and he brews 2 gallon batches. No wonder he ran into carmelization issues.

Walts Malt · Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2015 3:03 am Post subject:

Thanks for the replies. Figured that was the case, but thought I would check to see what people said. Doesn't change my plans for the brewery, which is in the earlier stages of the buildout.

foomench · Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2015 5:52 pm Post subject:

If I took the original post seriously, I think a blind taste test would be in order. Make a good quantity of wort (so you can boil more than just two gallons) and boil half on propane, and half electric, with the same hops; then pitch from the same yeast starter, ferment in the same place ...

Ben58 · Joined: 14 Aug 2011 Posts: 409 Location: Hamilton, Ontario

Kevin59 · Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2015 10:25 pm Post subject:

Kevin59 · Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2015 10:32 pm Post subject:

Well I don't brew IPAs so I can't comment on that particular aspect. But if I can make a nice "delicate" blonde ale on my electric brewing setup, and detect no off flavors whatsoever that might come from scorching the wort, I can't imagine how electric heating elements would change the flavor of an IPA. Certainly the pale ales, porters, stouts, ESBs and so on have exhibited no such off flavors after my first 31 batches on the system.

IMHO you cannot go wrong with the electric brewing approach. For me it was the best choice I could've made after 20 years of jet propane burners and glowing red keggle rims. Follow Kal's build instructions and make sure you have GFCI power and electric is a much safer and far more pleasurable homebrewing experience.

Mug