Methods Of Insulating A Ss Pot For A Mash Tun

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

a sleeping mat for $5 from Kmart, then the blankets, doonas and towels. I lost a couple more degrees in the last 30 minutes of a 90 minute brew, so I'm going to do this to stabilise temps for the next batch.


Goomba

 

[Cannibal Smurf]

if i can find a cheap supplier, my plan is to make up a neoprene 'wetsuit' with a zipper for my keggle mashtun. SWMBO sister is app a wizard with the sewing machine so i'll be focusing my efforts her way.

Glad I'm not the only one who's thought if this 4*. I just emailed the crew at http://www.bluemonkeycreations.com.au/ for some info, will post if/when they reply.

edit: spulling

 

[Fourstar]

I went with Mrs Hatchy's yoga mat for my 1st BIAB attempt on Monday & lost 14 degrees in an hour. I really need to find a better solution.

the biggest issue with most tuns is deadspace, place a piece of al-foil over the top of the mash and float it. This works surpisingly well.

 

[argon]

I dunno where everyones losing all their heat I tend to lose max 2C over a 60min mash in an uninsulated keggle and I brew outside at night in cold conditions although in QLD so minimum 14C or so most times around 20+. Once Im doughed in I dont open the pot again till mashout last 2 brews I put a bit of foil on top of the grain bed, 1-2C drop max. I reckon if you keep checking for temps youll be losing a fair bit of heat.

Have a search for Browndogs double brewery upgrade hes done a pot in a pot and filled the gap with expanding foam. Its all electric so not suitable for direct firing. But definitely a cool solution for insulating a mash tun.

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

I dunno where everyones losing all their heat I tend to lose max 2C over a 60min mash in an uninsulated keggle and I brew outside at night in cold conditions although in QLD so minimum 14C or so most times around 20+. Once Im doughed in I dont open the pot again till mashout last 2 brews I put a bit of foil on top of the grain bed, 1-2C drop max. I reckon if you keep checking for temps youll be losing a fair bit of heat.

Have a search for Browndogs double brewery upgrade hes done a pot in a pot and filled the gap with expanding foam. Its all electric so not suitable for direct firing. But definitely a cool solution for insulating a mash tun.

Slightly OT, but how bizarre is the weather? Middle of October and cool. Plus I couldn't get to work (CBD) monday because the suburbs to my south were flooded (front page of newspaper).

If I get the ingredients, these wet weekends are perfect for brewing though.

 

[Hatchy]

the biggest issue with most tuns is deadspace, place a piece of al-foil over the top of the mash and float it. This works surpisingly well.

I did use alfoil. I reckon my main problems were the deadspace & the fact that I had it sitting on the 3 ring for the hour. Next time I'll use an extra 5-10L of water & wrap something around the bottom. Maybe having it in the sun would be better than under the carport too.

 

[levin_ae92]

I put a sleeping bag over my 60L pot, and I've never lost more than 1deg over the hour mash!

 

[Dazza_devil]

I've had a look at the outdoor place and they had three different emergency blankets.
One was heavy duty and an actual bag, looked like it would be really effective but 25 bux. Another was like a big foil sleeping bag and the cheaper 4 dollar job just like a thin foil blanket. The heavy duty one looked a bit stiff and had a layer of something enclosed by the outer foil, might be hard to handle.
I'm tempted to enclose my pot completely in one of the sleeping bag ones and seal it up with the camping mat wrapped around the pot inside and have a sleeping bag as an outer layer.
My first batch will have a lot of deadspace as well, it's a partial in a 32 litre pot. I'll try the foil over the mash and maybe I should mash with 4 litres/kg for a greater thermal mass but how much is too thin for a partial mash?

 

[donburke]

I'm tempted to enclose my pot completely in one of the sleeping bag ones and seal it up with the camping mat wrapped around the pot inside and have a sleeping bag as an outer layer.

do you plan brewing in antarctica ?

 

[under]

Until I find something better than what im using, i'll stick with the good old bbq cover. it works a treat, lose about 1 degree over the 90min.

 

[IainMcLean]

Guys;

I looked into this a while back. In the brewshed I have a tin of ceramic dust that you add to paint to make it insulating - the same kind of stuff they paint exhausts with. If anyone's interested I can see if I still have the guy's contact details. I haven't used it yet but the guy who sold it to me has used it to insulate gear at wineries with good results....

 

[brettprevans]

Ok fellas. Been discussed heaps before. Sleeping bags, camping mats, insulation fromhot water heaters (what I have btw), neoprene (the best and most expensive), car insulation, just about everything from Clarke rubber, expandable foam( I also use that)

Whatever u use it will be ok.

Also depends on ur climate. If u r in hot climate all the time u don't want neoprene in case u overshoot ur temp, damn hard too cool down. And vice versa.

 

[Dazza_devil]

do you plan brewing in antarctica ?

No, but it does get bloody cold here in the winter.

 

[ged]

I also bought some stuff from Clark Rubber. It's silver foil on the outside, black rubber in the middle, and adhesive on the inside. Stuck straight onto the mash tun, haven't lost a single degree in 60 mins. Again, sorry but I don't know the name of it, but it was very easy to find. I found one called "Thermobreak" on the internet, and wanted something like it, and I think this is pretty close.

Ged

 

[felten]

What is that stuff they're using at beerbelly for their turnkey brewerys? I remember reading about it a while ago but forgot what it was.

 

[Dazza_devil]

What is that stuff they're using at beerbelly for their turnkey brewerys? I remember reading about it a while ago but forgot what it was.

Expensive

 

[felten]

word

ps. I use a towel, bubblewrap, then a doona for a long mash. The bubblewrap is the really thick kind with large bubbles.

 

[Dazza_devil]

I also bought some stuff from Clark Rubber. It's silver foil on the outside, black rubber in the middle, and adhesive on the inside. Stuck straight onto the mash tun, haven't lost a single degree in 60 mins. Again, sorry but I don't know the name of it, but it was very easy to find. I found one called "Thermobreak" on the internet, and wanted something like it, and I think this is pretty close.

Ged

Ged, how big is your pot and what volumes do you mash?
I was interested in how the camping mat solution can be modified, since I already have one. We don't have a Clark Rubber here but this gives me an idea.
Perhaps if I glue the heavy duty emergency blanket material to the outside of the camping mat, giving it a dual layer. Maybe there is another substance I could glue to the inside to improve it further.

People that use the camping mat, do you cut it to fit under the pot lip and from the top of the base where the side of the pot is vertical, cutting slits for the handles? How do you attach it and are there other solutions for the bottom and top of the pot other than the towels, blankets, etc.?

 

[goldstar]

I believe the insulation used by Beerbelly is called Aeroflex. I think there are a few guys on the forum that have also used it. Check out www.aeroflexinsulation.com Would be great if more information on its use / where to buy etc could be posted.

 

[Supra-Jim]

I spoke to Beer Belly recently, inquiring about aeroflex and they quoted about $55 per linear metre, the roll is approx 1.3m wide. From quick calcs, this vwould be enough to cover a 50 ltr keg shaped tun.

Cheers SJ