Mash Kettle insulation ideas

[Michael_biab]

Hi all, Need your opinion on insulating my mash kettle. I do all grain, BIAB, have a 15 gallon kettle, and am currently using R13 wall batting insulation wrapped around the kettle held in place by bungee cords (several layers).

Pro = low cost, highly effective, and relatively simple (remove for boil). Con = falls apart over time (not very durable) and a bit messy (parts flake off etc)

I like the insulation that looks like aluminum foil covered stuff used for duct work, but it has a very low R value (around R3). Even multiple wraps won't come close to what I have now.

Recommendations based on what has worked for you? Thanks in advance!!

 

[Brew Cat]

I use 1 or 2 wool blankets and dont lose more than a couple deg. I do mash inside though. Outside I used a cooler tun.

 

[Zambi]

Duvets or sleeping bag
I only brew small amounts and I put the whole kettle inside a cooler box that is lined with a duvet

 

[Ward Chillington]

Here's a cheap bastard'$ solution...as long as you're not applying any direct heat, I've recycled Amazon bubble wrap envelopes duct taped together. They can get wet and will not loose any insulation quality like sleeping bags and such. Double and tripple the layer for greater insulation. I've wrapped my transfer tube switch them too so my sparge water keeps its temperature while going from my HLT to the mash tun in the really cold weather when I brew in the garage.

 

[Brew Cat]

if your using a kettle use a false bottom even if your BIAB and apply heat and stir every once in a while. I did it like this on large batches. I've gone back to 5 gallon batches and its obviously much easier. Another thing is don't be to anal about it. bring your temp a degree or so above your target and let it drift through. A degree or 2 above and below is not going to make a difference

 

[Sandy Feet]

It depends on ambient temperatures. If mid 40's F or above, I can put a couple of towels and the lid on my kettle, and it holds heat fairly well that way. If getting into down into 40s, I will push the stike water a couple of degrees higher. I use about the same size kettle.
I may have that issue next Saturday as it will not be very warm here next week, at least by our standards.

 

[Semper Sitientum]

There’s another con - the health effects from breathing in that crap. There’s a reason you’re supposed to wear a respirator, cover your eyes and skin and take cold shower after handling insulation. Some of the fibers are also probably getting into your wort.

That being said, here’s some constructive advise - Before I went the AIO route, I made one of these for my kettle and it worked very well:
https://fermware.com/reflectix-insulation-jacket-for-your-mash-tun/

 

[Brew Cat]

My pet peve is working to hard at this. Been there

 

[Over The Cliff Brewing]

If you're brewing inside such as stove top (like me), 2 or 3 heavy towels work well. The bigger the towels the better.

 

[Donoroto]

Hi all, Need your opinion on insulating my mash kettle. I do all grain, BIAB, have a 15 gallon kettle, and am currently using R13 wall batting insulation wrapped around the kettle held in place by bungee cords (several layers).

Pro = low cost, highly effective, and relatively simple (remove for boil). Con = falls apart over time (not very durable) and a bit messy (parts flake off etc)

I like the insulation that looks like aluminum foil covered stuff used for duct work, but it has a very low R value (around R3). Even multiple wraps won't come close to what I have now.

Recommendations based on what has worked for you? Thanks in advance!!

They sell fully-encapsulated fiberglass batts. Or just get some plastic sheeting (think plastic bag) and make an encapsulated piece, using packing tape or duct tape.

Fiberglass dust us not as bad as Asbestos, but it still is bad.

 

[Brew Cat]

Old sleeping bag?

 

[Craigerrr]

here is an "inside the box" idea that I just had...
Get a box, or make one from cardboard boxes that is as tall as your kettle, and big enough to be a few inches wider than your kettle.
Wrap your kettle with cellophane cling wrap.
Fill with expanding foam insulation.
Once cured, cut into a clam shell shape, shape the exterior as you wish using a knife or saw..
Might be a good ide to first make sure that the expanding foam doesn't act as a solvent and melt the cling wrap.
as an example, this is how expanding foam is used for packaging

 

[Michael_biab]

Thank you everyone for such great responses and ideas!! I really appreciate it , gonna tackle this very soon!! Outdoor temps have been brutal here in Ohio winters, with temps around 10 F sometimes so gonna have to do something better than what I've been doing!!

 

[Sandy Feet]

Yikes!
That is when it is time to go inside and get an electric burner and a 220 plug.
I was bitching about 42 the other morning.

 

[Mont Y. Märzen]

Initially, my brewing buddies and I used the shiny bubble-wrap style insulation you mentioned. After a few batches, we figured out that we could layer it, but with spacers (using strips of it for the spacers) to increase the R value considerably. We also used actual ducting tape to assemble and enclose it, and we made a 'hat' for the lid. That worked okay, but even in chilly months on the Gulf Coast, it wasn't enough to hold steady temp so we resorted to relighting our burner super-low in spurts. (without removing the wrap —too much trouble) Eventually, that started to melt the wrap of course, but we got about 25 brews out of it. That wasn't so terrible for the cost and effort of assembly.

Other solutions are an immersion heater, or a HERMS/RIMS system.

Rather than spend more money on equipment, or another wrap, I've changed my mashing schedule to doughing-in at tap temp (which is usually 70–80℉ for me) and then firing my burner *really* low to get about a 1℉ rise per minute, paired with recirculation and occasional stirring. (every 10 min) This results in a mash that goes through all of the 'rests' continuously, then I hold in the 150+ range until conversion is nearly complete, (not sweating losing 5–10° at this point) then re-fire and ramp (again, slowly) to 168℉ for mash out. This not only cut my brew day by utilizing the ramp times, but also keeps direct fire on the mash (I have a false bottom BIAB) and no haggles about maintaining/losing temp. (the amount of gas power needed to get that slow rise or hold temp will vary with ambient, but not usually within the same brew day, so it is a dial-it-in and leave it thing)

If you're dealing with really cold temps, likely just mashing in as normal and then holding it under low direct fire will suffice. Yeah, it burns more gas, but it is easier than futzing with unwieldy insulation methods. Of course, you absolutely need a good false bottom/stand-off if using a bag or you'll melt it.

(yeah, even a *brand new* sleeping bag from a discount store would work just fine, but I'm skittish enough not to put one over a kettle attached to a burner, so it is either remove the tank, or move the kettle first, and that be just another chore, or would suck with a full mash, but that's just me.)

 

[Brew Cat]

I have to chime in here. I'm lazy so after trying all types of mashing techniques I've settled on BIAB indoors. I went from 3tier fly sparge to batch sparge in a cooler before getting into BIAB. I even did that outside for awhile. Then I got smart and started grabbing those big coffee urns at tag sales for peanuts. Oh yeah I'm cheap as well as lazy. Anyway they heat water to 190 f consistently and hold it there. Perfect. I have 3. So inside I went for mashing. I do it with a sparge because then I can carry to half buckets with half the wort and half the weight out to the garage door for the boil.

 

[Zambi]

I have to chime in here. I'm lazy so after trying all types of mashing techniques I've settled on BIAB indoors. I went from 3tier fly sparge to batch sparge in a cooler before getting into BIAB. I even did that outside for awhile. Then I got smart and started grabbing those big coffee urns at tag sales for peanuts. Oh yeah I'm cheap as well as lazy. Anyway they heat water to 190 f consistently and hold it there. Perfect. I have 3. So inside I went for mashing. I do it with a sparge because then I can carry to half buckets with half the wort and half the weight out to the garage door for the boil.

That was my plan and I still have a big urn standing.
But then I moved to a place with no power....
2500 watt on a 5 kva system with only 2 sets of panels (1000 watt max per set) is pushing it, so not using it now..
But I see more panels coming in the near future

 

[Donoroto]

…and you’re all set in case you need 65 cups of coffee for an emergency…

 

[Brew Cat]

…and you’re all set in case you need 65 cups of coffee for an emergency…

yes true I do make coffee in one at parties another benefit for sure