Insulation for Mash Tun

[davidr7283]

I have a 20 gal Stout kettle for my Mash Tun and I think it is in need of insulation.

I use a RIMS tube for heating and I like it, but the temperature of the wort coming out of the RIMS tube and the temp measured lower in the grains is 5-7 degrees lower. I adjusted my RIMS temp up 5 degrees and I finally hit my estimated numbers. But I think it would be better to insulate the Mash Tun and not have to adjust the RIMS temp.

Does anyone have any good ideas for insulating it?

 

[cheez]

I have the same Stout mash tun. Did you come up with something to insulate it with?

 

[motleybrew]

I use old towels and blankets

 

[flars]

Check out the insulation wrap used for the household water heater. A foil backed insulation would be the best bet for controlling the insulating fibers. The edges can also be sealed with high temp tape.

 

[Zamial]

I have had some interesting observations when it comes to heat loss in MLTs. Once upon a time I to thought about insulating my keggle MLT. I then decided to build a few Home Depot cooler style MLT's. I started with a large 10 gallon and then found the 5 gallon on sale so I picked that one up to.

I started to notice a trend when I was brewing in that the MLT with the least amount of head space would not loose more than 1 degree over an hour. I now believe in the "right tool for the job" when it comes to MLT selection.

I recently made a large, double batch IPA in my keggle MLT. The keggle was filled within an inch to the top with a glass lid on it. It lost 1F over 90 minutes.

YMMV but I would bet that if you were able to reduce the head space that you would have better success than insulating the MLT.

 

[unionrdr]

I'm still using the same 5G BK I started with for partial mashes. I average 2 gallons of spring water to 5-6 pounds of grains. Get it up to temp while stirring the grains. Then wrap it up tightly in my quilted winter hunting coat. I've more often as not gained a degree over the 1 hour mash. On my last batch,the mash went down to 148-9F. It went up to 156F over the hour mash. I got a OG1.074 vs OG1.061 on the previous effort,same recipe with different hops. I've opened the BK/MT after the mash & it's always steaming pretty well. So with the right volume of mash,well insulated,Tjhe steam filling the head space seems to keep temps up pretty well,im my experiences.

 

[Darkness]

Go to a HVAC Supply house and ask for ArmaFlex sheets they come in 1/2 to 1". I use half inch and works great buy extra stregth Velcro at Lows to connect and make removable. Or at lows they have a 1/2 foil bubble wrap that is used on duct work and other things two layers of that will give you a R9 or there abouts. I use one layer and it works very well also

 

[davidr7283]

I have the same Stout mash tun. Did you come up with something to insulate it with?

I ended up using a high temp insulation that is used in kilns. Then wrapped that with a high temp foil tape to cover the insulation and hold it in place.

It works very well and holds temp the entire time. Some of it was also understanding the equipment.