Insulating a Brew Pot for faster more efficient boils

[JonGoku]

I'm looking for ways to make my brew pot boil more efficiently as it would be great to get 6.5 gallons of water/wort to a roiling boil more quickly to save both time and propane. I've noted in a few other threads on other forums that some people have had great success by insulating their kettle with different types of materials, however in most cases the heat source was an electric stove top. What I am looking for though would be used on my Aluminum boil kettle with my turkey fryer setup and the material would need to be fireproof as well as much more resistant to heat then would be necessary for an electric stove top.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Cheers!

[backyard brewer]

I'm not sure what you could use that can withstand the flame. I've heard of people just using plain old aluminum foil. Maybe one of those ceramic insulating paints might be helpful. When I was looking for some sort of insulation for my conicals, there was one I saw where they painted an egg and then took a propane torch to the egg. They held it for a good couple minutes and it didn't cook or break the egg. Just don't paint the bottom so you don't inadvertently insulate your kettle from the flame.

A more practical approach is to play with the position and intensity of the flame to the pot. Sometimes full blast doens't heat the wort any faster and just wastes way more fuel. Adjusting the height for the most efficient heating is also important.

[JonGoku]

The ceramic paint idea is interesting, but I'm looking for more of a "jacket" or "sleeve" approach so I can remove it for cleaning and also for when I want it to conduct heat for cooling the wort to pitching temperature.

[bwarbiany]

Your best thing to do is to have some sort of a lid on the pot while you're heating it up...

Note that if you get it boiling temps with the lid on, it will boil over rather violently, so you want to remove the lid before the boil starts... And then you don't want any sort of lid during the boil, or you don't get the beneficial aspect of boiling off the chemical DMS...

But rather than insulating the boil pot, just making sure the lost heat doesn't escape from the top is a good way to get near boil temps...

[JonGoku]

Your best thing to do is to have some sort of a lid on the pot while you're heating it up...

Note that if you get it boiling temps with the lid on, it will boil over rather violently, so you want to remove the lid before the boil starts... And then you don't want any sort of lid during the boil, or you don't get the beneficial aspect of boiling off the chemical DMS...

But rather than insulating the boil pot, just making sure the lost heat doesn't escape from the top is a good way to get near boil temps...

Great advice, and advice I already follow. I guess my first post was a little unclear, but I am not having difficulty getting a rolling boil, but I am trying to improve the speed at which I attain it and just make it more efficient all around.

[backyard brewer]

Using a lid when heating will accomplish both of those initially. Other than that, try the foil and see if it helps.

[JonGoku]

Ok, to be clear. I use a lid when I am bringing the water to it's initial boil as well as after I have completed the 60min boil and am cooling the wort to yeast pitching temperature.

What I am trying to do is improve the efficiency of the entire heating and boiling process. Aluminum is a great thermal conductor but not only does it transfer the heat from the burner to the water well, but it also transfers the heat from the water to the air just as nicely. This is good when I am cooling the wort, but not so great when I am heating and maintaining a boil. I am trying to increase the efficiency and figured it was a little more common practice then it evidential is.

I really appreciate the comments and suggestions that have been made so far, and look forward to any further advice anyone might have. I presume to a certain extent that such a jacket or thermal insulator/shield could help improve SS pot efficiency as well.
Think of it as enginerding

Cheers!

[bwarbiany]

I am trying to increase the efficiency and figured it was a little more common practice then it evidential is.

Propane is cheap.

[JonGoku]

I am trying to increase the efficiency and figured it was a little more common practice then it evidential is.

Propane is cheap.

It is but I only have one tank. I hear that making a propane run during mid boil adds unique off flavors.

[brahn]

I've actually had some really good beers where I had to run out and grab propane mid-boil. That said, I prefer not to do it. Sometimes I get funny looks from the guy when there's still a gallon or so left in the tank, but it's easier to fill it early than having to go mid-boil.

[backyard brewer]

As you've discovered, it's not a simple task.

Propane tanks are cheap too. I think the last time I bought one it was only $30.

Have a spare.

[maltbarley]

Right, keep a tank in the grill and one for the brew system. The grill tank is my backup.

Getting back to your original question about insulating the sides, I would think that this wouldn't yield much because the heat being applied to the bottom tends to also run up the sides.

If you want to be scientific about it, check the kettle and air temps at different heights up the kettle to see at what point the kettle is warmer than the air around it.

[dhempy]

Think heat shield around the flame and below the pot... that's probably one thing you can do to focus the heat and prevent it from straying. I don't think insulation is the right path. Once you're boiling, the temp remains the same anyway (the liquid is undergoing a phase change and will be "stuck" at that temp until the phase change is complete) so the application of heat really only changes the intensity of the boil. About the only place I've really seen any insulation (in homebrewing anyway) is the mash tun.

Dan

[backyard brewer]

Think heat shield around the flame and below the pot... that's probably one thing you can do to focus the heat and prevent it from straying. I don't think insulation is the right path. Once you're boiling, the temp remains the same anyway (the liquid is undergoing a phase change and will be "stuck" at that temp until the phase change is complete) so the application of heat really only changes the intensity of the boil. About the only place I've really seen any insulation (in homebrewing anyway) is the mash tun.

Dan

I've seen very well insulated electric systems, but in that case the heat is being applied internally so it makes sense.

After looking at a few electric systems, I really wonder if that's not the way to go.

[dhempy]

Never seen an electric system in person ... and thinking back on the few I've seen on the web I simply don't recall insulation ... makes sense though.

But not with a flame.

Dan