Oven or towel for partal mash?

I've read some people turn their stove to the lowest setting (usually 170) turn off for a few minutes and put their mash pot in. I've also read a lot of people just wrap their pot up with a towel or sleeping bag.

I'm going to do my first partial mash (an oatmeal stout), what's the best way to hold my mash temp with a BIAB setup?

I use the oven method. Turn to 200F hold it for 10 min. Turn off and put the mash in. Keeps my temp within 1 deg for an hour.

I put the lid on my pot and zip my winter jacket around it.. Never lose a degree

I use left over refletix used to wrap the hot water tank. I used Velcro strips to close it around my pot.

juggaleo said:

I put the lid on my pot and zip my winter jacket around it.. Never lose a degree

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Dito here. I have a winter hunting coat that has a thinsulate lining surounded by this poofy stuff inside the coat that traps air around the thinsulate. Air is a great insulator in this combination. I set the coat open on the island right behind me from the stove & set two pot holders on it. Then set the BK/MT on that & flip the hood over the kettle,wrap the coat sides around it. Then tie the sleeves around that. I do BIAB for PM as well,with my flaoting thermometer in the kettle lashed to the handle. This allows me to keep the lid seated all around the kettle to hold heat in. I've actually measured a 1 degree rise after the 1 hour mash. I suppose it's from the steam,which comes out when I open it.

I just leave the lid on with a digital thermometer I drilled for the top. loses maybe 1 degree during the mash, and that's only when I open it to give it a stir.......

Was thinking of using an electric blanket. Anyone try that before?

Might not be a bad idea if you can get the heat level set right...

Cool, thanks for the replies! I think I'm going to go the winter coat route

I also have a heating pad that I'm going to do a test run on low to see what the temp is at, great idea drakerebel!

Sleeping bags work well also if you have one lying around

Pelican521 said:

Cool, thanks for the replies! I think I'm going to go the winter coat route

I also have a heating pad that I'm going to do a test run on low to see what the temp is at, great idea drakerebel!

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OP what are you using to do your PM? I'm thinking about buying a Coleman beverage cooler with spigot like this one to do my first PM.

Originally I was thinking of the cooler route when researching doing a partial mash but after reading DeathBrewer's sticky on doing a partial mash, I've decided to keep it simple with a BIAB setup (which is what he does).

So as far as the mashing goes, I'm going to do it in one of my brew kettles (depending how much grain and volume I need. My plan is to wrap a heating pad around it followed by a Iron Man sleeping bag I'm going to hijack from my son

With the BIAB technique, the only additional piece of equipment I need to buy is a $6.00 large mesh bag.

That's about all that's needed for BIAB. I got a 5G paint strainer bag at my lhbs marketed by LD Carlson. I just happened to remember it when going for a couple other things. Otherwise,I use the same 5G kettle & other things I already have. I did get a dial thermometer for the sparge water kettle while the floating one is lashed inside the mash tun.

I use an old comforter that my dog chewed one corner off when she was a puppy that I wrap around the brew pot. In the spring, summer, and fall, I never lose a degree. When I brew in the winter, I might lose a degree or two and have to fire up the propane every 15-20 minutes depending on how cold it is outside, but the blanket does a good job of keeping my temperatures steady outside of brewing in January or February.