How to avoid souring while drying out draff....

Krrrazzzy Idea. Prolly.

Responding to another thread for a guy who doesn't have access to rice hulls I suggested back to back batches and the re-use of the draff (spent grain) for a alternative to rice hulls in a potentially sticky mash.

Good or bad, right or wrong, the thought occured to me that while rice hulls are cheap for me ($2.00 for 4 lbs) they are quit possibly an unnecessary expense given that with every brewday I am left with several pounds of material that gets sent to compost. So I ask,

How would one go about drying the draff and avoid lactic souring?

Would a forced air hop oast suffice?

Is this even feasible? If yes, do you suppose it may be benificial to rinse this draff hot to force tannin extraction, remove as much bacteria, and sugar as possible to avoid issue with re-use?

Or should the draff be rinsed with a pH stable (adjusted) water to mitigate tannin extraction?

A lot of questions and possibly in the wrong forum but, lay it on me.

Wow, this is really a crazy idea. I like it. I wouldn't worry about sugars or tannins. As you know, the native bacteria act pretty quickly. I think the main goal would be to knock back the bacteria and dry as quickly as possible. How about this: At the end of the sparge, add some more water, boil, drain, and oven dry at a fairly low temp - you don't want roasted draff, presumably. Once it's dried, just store like grain.

Wonder if a light acid rinse or chlorinated tap water would hold off (sanitize) the bacteria out or would the acid just turn the material to a useless mush.

I recognize that if this were practical it would be done on a commercial scale, I know breweries have an immense burden on draff disposal and usually sell it off. But, I can;t help to think that small scale may be less burdensome and nearer to practical.

But how............

A freezer with a fan under a screen tray.

Spread out the draff pretty thinly on the screen, put it in the freezer with the fan under it. The freezer will dry it out as well as freeze to preserve...

B

I think its a very clever concept but alas, its probably more work and energy than most people would be prepared to spend.

I'm thinking a rinse in starsan may kill or stun many of the bacteria until the stuff dries out. ( of course you would have to neutralize the acidity after)