Methods Of Insulating A Ss Pot For A Mash Tun

[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 would be enough to cover a 50 ltr keg shaped tun.

Cheers SJ

 

[MarkBastard]

I currently have a 40L urn and I have attached a $5 blue camping mat to the outside, held in place with some old belts.

I put the lid on the urn (not insulated) then cover the lid in a towel, then cover the whole thing in a big blanket.

It works well (about 1.5 degrees lost over the hour) but it's annoying using the big blanket. I'd much rather be able to do one of the following.

1 - Insulate the urn with better passive lagging and also insulate the lid of the urn so that I only need put the lid on and walk away.
2 - Make an insulated cover for the whole urn that's exactly the right shape. Like a big upside down stubbie cooler, perhaps even with some straps at the bottom to tighten it so it hugs the urn at the bottom.

I don't know if option 1 would ever give the right performance because the heat would likely find a way out, but number 2 I reckon would give better performance than my current method if done right, and it could be used as an urn cover when the urn isn't in use as well.

 

[Doogiechap]

Browndog's guide is pretty impressive with his expanding foam sandwiched between two stainless pots.

 

[Dazza_devil]

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 would be enough to cover a 50 ltr keg shaped tun.

Cheers SJ

That sounds pretty good. By the time you stuff around trying to find cheaper ways of doing the job it's probably gonna cost more and be inferior. Depends what you are gonna be up for by the time the stuff is installed on your pot, interesting to find out.

 

[Simon66]

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

Use the same works really well, and I still use the sleeping bag for my many camping trips.

Also I have the basic three ring burner with bricks as the stand. The bricks are a heat bank. Heat the strike water in my 40 litre aluminium mash vessel and the bricks heat up significantly. I have actually gained a little increase in temperature over an hour from the hot bricks and sleeping bag insulation.

I also like the idea of removable insulation as it allows me to do step mashing. Depending on the the insulation you use, you may not be able to add a flame to the mash tun to do step mashing or even raising the mash temperature for mash out

Simon