Mash tun insulation

[asterix404]

So I recently got a 10g home depot circular cooler. It maintains temps beautifully while wrapped up in every blanket I have. I was wondering if anyone ever created a fiberglass or (hopefully) less horrible medium to work with which will wrap around the lid and the container. I am very suspicious of working with fiberglass and food in the same room, let alone the same object. Anyone have any good simple projects to make something like this?

 

[hypergolic]

Will your cooler not maintain temperature on it's own? I have a 10G Rubbermaid from Lowe's that will hold temperature easily for an hour without any blankets.

 

[asterix404]

I am a bit worried about the top. I honestly haven't tried it out without the blankets. I noticed that as it heated up the outside started to get warm. We actually have the exact same cooler. The top however still gets warmer than the outside.

 

[Brandonovich]

No need to wrap it. I mash for 75 minutes and I lose 1 degree of temp with the same cooler.

 

[Celticway]

I am a bit worried about the top. I honestly haven't tried it out without the blankets. I noticed that as it heated up the outside started to get warm. We actually have the exact same cooler. The top however still gets warmer than the outside.

It should be fine. To ease your mind do a dry run with water only at 150.

 

[JonM]

I'm about to try an experiment along those lines. I found some 1/2 inch thick round discs of styrofoam. I figure I can stack two or three of them together, put them in one of those turkey-sized oven bags and float them on top of the mash. I bet that'll hold the heat pretty well.

 

[Chrisl77]

I'm about to try an experiment along those lines. I found some 1/2 inch thick round discs of styrofoam. I figure I can stack two or three of them together, put them in one of those turkey-sized oven bags and float them on top of the mash. I bet that'll hold the heat pretty well.

I did something like this with my rectangle cooler. I used a piece of rigid 3/4 inch foam and wrapped it in a piece of heavy duty aluminum foil. It works like a charm i don't think i even lose 1 degree during my 1 hour mashes.

 

[JonM]

I did something like this with my rectangle cooler. I used a piece of rigid 3/4 inch foam and wrapped it in a piece of heavy duty aluminum foil. It works like a charm i don't think i even lose 1 degree during my 1 hour mashes.

Great news - just what I was hoping to find out!

 

[hypergolic]

asterix if you have the same cooler that I do you will be fine, but a test run may set your mind at ease.

 

[Runyanka]

You could drill a hole in the lid and shoot some expanding foam in it. This should insulate the top well.

 

[JonM]

You could drill a hole in the lid and shoot some expanding foam in it. This should insulate the top well.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/filling-mash-tun-lid-insulation-236435/

 

[asterix404]

Yea, I think I might do a test run. The lid isn't hollow but I know that the expanding foam works really well for the rectangular coolers which have a hollow top. I will do another batch soon and see what happens, maybe a smaller lighter beer just so that if it fails, I don't have such a huge problem.

~Ben

 

[Chrisl77]

The thing i found out is if you just put insulation in the lid you still leave an air pocket above the mash. If you use a piece of foam insulation wraped in somthing that will not contaminate the mash you eliminate the air pocket keeping all the heat inside the mash.