Holding mash temps.

[ssgumby]

I'm doing research now to plan a BIAB brew. My issue is I boil outside in a large bayou 16 gallon kettle on a propane burner. I have no issue doing full volume or bringing to a boil.

My concern is outside air temps will be in the 40's. If my target is 155 I can bring it up to 170, then insulate it with reflectix wrap and bring it into the garage where it will be upper 50's. I still think it will be hard though to maintain 155.

I was wondering if anyone has ever used an electric griddle? I can get a 1500 watt large electric griddle and could plug it in the garage, set my kettle on that. While it certainly will not heat up my kettle, I think it may help alleviate some heat loss.

Thoughts?

 

[Finlandbrews]

It will help alleviate heat loss and your reflectix will help tremendously. I'm not sure of moving a 16 gallons kettle full of hot wort though... What I have is 3200 watts heating element with reflectix indoor and I biab. I have very little heat loss maybe 4 F in 60 mins. Put the lid on during mashing as well it will also help.

 

[pricelessbrewing]

Don't move your wort.

Insulate it as best as possible. Use the reflector then throw in a bunch of towels or blankets.

 

[ssgumby]

Thanks for the replies!

Not moving the wort is an issue as I cant run the propane in the garage and it is too cold out to maintain mash temp even with the reflectix.

The initial move won't be bad as it is just water and certainly won't be 16 gallons. Once to temp I will bring into the garage and add the grains, sit on the griddle and let it mash.

After mash is done, I will remove the grains and carry the wort out to do the boil.

Im thinking for a 5.5 gallon batch I will need around 7 gallons or so.

I move it now when I chill as I boil outside but need to move into the garage where my chiller connects to the utility sink.

 

[ThomasPaine]

Is is aluminum or ss? Thin ss kettles are not meant to be moved while full of liquid. Not sure about being half full though.

Sorry read your post. Looks like you have moved it several times now

 

[iijakii]

Yeah moving a full pot just sounds miserable on all counts. I'd buy a utility cart at the least.

 

[Beer-lord]

I brewed this week when the outside temps were 44 and I just list the burner every 15 minutes or so during the mash and let it raise a degree or two. A bit of a pain but for the few times I brew in cold weather, it's not a big deal.
I don't wrap but have been thinking about it.

 

[ssgumby]

I brewed this week when the outside temps were 44 and I just list the burner every 15 minutes or so during the mash and let it raise a degree or two. A bit of a pain but for the few times I brew in cold weather, it's not a big deal.
I don't wrap but have been thinking about it.

Maybe i'll give that method a shot on a test run. Ill bring it to 155, shut down and wrap. Monitor and unwrap fire up as needed.

 

[wilserbrewer]

I would judiciously apply heat rather than trying to move the kettle.

Low flame and lots of stirring, just keep within a range and you'll be fine.

 

[bondra76]

heat every 15-20 mins + stirring

$0 solution

 

[pricelessbrewing]

heat every 15-20 mins + stirring

$0 solution

Not quite true, fuel costs money...

 

[wilserbrewer]

Haha good point PB...

Well the other option the OP discussed was to carry the heavy Kettle to a warmer location, that takes work and burns calories as well

Nuttin free in this world.

Agreed, insulation may be the best path.

 

[bondra76]

Check out spray foam insulation if you are really bent towards the insulation route.

It's a pretty dang cheap option and you could customize the mold so that you'd just slide your kettle off and on to the mold (if you're using a propane burner just maybe make the grade of the mold like a foot above the ground?)

If I was going the insulation route I'd definitely be doing spray foam!

 

[schematix]

Inexpensive 120V RIMS tube and controller?

 

[joshesmusica]

Tough predicament, but I like the spray foam idea. Especially if you first just wrapped your kettle in some aluminum foil, and then sprayed all around the sides and the bottom in order to make the mold. Then all you would have to do is just lift it in and out of the mold each time. And then I would wrap that in a wool blanket, and then a down-feather blanket. (I brew inside, but mash in a plastic bucket. I use a wetsuit, then a couple of wool blankets, then a down-feather blanket.)

Or you could just have a bunch of wool and down feather blankets ready that would be dedicated mash blankets, since they would get all dirty from being outside, and have the possibility of spilling wort on them.

 

[bondra76]

I'm not even sure you would need blankets around a foam mold. That foam stuff is super insulating.

 

[joshesmusica]

I'm not even sure you would need blankets around a foam mold. That foam stuff is super insulating.

Maybe not, depends how cold we're talking. It would for sure lose heat from the top/lid, so I would at least throw one over the top. Although I suppose you could easily make a spray-foam lid as well.

 

[ThomasPaine]

Inexpensive 120V RIMS tube and controller?

Can you give a link? I've shopped for pre built on Amazon, but only one choice and we're talking $300

 

[enkamania]

I brewed in the 40's last weekend. I use a hot water heater blanket around the sides and a blanket on top. I did not lose a degree during a 45 minute mash.

 

[mcodville]

Thanks for the info guys, I was planning on doing my first biab next weekend. Only problem is it's about -10 Celsius here. I wonder how well insulation would work at that temp, I know by the time January comes around it will be -30 here so brewing will probably be on hold until spring.

 

[bondra76]

One of the biggest benefits of BIAB is the ability to have direct heat on the mash. Take advantage!

 

[mcodville]

If I put my burner on the lowest setting would that maintain the temp in cold weather? Or should I just start it up for a few minutes every 10-15min?

 

[bondra76]

I have done it both ways. Really depends on your system. Stir often and take temps.

 

[Onkel_Udo]

Thanks for the info guys, I was planning on doing my first biab next weekend. Only problem is it's about -10 Celsius here. I wonder how well insulation would work at that temp, I know by the time January comes around it will be -30 here so brewing will probably be on hold until spring.

No offense but how do you keep Propane flowing at -30 C? Anything below 8 F (-13 C) and I have to keep the tank in hot water bath and occasionally pour hot water over the regulator to thaw it. This is starting with a tank at 16 C before moving to the garage.

 

[tknice]

I zip a jacket up around my 15 gal pot if I don't feel like firing the burner.

 

[mcodville]

No offense but how do you keep Propane flowing at -30 C? Anything below 8 F (-13 C) and I have to keep the tank in hot water bath and occasionally pour hot water over the regulator to thaw it. This is starting with a tank at 16 C before moving to the garage.

I didn't know that, maybe I won't be brewing at all this winter. I just started brewing last spring haven't gone through a winter yet

 

[Onkel_Udo]

I didn't know that, maybe I won't be brewing at all this winter. I just started brewing last spring haven't gone through a winter yet

In theory it should work to -42C. My experience is different.

Fuel mixes that contain isobutane fare better verses pure propane but we don't get that in bulk in the US.

So why no brewing in the garage?

 

[TexasWine]

Fuel mixes that contain isobutane fare better verses pure propane

That seems counterintuitive. For a given temp, isoC4 has a lower vapor pressure than propane. I assume the reasons cold temps cause a problem with propane bottles is because the propane has a harder time vaporizing. It seems C4 would make the problem worse. What am I missing?

 

[wilserbrewer]

-30C OMG, I would be looking at the kitchen stove like a stray cat on a can of tuna. I love the outdoors as much as anyone, but -30C WOW!!!

 

[Onkel_Udo]

That seems counterintuitive. For a given temp, isoC4 has a lower vapor pressure than propane. I assume the reasons cold temps cause a problem with propane bottles is because the propane has a harder time vaporizing. It seems C4 would make the problem worse. What am I missing?

Never fully understood it either but it may be that helps with icing regulator/orifice. It's boiling boil is also much warmer.

 

[RM-MN]

No offense but how do you keep Propane flowing at -30 C? Anything below 8 F (-13 C) and I have to keep the tank in hot water bath and occasionally pour hot water over the regulator to thaw it. This is starting with a tank at 16 C before moving to the garage.

To keep the propane going at low temps you need a bigger tank. Propane is a refrigerant gas and a fairly good one as you can use it in the air conditioner in your car. With a small tank you need to boil off enough propane to keep the burner going which will chill the liquid propane and eventually you chill it enough that insufficient gas will be produced to keep the burner going. With a bigger tank there is a lot more liquid to chill.

I use propane as a backup heat source and it will keep the furnace running at -45F as long as I have sufficient liquid in a sufficiently large tank. It that temperature remained too long my furnace would quit as the liquid in the tank cooled off. Propane boils at -43.6F.

 

[newnick]

Recirculating the mash with a pump is what I would do. With a very low outside temp you could probably leave the burner on a very low simmer and hold the temp.

 

[Onkel_Udo]

I use propane as a backup heat source and it will keep the furnace running at -45F as long as I have sufficient liquid in a sufficiently large tank. It that temperature remained too long my furnace would quit as the liquid in the tank cooled off. Propane boils at -43.6F.

I am aware of this but based on the OP's description of his various limitations I doubt he can use a 100# tank or even better a skid tank.

I used a propane generator as back-up power and it easily worked to 0 F even with the high draw of a 9000 watt (on propane) generator. It was on a 100# tank.

 

[newnick]

Glad it doesn't get that cold where I live.

 

[Finlandbrews]

Thanks for the info guys, I was planning on doing my first biab next weekend. Only problem is it's about -10 Celsius here. I wonder how well insulation would work at that temp, I know by the time January comes around it will be -30 here so brewing will probably be on hold until spring.

Install a heating element into your kettle so you can brew year long. It's sad to have to wait brewing because of the weather.