Mash rake
Encyclopedia
A mash rake or mashing rake is a tool used in the mashing
process of brewing
and distilling. The mash rake churns the mash to ensure it is mixed properly and is wet everywhere, so no sugars are wasted.
Before the industrial age, the mash rake was an instrument made of wood with a long handle, somewhat resembling an oar
with large holes in the blade. This type of mash rake (often called a mash paddle) is still used by homebrewers. Large modern brewers, however, use mechanical power-rakes to mix the mash instead of manual labour.
is used as a symbol of agriculture or the harvest. Saint Arnold of Soissons
, the patron saint of Belgian brewers, is often depicted with a mash rake. Many breweries or master-brewers, including Hoegaarden Brewery, incorporate the mash rake into their logo.
Mashing
In brewing and distilling, mashing is the process of combining a mix of milled grain , known as the "grain bill", and water, known as "liquor", and heating this mixture...
process of brewing
Brewing
Brewing is the production of beer through steeping a starch source in water and then fermenting with yeast. Brewing has taken place since around the 6th millennium BCE, and archeological evidence suggests that this technique was used in ancient Egypt...
and distilling. The mash rake churns the mash to ensure it is mixed properly and is wet everywhere, so no sugars are wasted.
Before the industrial age, the mash rake was an instrument made of wood with a long handle, somewhat resembling an oar
Oar
An oar is an implement used for water-borne propulsion. Oars have a flat blade at one end. Oarsmen grasp the oar at the other end. The difference between oars and paddles are that paddles are held by the paddler, and are not connected with the vessel. Oars generally are connected to the vessel by...
with large holes in the blade. This type of mash rake (often called a mash paddle) is still used by homebrewers. Large modern brewers, however, use mechanical power-rakes to mix the mash instead of manual labour.
As a symbol
The traditional mash rake is often used as a symbol of brewers, in much the same way that the scytheScythe
A scythe is an agricultural hand tool for mowing grass, or reaping crops. It was largely replaced by horse-drawn and then tractor machinery, but is still used in some areas of Europe and Asia. The Grim Reaper is often depicted carrying or wielding a scythe...
is used as a symbol of agriculture or the harvest. Saint Arnold of Soissons
Arnold of Soissons
Arnold of Soissons or Arnold or Arnulf of Oudenburg is a saint of the Roman Catholic Church, the patron saint of hop-pickers and Belgian brewers....
, the patron saint of Belgian brewers, is often depicted with a mash rake. Many breweries or master-brewers, including Hoegaarden Brewery, incorporate the mash rake into their logo.