# Biab - Pot Insulation



## drtomc (23/9/08)

Hi All,

I'm planning my first AG, with BIAB, and I'll be doing it outside (which is common), and it occurred to me that putting some insulation of some sort round the pot might be beneficial for helping to maintain temperature.

The kind of thing I had in mind was maybe a sheet of foam from Clark Rubber with some velcro tabs to secure it round the pot. The velcro is important because you wouldn't want the foam on the pot while you are applying more than a very small amount of heat (with a gas burner - electric would be a different story), so you need to be able to attach and remove it easily.

Is this likely to be helpful, or is the thermal mass of the mash enough to render such messing around worthless?

T.


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## katzke (23/9/08)

drtomc said:


> Hi All,
> 
> Is this likely to be helpful, or is the thermal mass of the mash enough to render such messing around worthless?
> 
> T.



I just cover my converted keg with a heavy old blanket. Others get fancy and use the foam camping mats.


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## reviled (23/9/08)

I think the velcro thing is a good idea, ive been thinking of something like this, but at the moment I use SWMBO's fleece blanket, followed by a sleeping bag and I maybe get a 2 degree drop in an hour and a half, I normally bring it back up after an hour and let it rest again...


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## Cocko (23/9/08)

Hey drtomc,

In my limited BIAB experience, 2 batches..... First batch - I wrapped a big heavy wet towel around the kettle with an Ocki strap, wet towel because the kettle walls were pretty warm, and I only dropped a few degrees over the hour mash. Second batch I thought fick it, I will just fire up my burner as temp drops and see if I can keep a more constant heat that way..... I still dropped a couple degrees and had to mess around with lighting the burner, agitating and checking temps etc... BTW this is outside.

I mean with only 2 batches behind me I am sure I will find a better way but this had been my experience so far...

2 cents, hope it helps!

Cocko


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## drtomc (23/9/08)

I was thinking that you could use a bit of foil round the pot at the bottom to deflect the hot gas from the burner away from the foam, so you could leave it on right through the mash.

The other proto-idea I had was to make a giant "pillow case" to put round a ceiling insulation bat to wrap around the pot. I was trying to figure out how to do it so you could leave it on for the boil too. You'd use a lot less gas if you were not radiating heat out the sides. I gave up, because I couldn't think of an easy way of combining flame-proof, bendy, and cheap.  I see the attraction of asbestos. I wonder what material they use for the hot-gloves I've seen used by potters, glass-blowers, etc, etc....

T.


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## gibbocore (23/9/08)

i use sleeping bags for my fermenters in winter, works wonders, i can keep a fermenter at 20 degrees for 3 days, that would usually have dropped to about 14, so you shoul be able to keep a couple of degrees for an hour or two.


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## RobB (23/9/08)

I use a foam camping mat around my kettle and hold it in place with luggage straps - velcro would be even better. I don't turn the flame on during the mash. Between the insulation and the thermal mass of all that water, I lose about two degrees over a 60 minute mash. My efficiency and fermentability are always good.

I don't think you need to use your burner if you insulate your kettle, but if you feel the need to light the flame, get the foam right off the kettle or it will end in tears. Cleaning up sucks on any brewday, but if it involves scraping burnt plastic off your rig it would be ten times worse.


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## drtomc (23/9/08)

Malty Cultural said:


> I don't think you need to use your burner if you insulate your kettle, but if you feel the need to light the flame, get the foam right off the kettle or it will end in tears. Cleaning up sucks on any brewday, but if it involves scraping burnt plastic off your rig it would be ten times worse.



Not to mention explaining to SWMBO that the big boiler (used also for tomatoes and other bottling) is not quite so shiny as it used to be.... 

Point taken. 

FWIW, I am pretty sure the packets of sticky velcro in SWMBO's sewing box came from the supermarket near the shoelaces, or you can get sew/glue-on velcro from the shop where you bought your BAIB Swiss voile. 

T.


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## joecast (23/9/08)

i like the idea of some type of removable insulation. seems like most brewers that biab also no-chill. i still use an immersion chiller so being able to drop temp quickly after the boil is important. anyway, some good ideas like the velcro could be the way to go.
joe


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## reg (23/9/08)

When I BIAB I get a couple of old beach towels and tie them around the pot as well as placing a couple on the lid as well.
Seemed to hold temp Ok for a 90 minute mash..


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## Cocko (23/9/08)

Sounds like the camping mat style foam works a treat... I am thinking of making a jacket/cover out of this kind of stuff:

View attachment 21357


Get it nice and moulded to shape and maybe hinge one side... If you get what I mean...

Then again for the cost and trouble I could probably get a decent mash tun... Hmmm...


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## bouncingcastle (23/9/08)

Sounds like nobody here has seen what happens to that stupid glue on the back of those velcro strips when heat is involved.

It's going to be messy... That glue will unset, run and collect dirt and grime and all other bits of crap around your kettle. It will never come off and you will hate it forever...

Go for it, but this is my warning...

Cheers,
Chris.


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## drtomc (23/9/08)

bouncingcastle said:


> Sounds like nobody here has seen what happens to that stupid glue on the back of those velcro strips when heat is involved.
> 
> It's going to be messy... That glue will unset, run and collect dirt and grime and all other bits of crap around your kettle. It will never come off and you will hate it forever...



Ah. You're thinking of using velcro to attach the insulation. I was thinking of something different - use the velcro as a "buckle" so that when you wrap the insulation round you can join it onto itself. My folks gave me a coffee plunger "tea cosy" for christmas one year that had velcro straps in this fashion - worked a treat until I stopped drinking plunger coffee and switched to an italian percolator.

T.


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## bouncingcastle (23/9/08)

drtomc said:


> Ah. You're thinking of using velcro to attach the insulation. I was thinking of something different - use the velcro as a "buckle" so that when you wrap the insulation round you can join it onto itself. My folks gave me a coffee plunger "tea cosy" for christmas one year that had velcro straps in this fashion - worked a treat until I stopped drinking plunger coffee and switched to an italian percolator.
> 
> T.




Ahh.... That idea I actually like and can see working... Yay velcro 

LOL


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## SDJ (23/9/08)

Have done 12 or so BIAB, my kettle takes 20mins to get to 66c and is uninsulated, the most I have ever had to reheat is light the burner for 2 or 3 mins maybe once or twice (I use a rambo burner)my setup is under he carport and I use a bit of corrugated iron on the windward side of the kettle.


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## gordo_t (17/8/13)

Anyone got any photo's of their BIAB pot insulation solutions ( I tend to do better when visually seeing a possible solution)? I currently use a blanket and sleeping bag but I want to make some sort of "removable" cover (as i use a gas burner -but don't intend to have any flame near the pot whilst the insulation is on). I don't have anything fancy on the brew pot, the only obstacles are a ball valve and the pot handles. Just need idea of something, that sort of slides over / clips on, and can then live wrapped around the brew pot on its shelf when not in use. (rather than steeling a blanket and sleeping bag out of the cupboard from in the house each time).


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## stevem01 (17/8/13)

SDJ said:


> Have done 12 or so BIAB, my kettle takes 20mins to get to 66c and is uninsulated, the most I have ever had to reheat is light the burner for 2 or 3 mins maybe once or twice (I use a rambo burner)my setup is under he carport and I use a bit of corrugated iron on the windward side of the kettle.


Same here, no insulation req, due to the large volume of biab (50L) the loss is minimal, just relight burner occasionally. that's one of the benefits of biab, you can control the mash temp accurately easily (may be different if brewday temp is below 15 deg centegrade  )


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## madawoods (17/8/13)

Carpet offcuts, back to back cut to shape and secured by occy straps. Whatever you have lying around!


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## philmud (18/8/13)

I use an old Doona draped over my kettle. I brewed last night and at about 8pm (14C ambient in my garage) and I lost 2C over 90 mins. I was brewing a saison, so I was mashing low anyway. I usually lose less than 2C when ambient temps are higher.


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## Spiesy (18/8/13)

madawoods said:


> Carpet offcuts, back to back cut to shape and secured by occy straps. Whatever you have lying around!


You don't insulate the top?


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## KingKong (18/8/13)

I find a camping mat with luggage straps, followed by a loose wrap in a blanket combined with the residual heat in the steel of my 4 ring gas burner and I dont lose anything over an hour. Brewing in 14 degree temps outside. 

Camping mat $4. Luggage straps $5. Blanket free. 

Perfect job every time.


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## Robbo2234 (18/8/13)

i just got two windshield screens from super cheap! seems to work well


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## spryzie (18/8/13)

I use an old michelin man jacket.

The jacket also doubles as my fishing jacket.


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## madawoods (18/8/13)

Spiesy said:


> You don't insulate the top?


I throw a blanket over the top when it's cooler, and tuck it into the occy. but them temp barely drops either way


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## Beerisyummy (21/8/13)

I ended up using some left over insulation. Two layers of 8mm with a single Velcro flap for removal. Insulation tape over the open ends so I can give it a hose down after brewing.
The lid has it's own single layer cap that nestles into the pressed steel nicely. 50 Litres of insulated goodness.






The first one I made was pretty damned good at insulating the pot, but I didn't really need it once the pump and heat exchanger started maintaining temps.
The jacket is made of two layers of Aircell with an expanding foam filling. Velcro flaps to secure the two halves. The lid was always covered with a couple of old beach towels.
It was really just a custom made esky without the hard plastic casing.


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## GABBA110360 (21/8/13)

I used a old single doona on sat roughly wrapped and worked a treat 2 deg in an hour


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## MCHammo (22/8/13)

I've got an old doona that I double over and strap around my pot. Then throw an old blanket over the top. Dropped 2 deg in 90 mins. Thinking of making a cover for the doona that I can just Velcro in place.


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## henderjo (22/8/13)

Love this forum for the low tech solutions. I'm an AG newbie using an old blanket - I lose 2deg C over 90 mins too. Which I thought was ok? Not to hijack, but it begs the question is 2deg C acceptable?


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## MastersBrewery (22/8/13)

my limited knowledge and memory lead me to believe 2deg over 90 is fine most conversion is done in like the first 20-30minutes, gurus please chime in and correct me if I'm wrong here.


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## adamh (22/8/13)

i put my pot into an old sleeping bag - lost 1 degree over an hour


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## Damn (23/8/13)

http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/74826-for-sale-armaflex-insulation/?hl=insulation
This is the stuff you want IMO.

http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/73204-insulating-my-kettle-what-material/?hl=insulation#entry1051490
More info here.


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## odi3 (26/8/13)

I use Bungee cords and old moving blankets. The blankets are very dense and when they get nasty I can just put them in washing machine. when kettle is full, I lose 1 Degree every 20 min. I havent insulated the top or bottom yet but plan to in the future.
Pics are here:
Http://www.londonbrewers.ca/blog


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## 431neb (26/8/13)

Adam Breuer said:


> i put my pot into an old sleeping bag - lost 1 degree over an hour


That must be a good sleeping bag or it's really hot where you are.


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