BradleyBrew
Well-Known Member
Hey everyone, sorry but i couldnt find a lot of info about making a mash paddle. What type of wood is recommended? Dimensions? Any help would be great!
The best woods are the hardest, densest woods with the smallest, tightest grain. This ensures that there are a minimum of places for bacteria or other wild critters to hide themselves (make everything as SMOOTH as possible, too). It also tends to mean you're selecting from some of the strongest, stiffest woods (which is good, because thick mash is HEAVY). If you are concerned about flavor contribution from the wood, stick to woods that are already used for smoking malts, aging barrels, or in foods (oak, beech, cherry, birch, maple, etc.).
If you're making your own, your shape and size should suit your mashtun. Curve a corner so you can match your profile and scrape everything clean. Leave your shaft at least 3/4" in diameter for strength. I recommend a T-shaped handle end for more leverage (like a canoe paddle). To gauge your length, use an upside down broom handle in your mashtun/kettle and note where both hands need to be to get good leverage and not touch the liquid level.
I made mine out of a 3.5" wide and 3/4" thick piece of cherry I had laying around.
In the old days before they knew about yeast, brewers in Europe used a special stirring stick that "magically" kicked off the ferment - direct proof how how active critters can be that are living in wood grain. (Barrel-aged sours are another good example.)
Where do you store YOUR mash paddle? I'm guessing it's with your other brew equipment. Do you really want to take the chance of them migrating into your hoses or other gear? People keep their sour equipment separate for a reason....
I suppose you could store it elsewhere or wrapped in plastic (but it may mold...nasty off-flavors). Personally, I find it's easy enough to spend a few extra minutes selecting a good tight-grained hardwood and a few extra minutes sanding to reduce the risks....YMMV.
Do you varnish a wooden mash paddle?
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