When I add rice hulls in my mash (I will both mix some in with the dry grain, before mashing, and periodically sprinkle a some in the tun while adding the grain) I notice that I always have a bunch floating at the top. It looks as though I just threw some at the end for good measure. Anybody else have this? I don’t think they do a whole lotta good there at the top.
There’s always a few floaters for me, too. Was never a problem.
You can soak them in water before adding them to the mash to get them more hydrated. This will help them to sink and also avoid more wort loss to absorption.
If your mash doesn’t stick, the floaters don’t matter. I usually stir half way through mashing and that also seems to take them down since they’ve had time to hydrate.
That is an excellent idea. Thank you. I will try that next time I use rice hulls.
You’re welcome, I think it came from Gordon Strong 
Prehydrating will help keep them from floating, but it will have no real effect on wort absorption. You could simply compensate for the hydrating water by adding a little more water to the mash - the sugars will migrate into the hulls (if they can) whether the hulls are wet at the start or not.
Thanks! Yeah, I don’t get any stuck mashes. It’s just an annoyance. Rice hulls are cheap anyway.
I appreciate y’all weighing in.