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brewzombie · 11-12-2010, 02:17 AM

My brew buddy went to the homebrew store for me and didn't realize he needed to get our partial mash grains milled...stores closed and we can't brew unless we can find a way to grind them. How about a coffee grinder? Is there a setting that would work? We're considering (maybe drunkenly) going to the local grocery store and using the "coarse" setting on the coffee grinder.

**Trace** · 11-12-2010, 02:20 AM

Pretty sure that'd turn your grain in to powder. Try putting them in a baggie and using a rolling pin to crush them.

THEDIETZ · 11-12-2010, 02:23 AM

i wouldn't do it....i was in a pinch once before i got my mill...put in a baggie and pounding with a rubber mallot...not the best tactic but better than coffee grinder....Whutever also has a good suggestion

njbabs · 11-12-2010, 02:26 AM

If you're using a grain bag I don't really think it'll make all that much of a dif. Crush will matter much less because you can fix a stuck sparge easily. If you're 'partial mash' is just a glorified steeping then no worries. I still don't worry a ton about the crush on my partial mashes which I do in a 2 gal cooler (per BYO counter-top mashing).

I've used/tried all sorts of things to crush - rolling pins, pasta machine, meat grinder, coffee grinder. Rolling pin is only worth it if its a small amount of specialty grains you're steeping... in which case I don't think you even need to worry about the crush anyway.

Two caveats:
1) If there ever was coffee run through the machine you can count on some coffee flavor. It's a very oily bean.
2) Use the corasest grind. Inevitably the hulls will be more damaged than in a crush. Perhaps try wet crushing the grain?

If you really are mashing, then you could skip the crush and let it mash over night. Sparging will probably yeild poor results but I would take that over my nights trying to hammer/roll grain for 4 or so pounds of grain. If you're steeping I'll stand by my "wont be a huge deal." And if you think it is, a small amount of specialty grain is much more manageable.

lumpher · 11-12-2010, 02:27 AM

coffee grinder will turn them into powder, like whutever says. learned that early on the hard way...

brewzombie · 11-12-2010, 02:30 AM

So no to the coffee grinder...sigh. I'll guess I'll reschedule for a brew day tomorrow when I can go by the homebrew shop and have them mill it for me. Silly brew buddy! Oh well.

Thanks y'all.

**Bobby_M** · 11-12-2010, 03:46 AM

Well, a burr style coffee grinder adjusted to the coarsest setting will be a lot like a corona mill. Workable but not great. True about the coffee flavor being picked up though. How much grain are we talking about?

lumpher · 11-12-2010, 03:55 AM

corona mills are about $40

**mikeysab** · 11-12-2010, 04:13 AM

Are you doing BIAB, or using a MLT? If you're using a fine bag, then run it through the coffee grinder and you should be fine. BUT, you're going to get coffee flavor in your beer. You could buy a bag of bulgur, or rice and run it through before you do your grain, and that'll clean out SOME of the coffee from the machine. I'd say go for it, and of course, let us all know how it turned out.

brewzombie · 11-12-2010, 05:33 AM

I had almost 5 lbs of grain for a partial mash in a 3 gallon cooler mash/lauter tun. I decided to push back my brewing until tomorrow when I can get the grain properly milled. Thanks though.