I’m making some mash paddles, and I’m currently drying a tulip poplar I sawed down to make my first masterpiece!!!
Q: Is poplar ok to mash with, or can it leach? I know maple’s fine, and these spps. of trees share a lot of common properties, but how’s about ole’ “liriodendron tulipifera”?
I’m a dang forester, you think I’d know about it’s properties, but I guess I missed the day we talked about making mash paddles!
I would personally prefer hardwood, but try it and let us know.
It may not be as good from a sanitation standpoint. Softer woods are more absorbent. You may not notice anything at first but over time it may start to contribute off flavors.
I been working with wood all my life i can tell u from my past experience u need to stick to hardwoods, but never the less as lon as is dried down to at least 6% and put a food grade sealer on it u should never have a problem. Mine is made of black cherry and i have no problems.
Do you sanitize your mash paddle?
I don’t use a paddle. I use a large heavy duty wire whisk. I breaks up clumps with ease and since it’s stainless steel It’s easy to clean and there’s no bacteria issue.
We cut down a bunch of poplar (not Tulip AFAIK) and remember the smell of the green wood was very bad. With that particular wood I wouldn’t want to “re-hydrate” any of that taste into my mash.
Using a sealer sounds like one more thing to maintain. But again I’m lazy. 
I’d stick with hardwood or go the SS route.
Cool to see everyone’s opinion on this! Thanks to all- one point of order- “tulip”, or “yellow poplar” is a hardwood. liriodendron tulipifera is actually in the Family of Magnoliaceae (sp). http://dendro.cnre.vt.edu/dendrology/sy … .cfm?ID=54
I think what most are talking about is closer to a cottonwood or aspen out of the populus genus http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poplar . Spot on “Brewon”, u had it, and I’m usually all with ya on the “being too lazy” part, but I’m making some gifts and such.
Anyway, I know it’s not very porous, and is quite common in ships and furniture, but didn’t know bout the leaching.
btw, this is freaking perfect. I’m going to a restaurant supply store and stocking up on one of these bad boys.
