Insulating Kettle

Two Wheeler · July 07, 2014, 10:41:45 AM

Does anyone have any experience insulating their kettle? I'm BIAB'ing and find since I bought a larger pot with more headspace, I'm having a harder time maintaining mash temps, it will drop 5 degrees in 15 mins. The BIAB system is simple, and small which is great since space is an issue currently. I'd like to try this before going the Mash Tun route.

I'm thinking of something like this: http://brewnosers.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=43&t=3570#p46499 . I'm thinking a removable option would be best since I use a propane burner. Alternatively, if I permanently affix the insulation to the kettle, but keep it 4-6 inches above the bottom, would I run the risk of catching fire? I'd think no.

Just wondering if anyone in the club can lend experience/suggesstions.

Roger · July 07, 2014, 11:14:35 AM

When you use propane its harder to permanently insulate due to most insulations will melt. The stuff in the picture is just Mylar bubble wrap so it will melt if it gets too hot. What you should do is make a insulated sleeve that's removable when the fire is on. I use a converted keg as a mash tun with a 1/2 thick closed cell dense foam insulated sleeve looks like a very large upside down can koosie. But you could make one out of that Mylar stuff. You can get it at home depot its used for insulating water heaters. All you need to do is wrap it around a couple times, tape it together with the foil tape, cut out any holes for thermometers or ball valves and insulate the lid. I saw a video on YouTube one time I can't remember what it was called but the guy in the video has a big white beard. He's doing it on a converted keg though. This is mine.

Two Wheeler · July 07, 2014, 11:39:04 AM

That looks good roger. I was looking at this stuff: http://www.homedepot.ca/product/reflectix-staple-tab-16x25/902357 . Which they rate as reflecting 97% of heat back to the source. I'm thinking since my kettle walls are thinner than your keggle that this might be a good idea for me.

Roger · July 07, 2014, 12:49:38 PM

Yea that's the stuff! Its a shiny plastic bubble wrap. Not rated for high heat. But if you make it into a removable sleeve you'll be good to go.

DeMerch · July 07, 2014, 02:19:30 PM

Quote from: Two Wheeler on July 07, 2014, 11:39:04 AM
That looks good roger. I was looking at this stuff: http://www.homedepot.ca/product/reflectix-staple-tab-16x25/902357 . Which they rate as reflecting 97% of heat back to the source. I'm thinking since my kettle walls are thinner than your keggle that this might be a good idea for me.

I bet if you attached some strategically placed velcro strips to that it would work great and be space conscious. You could probably get away with semi-permanently attaching some for your lid with no more fire risk than usual.

Edit: ...says the guy who set his face on fire in front of you.

Two Wheeler · July 21, 2014, 11:05:50 AM

I went to Home Depot and picked up the reflectix wrap and a roll of Reflectix tape for about $25. In about 20 minutes, I was able to make a removable jacket and "hat" for my kettle.

I was really happy with how it turned out, and fit. The disappointing news is that it didn't help much with holding the temps. It dropped 10 degrees (f) in about 25 minutes. I never really experienced this before the new kettle... I feel like I'm missing something here. Would the extra headspace do it? I currently have about 5 gallons of headspace. I think I'm going to make a circle out of reflectix the size of the kettle, to set on top of the mash to contain the heat better.

Roger · July 21, 2014, 11:28:27 AM

If your gonna make a disk I'd get a nice thick piece of Styrofoam and wrap it with reflectix wrap and tape. Then maybe some kind of a handle on top so you can get a nice tight fit. It sucks your having such a hard time with stabilising your temperature. You might need to get yourself a mash tun.

Two Wheeler · July 21, 2014, 11:43:04 AM

That's a good idea roger, I think I might give that a try before getting the tun. I'm not opposed to buying new gear, just looking to keep it simple and small for now.

Two Wheeler · August 25, 2014, 08:46:49 AM

For my latest brew session, I made a disc of reflectix, the same size as the pot and sat it on top of the mash. I was quite alarmed as when I looked at the thermo on the kettle, I had lost 15 degrees in 10 minutes. It turns out the kettle thermo is off, because when I measured the temp with a handheld thermo, it was bang on where it should have been.

I'm guessing that the probe is too short, and the bag/grain get some separation from the side of the pot. Any other ideas?

DandyMason · August 25, 2014, 11:32:13 AM

Pretty sure I have some spare reflectix from insulating my dad's kettle if anyone is interested in giving this a go ..

Jordan I would get in touch with Patrick at OBK if you think theres an issue with the thermometer. Hes great with that kind of stuff.

Two Wheeler · August 25, 2014, 11:37:53 AM

Thanks Dan, I think the thermo is alright since it matches at a few different temps, including the strike temp.

The discrepancy was 10 mins into the mash where the numbers didn't match. I don't know if it was because the kettle probe is lower in the tun, and I was measuring at the top? Or if it's because the "grain bed" (loosely called as it's BIAB) was separated from the probe.