Free kettle insulation idea

[DerekP]

I'm about to do my first BIAB batch and was looking for a cheap way to insulate my 5 gallon kettle. I know reflectix is popular but it's almost as much money as the kettle was in the first place.

I'm an amazon fresh subscriber and when you order frozen food items they deliver it in a bubble foil insulation. I'm not sure if it's actually reflectix or something else?. A little measuring, cutting, and gorilla tape and voilà:

In a test run, I found it lost about 5 deg F from mash temps over the course of an hour. However, with some blankets over it I think it might be up to holding things more consistently. It also helped achieve a boil.

I worry a little about the gorilla tape. Though it's rated to 200 deg F and I avoided tape on the pot-side of the wrap as much as possible, it does smell like tape when the boil is going. Held up fine through the test run though.

In conclusion, if you're at the intersection of people who order their groceries delivered but are still to cheap to buy reflectix, this may be a good solution!

 

[DerekP]

Edit:

In conclusion, if you're at the intersection of people who order their groceries delivered but are still *too cheap to buy reflectix, this may be a good solution! (it won't let me edit and I can't live w/ the same)

 

[cubalz]

I applaud your ingenuity but I am not sure if the juice is worth the squeeze. For example, I bought a roll of reflectix from Home Depot 2 years ago for around $14.00 and I have wrapped 4 kettles (2-20 gal, 1-15gal and 1-10 gal) and still have tons left over. I brew 2 times a month and the reflectix still looks new. Good on you for the concept, I love homebrew engineering.

 

[DerekP]

@cubalz you're right, reflectix is cheaper than I thought when you don't buy a huge roll. This does make me feel a tad less guilty about the packaging waste of amazon fresh though

 

[mongoose33]

I was close at one point to using reflectix on my kettle--actually bought it--when I decided that the plastic core simply won't stand up to a propane burner. It'll melt. If I were doing electric, I think the answer would be very different.

I returned it the reflectix and got my money back.

 

[cubalz]

mongoose33: let's call that a reason for you to finally go electric!!

 

[mongoose33]

mongoose33: let's call that a reason for you to finally go electric!!

Oh, believe me, I've considered it. For a lot of reasons, that's just not on the list right now, including that I don't have enough power in the garage to do it. I'd want to run 220/240 to the garage for that, and it'll be somewhat pricey to do that.

I have one 20-amp circuit in the garage. I'm running two ferm chambers off it which if they're not running, isn't bad, but when they kick in....

 

[Travis K. Jansen]

I have the same stuff and I don't think it's the same as reflectix. I think that Amazon stuff is just foil covered bubble wrap.

 

[wilserbrewer]

With only a five gallon kettle, I would place the kettle in your warm oven rather than bother insulating. Jmo

 

[RM-MN]

I'd just mill the grain fine enough that conversion would be complete before the temperature loss would be a problem. My batches are all done inside on the kitchen range and I find that the temperature loss without insulation is negligible by the time conversion is complete.

 

[DerekP]

An update after trying out this bubble wrap insulation. I'd say it's a no-go and wouldn't recommend it, I ended up with plastic burned onto the kettle! it came off pretty easily but it's not worth the trouble.

I'll probably stick with blankets for the mash and maybe buy some real reflectix if I'm having trouble getting a good boil

 

[BongoYodeler]

I've got a 15 gallon Spike kettle and do biab, here's what I do. I had a HFT coupon for a free mover's blanket with any purchase. Done. That covers the kettle, and then I wrap a sleeping bag around the kettle, over the blanket, and secure it all with two 40inch bungee cords. The first time I used this method I left it alone, no stirring, the mash dropped 1 degree over an hour. My next batch I took it all off at 30 minutes and opened and stirred for 2 or 3 minutes, then put it all back together for another 30 minutes. After the total hour temp dropped about 3.5 degrees. Quick, cheap, and easy.

 

[Brendos]

Im using a yoga mat/camping mat on my Robobrew and it seems to do the trick.

 

[Shawn3997]

I use a cheap Walmart sleeping bag on my 10 gallon pot and it works great. One or two degrees for an hour of mashing. You could probably get a kid's version for your 5 gallon pot.

 

[finished1]

I've got a 15 gallon Spike kettle and do biab, here's what I do. I had a HFT coupon for a free mover's blanket with any purchase. Done. That covers the kettle, and then I wrap a sleeping bag around the kettle, over the blanket, and secure it all with two 40inch bungee cords. The first time I used this method I left it alone, no stirring, the mash dropped 1 degree over an hour. My next batch I took it all off at 30 minutes and opened and stirred for 2 or 3 minutes, then put it all back together for another 30 minutes. After the total hour temp dropped about 3.5 degrees. Quick, cheap, and easy.

I use the exact same thing but put a towel to cover the lid and then wrap in movers blanket with a sleeping bag over. Works great!

 

[IloveWorts]

Will that stuff burn when it gets that hot? What if you use a propane burner?

 

[DerekP]

@IloveWorts yep it'll melt, it melted a bit to the pot even on my electric stove. I wouldn't recommend this idea! Going to leave the post as a record to NOT attempt this.

 

[madscientist451]

I worry a little about the gorilla tape. Though it's rated to 200 deg F and I avoided tape on the pot-side of the wrap as much as possible, it does smell like tape when the boil is going.

It looks like the insulation is held on with bungy cords? Why not just remove the insulation when you boil?

 

[BongoYodeler]

Will that stuff burn when it gets that hot? What if you use a propane burner?

Well I certainly wouldn't cover the kettle with a blanket/sleeping bag with the flame on!! I use a Blichmann burner (natural gas) to get the water to mash temperature, and then turn the flame off and cover the kettle for an hour mash. Then remove the blanket/sleeping bag and the bag of grains, light the burner and continue with the boil.

 

[PADave]

This works great for me, an old winter jacket.

 

[DerekP]

Alright another update in which I backtrack yet again. Brewed again yesterday and wasn't getting a good boil on my stove so I wrapped the insulation around again with the bungee cord. Came through fine this time. I realized now that what I thought was melted plastic last time was actually melted sugars from a little boilover as it reached boiling.

So after using it twice I'd say this idea is of about average quality--the wrap gives enough insulation to let me get a better boil on my electric stove and doesn't actually melt. I still wrap it in a few blankets for the actual mash though.

 

[Tknishi]

With only a five gallon kettle, I would place the kettle in your warm oven rather than bother insulating. Jmo

This is what I do, easiest way for me to keep mash temp.

 

[Doed]

My wife works in a medical lab and gets this type of stuff in delivery boxes. I tried it on my kettle as I also thought it was reflextic but it is not. It melted as soon as I fired up the burner after the mash was complete. I removed it quickly enough to not have a fire or melted plastic mess.

 

[wilserbrewer]

Reflectic is plastic like bubble wrap material as well, it will NOT hold up to an open flame burner either.

 

[SanPancho]

Two layers of reflectix on the kettle and i lost one degree in 45 min on stove top.

The amazon stuff isnt the same. Youd need at least two, maybe three layers.

 

[yourlastchance89]

Mines 4-5 layers thick. I cut crevices so it fit over my kettle, hot glued and duct taped the layers together, and I glued velcro on the front so it can go on and come off at will. When the flame is on the reflextic is off, when it's off I throw it on real quick with a few blankets over it. I never lose heat during my mash

 

[hammy1983]

great use of material. I finally found a use for the moving blankets I've had around my house forever. The ones I have are also fire resistant as well so its great for keeping the heat in. Last mash I lost 1 degree in 60 minutes.