Beer Forum

has anybody tried or heard of using a mash pad, that is a white floor buffing pad used on top of your false bottom to prevent channeling and grains getting by the false bottom

I have heard of it. I have also heard of all kinds of issues. Cleaning it out is a pain, and I would worry about the stuff that may leach out of the pad.

The easiest way is the ss braid.

Sean

MASH PAD! (oops, wrong thread)

Yeah, I wondered about the "food grade-ness" of something designed to buff the floor.

BDawg wrote:MASH PAD! (oops, wrong thread)

Yeah, I wondered about the "food grade-ness" of something designed to buff the floor.

As opposed to the "food grade-ness" of parts for your toilet?

Homebrew Adventures does sell these things specifically designed for use in the mash. I assume they are the same type of material used in "scotchbrite" pads. http://www.homebrewadventures.com/shopp ... Code=MP-17

If the floor pads are also white nylon as opposed to some type of composite material, they are probably safe to use. However the price is probably about the same as using the ones referenced above.

Wayne
Bugeater Brewing Company

lol yea a mash pad Bdawg, but the one's I found are 100% natural made of coconut fiber and or coconut and hogs hair, mainly i am just curious about it, it might be fine for my set up but before I use one I wanted to ask around.

I ordered the one from home brew adventures I prefer that over the floor buffing pads I looked at, I want to look at it and go from there. thanks

I wouldn't mind trying to find one that I could line the bottom of my Igloo cooler with. That might help to keep my run off a bit clearer.

Is this extra expense, and extra fuss worth it? I have always (with one exception - a Rye ale with a lot of other huskless grains) been able to get crystal clear runoff from my tun. I don't even use a false bottom or a stainless mesh screen. I use the old Papazian method - copper manifold with a bunch of saw cuts it in. Sometimes I have had to vorlouf with as much as 2-3 quarts before it is clear. I also get a pretty consistent 75% efficiency with a fly sparge. Gotta go real slow - 1 quart/min. My LHBS mills my grain. Perhaps your crush is too fine, too many adjuncts (use some rice hulls), or you are going to quick?

If you are using a false bottom (or a properly designed manifold) - one factor that can cause channeling/poor efficiency is going to fast. I seriously doubt that the pad will "prevent channeling". Your false bottom is already providing a low path of resistance along the entire bottom. The other factor is bed depth. If your grainbed is too shallow - you might get channeling.

I understand that occasionally we homebrewers have to do strange workarounds that the big boys don't do. I just don't see much value in this one.


Mylo