Corona Mill vs Barley Crusher for BIAB

Ok want to get some opinions on this! My LHBS has adjusted their mill a couple times for me to accommodate my BIAB style of crush, but has had to many issues when adjusting and won't do it for me anymore. So I need to start milling my own grain. I like the price point of the Corona obviously but the barley crusher has its pluses as well! What would be the best option?

Garrett said:

Ok want to get some opinions on this! My LHBS has adjusted their mill a couple times for me to accommodate my BIAB style of crush, but has had to many issues when adjusting and won't do it for me anymore. So I need to start milling my own grain. I like the price point of the Corona obviously but the barley crusher has its pluses as well! What would be the best option?

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As a brewer who uses a corona, I would say get a barley crusher if you have the money. I get 80% efficiency with my corona, but it took a while to get it that way. I had to JB weld it together to get any type of consistency out of it. If I had the money, I would get a better mill.

I BIAB/No sparge and hit 79% efficiency at my first attempt with my Corona style mill. I prefer a finner crush as most BIABer do, but I really do not crush the grains to flour.

I think a BC or MM will be my choice if I would use the traditional way to brew, but for BIAB I like it...a lot.

I use a Corona style for BIAB and I do get quite a bit of flour, but it hasn't hurt a thing. Irish moss to clean up the wort, and crystal clear beers in the glass. Efficiencies up in the high 80s most of the time unless I mess up the mash temps.

2 against 1 so far! Anyone else want to chime in here?

I usually have my HBS Mill my grains twice. Of course, I did order a Corona mill so I can start ordering my grains in bulk.

Get the BC knock off, split the difference the Cereal Killer.

I've used a Corona mill for 2 years and love it, but as soon as I can afford it, I'll get a BC

If you can afford the Barley Crusher get it. It is worth the price premium. I went from 70% efficiency with standard LHBS milling to almost 80% with customized crush with the Barley Crusher. It turns out that the smallest spacing was not best. About 75% on the dial actually worked best for me.

My .02:

BIAB'er here too, been using the corona for @ 3 years. Dialed in and rigged up as ugly junk I'm getting avg 80%. I just got the cereal killer, adjusted it to .036 and I'm getting 80% over last 3 brews. Only difference between the two at this point appears to be the price tag. I love the CK but for @ $20 I'd suggest getting the corona and spend the rest of your mill budget on ingedients.

I normally use my barley crusher but when I want the LHBS to crush my grain I just ask them to run it through their mill twice.

Thanks for the input everyone! I went ahead and ordered a Corona Mill last night! Ill post more on my results!

TKOriginal said:

Get the BC knock off, split the difference the Cereal Killer.

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second the C.K. working good at a resonable price..and maybe more reliable than a corona in the long run.........

GD51