Reflectix - how to you attach it to your kettle?

[Hwk-I-St8]

Now that I'm brewing with induction, I'm thinking about getting some reflectix to insulate the kettle. I figured I could just use a strap or something to hold it on, but I was contemplating something more elegant.

Anybody attach (sew maybe?) velcro to their reflectix wrap to hold it onto the kettle? Any other cool methods?

 

[Jag75]

What about those sticky velcro strips . You wouldn't have to sew , but not sure if they would stay on if it got too warm.

 

[Robert65]

I have sticky velcro strips on my reflectix, not my kettle. Strips on one side at one end, and the other side at the other end. So I can wrap the reflectix around the kettle and secure it to itself, and remove it for cleaning the kettle, and, since I use flame, during actual heating. I realize this is about using it with electric not flame. But still, if you're concerned about the sticky strips on a hot kettle, this way there's the reflectix itself between the hot kettle and the stickum.

 

[kh54s10]

Or just wrap it tight and use clear packing tape to seal the end of the wrap. Won't work if you want to take it off for cleaning though.

 

[Hwk-I-St8]

Yeah, I want to be able to remove it for cleaning, but otherwise I'd just leave it on during the mash and boil. So @Robert65 , you're using a velcro that has adhesive? Has that stayed put pretty well? I use self-adhesive velcro to hold my effects pedals on a pedal board for my guitar, but the adhesive lets go if I leave it in the car on a hot summer day, so I assumed the heat of the mash and/or boil would make it let go.

 

[balrog]

Cut slots so that as I wrap it two full times around the slots go over the handles, then bunjie around that.

Yeah, overkill. My middle name.

 

[Robert65]

Yeah, I want to be able to remove it for cleaning, but otherwise I'd just leave it on during the mash and boil. So @Robert65 , you're using a velcro that has adhesive? Has that stayed put pretty well? I use self-adhesive velcro to hold my effects pedals on a pedal board for my guitar, but the adhesive lets go if I leave it in the car on a hot summer day, so I assumed the heat of the mash and/or boil would make it let go.

No problems. Kinda shows how good reflectix is.

 

[Oldskewl]

I cut slits for the handles. I wrap 3 times around. I have industrial strength velcro on the reflectix, not on the kettle. It has held up for about 3 years so far.

 

[odie]

bungy cord. I have a long sheet that will make 3 wraps around the kettle. At F/O I just remove the wrap to speed up cooling. Reflectix does not work well with propane...ask me how I know...

 

[MuddyBrown]

Overlap the reflectix, silver tape, and some powerful magnets. Just don't use too much tape or the magnetic field will fall off rapidly with the extra tape thickness. Works for me quite well.

 

[Valve1138]

What about those sticky velcro strips . You wouldn't have to sew , but not sure if they would stay on if it got too warm.

That's what I'm using.

Two pieces on the kettle to attach the refelctix to.

Then a strip on the reflectix itself so it stays put after it gets wrapped around the kettle.

 

[brewohio]

This is what I did. I wrap mine around then I cut slits and tabs to hold it together. Works great.

 

[mistertinkle]

I use a simple webbing strap with a quick release buckle.

 

[Hwk-I-St8]

This is what I did. I wrap mine around then I cut slits and tabs to hold it together. Works great.

View attachment 664005 View attachment 664004

Hmmm...that's creative. How hard is it to thread those through the slits?

 

[brewohio]

It's not that hard the material stretches a little. Just make sure the straps are long enough. Hardest part was cutting it out because I was designing on the fly. Had to cut it longer than I wanted it to wrap around the kettle to have length for the straps.

 

[Andretti87]

Bungee cords!

 

[IanMC]

I've had good luck just overlapping it a bit and taping it down the seam with aluminum-backed HVAC tape. It looks nice, but would be difficult to remove if necessary.

 

[Aristoi]

Blue painters tape, easy to remove & replace

 

[SanPancho]

They sell 1/4” strips of double sided velcro on alibaba for like 2 bucks. Like 20 feet long. Cut reflectix to size, notch for handles, etc, then just wrap it tight with velcro. Easy on, easy off. No adhesives, etc.

 

[Staticsouls]

I never remove my reflectix so clear packing tape made it look nice and clean.

 

[Hwk-I-St8]

I never remove my reflectix so clear packing tape made it look nice and clean.

You CIP? My kettle gets sloshed on so it gets a full immersion cleaning in the sink on a regular basis.

 

[PsychoBiter]

I added magnets where the edges of my reflectix meets. Just click them together. I used the reflectix foil tape to seal all my edges up. We dont boil with it on, so not sure how tape would hold up.

 

[wepeeler]

I use this: https://www.amazon.com/AP-Products-...34b52b3b189ebe1d33e6f&creativeASIN=B002NI0NQI

Been working fine for 3+ years.

 

[Bigarcherynut]

I have been thinking of insulating my E-kettle with reflectix. I currently use an old sleeping bag but think the reflectix may work better and it would look much nicer. I see the rating of the material is only at 180 degrees. Do you leave it on during the boil? Has anyone had issues with it melting when boiling your wort? How many layers are you using?

 

[LittleRiver]

...I currently use an old sleeping bag but think the reflectix may work better and it would look much nicer...

I'm quite happy with the performance and aesthetics of my $15 kids sleeping bag.

 

[wepeeler]

I have been thinking of insulating my E-kettle with reflectix. I currently use an old sleeping bag but think the reflectix may work better and it would look much nicer. I see the rating of the material is only at 180 degrees. Do you leave it on during the boil? Has anyone had issues with it melting when boiling your wort? How many layers are you using?

I followed this: http://fermware.com/reflectix-insulation-jacket-for-your-mash-tun/

Works great. I do not boil with it on. I get to strike temp, start the mash, wrap my kettle and have never had burning issues. I have turned the burner on with the Reflectix wrapped and it does start to melt. But simply for insulation, it works perfectly.

 

[Bigarcherynut]

I followed this: http://fermware.com/reflectix-insulation-jacket-for-your-mash-tun/

Works great. I do not boil with it on. I get to strike temp, start the mash, wrap my kettle and have never had burning issues. I have turned the burner on with the Reflectix wrapped and it does start to melt. But simply for insulation, it works perfectly.

I imagine you are use propane. Mine is electric. Would the 212 degree boil temp cause melting?

 

[Jayjay1976]

I use large binder clamps from office depot. Well actually I scrounged mine up at work, but they are office depot brand. I made a three-layer jacket of reflectix that wraps around the front of the kettle and meets up in the back. Pinch the extra material together and secure with three clamps. Easy to remove for cleaning and holds mash temps really well. An upgrade would be a round piece of furnace board/rigid isocyanurate insulation to set the kettle on. I just use a silicone sink mat, works well enough for me.

 

[wepeeler]

I imagine you are use propane. Mine is electric. Would the 212 degree boil temp cause melting?

You shouldn't need to heat your kettle with the Reflectix on. Heat to strike temp, add grain, stir, wrap Reflectix. Remove Reflectix before heating to boil.

 

[Hwk-I-St8]

I have an induction burner. My plan is to heat to strike temp with the insulation on, mash with it on (of course), and remove for the boil.

 

[Brooothru]

I use large binder clamps from office depot. Well actually I scrounged mine up at work, but they are office depot brand. I made a three-layer jacket of reflectix that wraps around the front of the kettle and meets up in the back. Pinch the extra material together and secure with three clamps. Easy to remove for cleaning and holds mash temps really well. An upgrade would be a round piece of furnace board/rigid isocyanurate insulation to set the kettle on. I just use a silicone sink mat, works well enough for me.

You mention using a three-layer reflectix wrap, as several others have done. I'm curious as to why multiple layers seem to be popular. Does the R-value increase that much with multiple layering as opposed to just a single wrap? I've got an old 3 gallon pot that I used to use years ago for mini mashes that I'd wrapped in reflectix sitting in a shed. I don't remember the heat loss with a single wrap being an issue, so I was just wondering why a triple wrap.

Brooo Brother

 

[Brooothru]

I have an induction burner. My plan is to heat to strike temp with the insulation on, mash with it on (of course), and remove for the boil.

I'm a big fan of induction cooking. A few years back I got a portable unit for use in an RV, rather than using a gas burner indoors in a confined area during colder months. Recently when we needed to replace an aging oven and stove top at home we replaced it with a five burner induction range. Absolutely love it.

My problem is that "Mama don't allow me" to use her induction range for beer brewing, and the size of the cooking surface of the portable unit is too small (and the weight of a mash tun with 9 gallons of water and 15 lbs of grain) to support a steel vessel. What kind of induction cooker do you have?

Brooo Brother

 

[Hwk-I-St8]

I'm a big fan of induction cooking. A few years back I got a portable unit for use in an RV, rather than using a gas burner indoors in a confined area during colder months. Recently when we needed to replace an aging oven and stove top at home we replaced it with a five burner induction range. Absolutely love it.

My problem is that "Mama don't allow me" to use her induction range for beer brewing, and the size of the cooking surface of the portable unit is too small (and the weight of a mash tun with 9 gallons of water and 15 lbs of grain) to support a steel vessel. What kind of induction cooker do you have?

Brooo Brother

I got an Adcraft. After reading that others had done it, I made an adapter cord and run it at 240v. So far it's working really well. I control it with an auber cube.

 

[Jayjay1976]

You mention using a three-layer reflectix wrap, as several others have done. I'm curious as to why multiple layers seem to be popular. Does the R-value increase that much with multiple layering as opposed to just a single wrap? I've got an old 3 gallon pot that I used to use years ago for mini mashes that I'd wrapped in reflectix sitting in a shed. I don't remember the heat loss with a single wrap being an issue, so I was just wondering why a triple wrap.

Brooo Brother

Three layers definitely insulates better than one layer, at least in the placebo sense. I actually took it off for a thorough cleaning a couple months ago and haven't bothered to put it back on, and haven't noticed any difference in performance of my setup.

 

[Staticsouls]

You CIP? My kettle gets sloshed on so it gets a full immersion cleaning in the sink on a regular basis.

Yes I have all my kegs set up for bottom drain.

 

[Staticsouls]

I imagine you are use propane. Mine is electric. Would the 212 degree boil temp cause melting?

I leave mine on for the entire boil. I run electric and have seen zero issues. No melting at all.

 

[Bigarcherynut]

I leave mine on for the entire boil. I run electric and have seen zero issues. No melting at all.

Perfect!!! Just what I was hoping to hear. I currently leave the sleeping bag on my kettle after the mash because I lift the bag and while it's draining I use two boards and squeeze clamps to get all the wort I can from the bag. Having it insulated during that period keeps it hot from mashing. Will add a little awesome to my kettle.

Brew On!!

 

[Bigarcherynut]

Thanks to Staticsouls for assuring me I could boil with the reflectix on my E-kettle. Got mine wrapped and ready to go. I did a continuous wrap 3 times around the kettle and 3 layers on top. Now that I'm doing 90 minutes mashes should hold the temps with little or no extra heat. I used 3 pieces of Velcro to hold it in place. I feel this will work much better than the sleeping bag I used.

 

[cheflukehammond.com]

I have an induction burner. My plan is to heat to strike temp with the insulation on, mash with it on (of course), and remove for the boil.

I'm still yet to do my first brew, still learning and planning to buy equipment. A question with mashing, that i haven't found too clear so far is when you get to strike temp and add grains, are you keeping the burner going still or do you turn off at that point?

 

[wilserbrewer]

Easiest method is to turn the burner off, and wrap the kettle in a blanket, towel or sleeping bag.
Another option if your kettle fits, place it in a warm oven to diminish heat loss.

If temps are low, you can fire the burner gently, but it is strongly advised that you STIR CONSTANTLY if adding direct heat!!!

my preferred approach, is rather than being anal about holding a precise mash temp, I’ll strike a few degrees high, accept a slight loss of heat and the mash will be a few degrees low at the end of the mash.

Rather than a precise mash temp, I look at as a mash temp range....