safe material instide kettle

[ryoko]

What is a good and inexpensive material that can be added inside the kettle during the mash phase. Looking to remove some headspace and help to insulate. Was also thinking of wrapping it up in a plastic bag. Does this make sence or am I adding an unnecessary step?

TY

 

[Black Island Brewer]

I don't have any suggestions on what objects you could sink into your mash to raise the level, but two thoughts: first,whatever you use will have a thermal mass, so make sure you preheat it or you could lower your mash temp, depending on how big it is, and second, some folks just lay a layer of food-safe bubble wrap over the surface of their mash to insulate it against the air in the headspace.

 

[ryoko]

Thanks, did not think of the bubble wrap. Not sure how to tell if it is food safe though.

Definitely was not thinking of sinking anything into it, rather floating a foam or other insulating material.

 

[Black Island Brewer]

Thanks, did not think of the bubble wrap. Not sure how to tell if it is food safe though.

Definitely was not thinking of sinking anything into it, rather floating a foam or other insulating material.

Ah, good. I was hoping that was what you meant.

I don't know how to tell what "food safe" is, but I don't know that I would be too worried, given its limited contact time and minimal exposure to the grain. Reflectix wrap, maybe?

 

[broadbill]

I thought the idea of mashing in a kettle is that it could be direct fired, hence removing the need of insulation.

If you don't want to direct fire; why not go to an insulated cooler? They are food safe and work well.

 

[RM-MN]

Use some iodine to check how long it takes for your starches to convert. I think you are mashing way longer than necessary and that you may not need to insulate so much as to cut your mash time. JMHO

 

[wilserbrewer]

Does this make sence or am I adding an unnecessary step?
TY

Adding an unnecessary step IMO.

For small batch BIAB I would stick the kettle in a warm oven. For large batch BIAB I would just wrap the kettle in a blanket, or a towel or two.

I would only direct fire a BIAB kettle if I screwed the original strike temp and needed to add a little heat GENTLY!

Putting insulation inside the kettle seems unnecessary IMO and IME.
Cheers!

 

[jcorn]

My problems have alot to do with headspace with my new kettle I am pretty sure. I am also looking for a solution to my problem for temperature loss. I lost 9 degrees in a 90 minute mash the other day in my new 20 gallon pot with 12 gallons of strike/ 24 lbs of grain AND I used a blanket to surround it the whole time. Keep in mind it was every bit of 29/32 degrees outside. I thought of maybe wrapping it in relecta whatever tape with a blanket and also cutting out a piece of styrofoam to fit on top of my mash the size of my kettle.

 

[RM-MN]

My problems have alot to do with headspace with my new kettle I am pretty sure. I am also looking for a solution to my problem for temperature loss. I lost 9 degrees in a 90 minute mash the other day in my new 20 gallon pot with 12 gallons of strike/ 24 lbs of grain AND I used a blanket to surround it the whole time. Keep in mind it was every bit of 29/32 degrees outside. I thought of maybe wrapping it in relecta whatever tape with a blanket and also cutting out a piece of styrofoam to fit on top of my mash the size of my kettle.

On my last brew day I lost 0.3 degrees during my 10 minute mash. Granted I was inside my house where it was 72 degrees and no wind but I didn't insulate the kettle at all. My brewhouse efficiency was only 85% and after about 10 days of fermentatation my gravity went down from 1.060 to 0.996 using 2/3 of a pack of Belle Saison yeast. What would I have gained by mashing longer? Higher efficiency? More fermentable wort?

 

[Chefboubou]

It doesn't trully answer your question but I personnally insulate my mash keg with a foam mattress I got at Wal-Mart in the camping dep. the foam doesn't absorb water and can be easily cut for all the things that need to go through (valve, therm, etc.).


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[wilserbrewer]

My problems have alot to do with headspace with my new kettle I am pretty sure. .

I've never tried it, but have heard that simply a layer of aluminum foil, shiny side down on top of the grain bed will help reduce temp loss. Are you taking a temperature 5 min after mashing in? I does take 5 minutes at least for the temp to stabilize after doughing in IME. A temp taken immediately will be a false high reading IMO because the grain is still cooling down the strike water and has not fully stabilized.

Maybe try mashing inside, boiing outside? BIAB may not be the best cold weather method unless you really inslate the kettle, or carefully add a little heat to the tun. Likely a 90 minute mash in a kettle at those temps will be a bit challenging.

 

[The_Bishop]

You can add heat to a BIAB while mashing. You need something in the bottom of the kettle, like a cake cooling rack, to keep the bag from making contact. I had a length of nylon string tied to mine so I could pull it out after the mash. When you fire up the burner, *stir*. As long as you are adding heat (on the lowest setting you can muster) you need to keep the mash moving. I used a 'from the bottom up' motion with the long spoon I used as a mash paddle. A circular stir doesn't do much to avoid heat stratification on the bottom, you need to pull the mash up to the top from the bottom.

 

[jcorn]

I've never tried it, but have heard that simply a layer of aluminum foil, shiny side down on top of the grain bed will help reduce temp loss. Are you taking a temperature 5 min after mashing in? I does take 5 minutes at least for the temp to stabilize after doughing in IME. A temp taken immediately will be a false high reading IMO because the grain is still cooling down the strike water and has not fully stabilized.

Maybe try mashing inside, boiing outside? BIAB may not be the best cold weather method unless you really inslate the kettle, or carefully add a little heat to the tun. Likely a 90 minute mash in a kettle at those temps will be a bit challenging.

I stir very well for 10 minutes checking the whole time but especially when done. Don't really ever go back to it until the mash is complete though. I have also done mashouts for 10-15 minutes at 170 degrees but I think I will be stopping that because my beers taste astringent to me.

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[MedicMang]

Not sure if it would work for you, but I use the foil method. I have a 17.5 gal cooler that I do 5 gallon batches in from time to time. There is a lot of headspace in there to lose heat. I started adding foil to the top of the mash and BAM! Barely a degree of heat loss during the mash. Again, I use a cooler, so it might not help you. It sure did for me though.


Sent from Cheese Doodle Land.

 

[ryoko]

Thank you all for the replies. I think I will try out the foil for the next mash. I have been losing about 5 degrees in a 90 min mash, though it got better last time by putting it in a preheated oven. I'm going all fancy next time by ditching the muslin curtain for a custom wilserbrewer bag I just got in. Though I have not brewed with it, I can see it is of A+ quality, Thank you sir.

 

[Chefboubou]

Foil! Aluminum foil has been my saviour so many times why I didn't of it for my mash keggle? Thanks for the trick!


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[Kahless]

I got a round stainless steel serving dish out the pound shop:

While i don't use it for this (was thinking of drilling holes and using it to make a false bottom for the kettle) it is more reusable and easier to apply than foil. It does have more volume to absorb heat though.