WTF is this thing for? ("mashpad")

I started AG about 4 years ago because I got a deal on this kit, lightly used but with some extra things thrown in, for $75.

One of the extra things I got was a Phil's Sparge Arm, and the other thing was this coarse fiberous pad, like a GIANT scotch-brite scrubbie. It is maybe 3/4" thick, fits down into mo cooler MLT perfectly, and has a small center cut-out part that can be removed.





I wish I knew WTF it was.

It has literally been sitting in a box along with a Phil's Sparge Arm ever since I got it.

Is it insulation to place in over top of the mash when sparging (making the center cut-out a place for the sparge arm?)

Is it a filter for the bottom of the MLT? (Don't think so... it would get pretty nasty and hard to clean, plus the MLT already has a false bottom.)

Is it a giant scrubbie for cleaning? (j/k)

That looks like a 12" buffing pad that fits on a floor buffing machine. They make them in white, red and green (possibly others) each is a bit more abrasive. The center is punched out to fit the buffer and some brands lightly punch the center so it can also be used on machines with hook & loop plates. Thats my guess anyhow.

Pics suck, but this is very coarse scratchy material. Literally like the green side of one of these, but on a large scale.

i vote floor buffer as well.

pickles said:

That looks like a 12" buffing pad that fits on a floor buffing machine. They make them in white, red and green (possibly others) each is a bit more abrasive. The center is punched out to fit the buffer and some brands lightly punch the center so it can also be used on machines with hook & loop plates. Thats my guess anyhow.

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brewingkitty said:

i vote floor buffer as well.

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Ok. But what purpose does it serve as part of al AG brewing kit?

Is it meant to be insulation for the mlt lid?

Hmmm, floor scrubber like to use if you spilled a pint of wort on your brew table & floor?

Maybe the previous owner had some extra and cut pieces off to scrub pots with. I hope it wasn't used as a false bottom. And I don't think it would make a good insulator.

Ohio-Ed said:

Hmmm, floor scrubber like to use if you spilled a pint of wort on your brew table & floor?

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pickles said:

Maybe the previous owner had some extra and cut pieces off to scrub pots with. I hope it wasn't used as a false bottom. And I don't think it would make a good insulator.

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No... I know it has a specific purpose other than cleaning because another guy (HBT's "Dude" of the infamous Lake Walk Pale Ale) was the middleman in the transaction, and Dude also uses one of these in his brewing.

Dude's was pretty beat up when I last saw it... squashed thinner and stained brown, but Dude said (and I quote) when ie delivered the stuff to me, "Here's your mashpad. The guy never used it, and I don't know why."

Dude is deployed right now, or I would just ask him directly.

I think it would work well to allow you to vorlauf by adding the wort back to the MLT without disturbing the grain bed. Simply pour the wort onto the pad which is on top of the grain. Also would work for fly sparging if your fluid level gets a little to low and the top of the grain bed becomes exposed.

It's some form of filter. This guy has at least one explanation. >> Mash Pad

Blender said:

It's some form of filter. This guy has at least one explanation. >> Mash Pad

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Thank you!

I think we can close this thread now.

It's a poor man's false bottom. IOW, it is a filter. You put it on the bottom of a round cooler MT and it functions much the same way as a FB or SS braid. Should work OK, but not sure if it's for a single use or if it can be cleaned and reused.

I just read thread that's linked above in Blender's post. Wow, the guy that wrote that is a major dik wad IMO. He speaks with authority, but I don't agree with much of what he says. I think there's probably more than one way to use those things. He seems to think that the SS braids and batch sparging have made all other methods obsolete. I don't think so.

I use similar pads in my line of work, and there's no way in hell I would stick one in my mash. That's just plain wrong. I'm stunned someone would do this.



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wildwest450 said:

I use similar pads in my line of work, and there's no way in hell I would stick one in my mash. That's just plain wrong. I'm stunned someone would do this..

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Why? IIRC, the pads are made of inert fiberglass. I'm sure the pads are not all manufactured from the same material, so YMMV on that. You would want to use a new pad and not one previously used for scrubbing a floor. You can buy similar untreated fiberglass filter media pads by the foot. Aquarium people use similar materials for water filtration. I would think that if it's safe for their often very delicate fish, that it would be safe to use for beer making.

Yes it's a mash pad and was all the rage on the green board about 4 years ago. It was used as a filter at the bottom of your (round) cooler and took the place of a false bottom. It eventually fell out of flavor because they tended to 'float' up when you started to add your mash water and didn't have anything holding it down. Also cleaning it was a major pain.
On the bright side .. it worked REALLY well and produced very clear wort into the pot.

Maybe for sparging? Would putting sparge water on top evenly disperse the water into the MLT?

carluchi said:

Yes it's a mash pad and was all the rage on the green board about 4 years ago. It was used as a filter at the bottom of your (round) cooler and took the place of a false bottom.

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This makes sense. Dude and the guy I bought the gear from were both very active on the green board and I picked this stuff up about 4 years ago.

The only difference is that these guys were apparently using them ALONG WITH the false bottom (as was mentioned in the green board thread that was linked to earlier.)

I think the mystery is solved. I'm putting it right back into the box I pulled it from the other day.

Walker said:

This makes sense. Dude and the guy I bought the gear from were both very active on the green board and I picked this stuff up about 4 years ago.

The only difference is that these guys were apparently using them ALONG WITH the false bottom (as was mentioned in the green board thread that was linked to earlier.)

I think the mystery is solved. I'm putting it right back into the box I pulled it from the other day.

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I still think you could you it to clean up with.
Just in case. You know...

Walker said:

This makes sense. Dude and the guy I bought the gear from were both very active on the green board and I picked this stuff up about 4 years ago.

The only difference is that these guys were apparently using them ALONG WITH the false bottom (as was mentioned in the green board thread that was linked to earlier.)

I think the mystery is solved. I'm putting it right back into the box I pulled it from the other day.

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Ah yes, I was part of the old green board debates during that time too... It is a common buffer pad you can get at lowes. They were in use for quite some time in brewing and even sold at a lot of HBS here or there, including the old green board store. I used one for years, wash it off with a hose real good and hang it up to dry for use next time. I used it on top of my FB and it made some of the clearest wort you ever seen. I'd use one again if I needed to.

probably would have used it before if I knew what to do with it.

Ironically, I just finished the HERMS build and I can't imagine my wort being any clearer than what I saw on the 1st HERMS brew last weekend.

I was blown away at the clarity.

It looks like an excellent thing to go between the bottom of a carboy, and a hard stone floor.

-a.

Catt22 said:

Why? IIRC, the pads are made of inert fiberglass. I'm sure the pads are not all manufactured from the same material, so YMMV on that. You would want to use a new pad and not one previously used for scrubbing a floor. You can buy similar untreated fiberglass filter media pads by the foot. Aquarium people use similar materials for water filtration. I would think that if it's safe for their often very delicate fish, that it would be safe to use for beer making.

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1- Buffer pads are NOT food safe.
2-Aquarium media is a lot different than a buffer pad.

If someone brewed with their thumb in their ass, and claimed it made better beer would you try it? Apparently it was a fad, and a crazy one at that. If you or someone else wants to do it, more power to you, it gives me the creeps.

wildwest450 said:

1- Buffer pads are NOT food safe.
2-Aquarium media is a lot different than a buffer pad.

If someone brewed with their thumb in their ass, and claimed it made better beer would you try it? Apparently it was a fad, and a crazy one at that. If you or someone else wants to do it, more power to you, it gives me the creeps.

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Nonsense. There isn't and never was a danger using these in the beer making process. A thumb in the ass might be preferable to having one's head up there.

Catt22 said:

Nonsense. There isn't and never was a danger using these in the beer making process. A thumb in the ass might be preferable to having one's head up there.

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How many people are using these for brewing today?



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Walker said:

probably would have used it before if I knew what to do with it.

Ironically, I just finished the HERMS build and I can't imagine my wort being any clearer than what I saw on the 1st HERMS brew last weekend.

I was blown away at the clarity.

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What about the HERMS process allowed you to have clearer beer do you think?

ajf said:

It looks like an excellent thing to go between the bottom of a carboy, and a hard stone floor.

-a.

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I second this.

wildwest450 said:

How many people are using these for brewing today?.

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HTF would I know? I don't use them and don't know anyone who does, but I would not fear using one either. I've got my system dialed in pretty well and I'm happy with the performance, so basically I don't have a need for it. I did consider using one a long time ago, but never actually did it. I'm sure there must be someone, somewhere doing it that way. Either that or they died trying and were never heard from again.

BadgerBrewer said:

What about the HERMS process allowed you to have clearer beer do you think?

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With HERMS, you are vorlaufing throughout the mash.

wildwest450 said:

1- Buffer pads are NOT food safe.
2-Aquarium media is a lot different than a buffer pad.

If someone brewed with their thumb in their ass, and claimed it made better beer would you try it? Apparently it was a fad, and a crazy one at that. If you or someone else wants to do it, more power to you, it gives me the creeps.

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Actually a little reading... As I recall in our green board debates, Palmer, working for 3M, had approached this question with 3M. Of course 3M is not going to put a friggin food safe label on a floor buffer pad. Neither will China put one on our brass QD's and fittings that most of us use in our brewery, nor can one prove that your cast iron skillet is actually food safe. But he had discovered that there is nothing in this (nylon) pad that can harm you. I would say that they became somewhat popular for a short while, but with the advent of mash recirculation it all was for not.