What Malt Mill Do You Use?

Vote above if you can. I am in the market and want to know what you guys prefer. If you can, post up why you chose the one you use, which model/accessories you got, what you like about it, and anything you dislike. Maybe this can be a decent resource for people like me.

Got the basic, 7#-hopper Barley Crusher after hearing everyone rave about it. Seems reasonably robust, and seems to have had a marked improvement on my efficiency. While I could have easily made a hopper for a Crankandstein, buying a mill that already had that and a base meant one fewer project on the to-do list. The rollers aren't as big as on some of the other crushers, but it rips through malt very quickly.

$126, with shipping, works out of box with a 3/8" drill.

Crankandstein here. With their recent internal problems, I'd probably recommend the BC right now even thought I think that the crankandstein is the better mill. The Monster looks nice too, but they're pretty new and don't have much of a rep yet.

Stayed away from the Cranktroversy and went BC for the reasons the_bird stated.

BC, for price and ease of use right out of box.

Just because i don't want it misrepresented; Crankandstein has an out of the box option too. That's what I have

I'll be picking up a JSP MaltMill soon because that's what my LHBS carries and what they use to crush grains. They have a motorized version over in the corner and customers are welcome to use it when they buy grain. I've gotten 75% efficiency from every grain purchase I've crushed there. I've gotten 55-60% with grain crushed elsewhere.

They've got the MaltMills in stock and already mounted on bases, so it's kind of a no-brainer, especially if I can get the guys at the shop to help me dial it in before I take it home.

Chad

Chad

Do people run grain through 2x or is this a no no?

I use a Valley Mill. You can't even buy them anymore, but that damn thing is awesome. RIP Valley Mill.

the_bird said:

Got the basic, 7#-hopper Barley Crusher after hearing everyone rave about it...

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Same here, but I can't use mine yet stoopid christmas, so far away.

BC. Ready to go. Easily adjustable.

MikeFlynn74 said:

Chad

Do people run grain through 2x or is this a no no?

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I don't know. I haven't seen anyone do it, but that doesn't mean it isn't done. I have no idea if the shop folks would frown on that or not. I'm not sure why someone would want to run the grain through twice, though. The crush is just about textbook.

Chad

denimglen said:

Same here, but I can't use mine yet stoopid christmas, so far away.

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That's why you should buy your own Christmas presents. I got the Monster Mill when my B3 grain gobbler finally died.* I probably would have gone with something which works out of the box, but didn't want to pay more in shipping a base and hopper. $139 deliver to my door, in Japan. The thing is burly.

*"finally died" not because it too so long to break, but because it barely worked for most of its short, infuriating life.

I got the C&S just before the partners split. Because I didn't have to pay shipping and it was recommend by someone on this forum whose opinion I respect. Thanks Brewit! Don't know what I might do today probably hold off.

Monster and C&S are the 2 guys that went there separate ways so Monster is just now getting started where C&S has been around for a while. I personally met with and like Fred Francis of Monster so my decision would be biased at this point.

denimglen said:

Same here, but I can't use mine yet stoopid christmas, so far away.

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Mine's under the tree, too, but I'm rather happy about that!

I got the out of box CS before the great split of 07. I could not be happier with it. Since dialing it in, I have been above 84% for the last 3 brews.

Dude, the one LHBS near me uses a valley mill as the house crusher. This year was the first time I saw it... talk about unique.

Corona Mill here, cause it was free. Once SWMBO is done with school and working, probably a BC. But the corona has a bad rap. For the cost, it works great.

I got the Barley Crusher because it was the least expensive roller mills that's ready to use with a hand crank that I could find. I don't have a drill that can run the mill and I didn't want to buy one just for this purpose. The BC is easy to use, does a great crush (80% efficiency) and appears well made.
Craig

I have a grain gobler from morebeer. I'll most likely replace it within the next year and go with either the Crankandstein or Monster mill. I'm looking at the three roller models and thinking about building up a motorized milling station.

That project will have to wait a little while until I get a proper kegerator built up though.

BC - like others said; out of the box. I got enough other DIY things for beer stuff that I need to do. ~10% increase in efficiency in my two uses thus far.

Homemade, with a few hours on the metal lathe and parts laying around my shop, I have $30 worth of brass bushings, wood and screws.
Never underestimate how cheap a homebrewer can be :rockin:

I'm still using my $20 Porkert (Corona knock-off). I keep saying I am going to get a BC, but my efficiency with the Porkert is consistently in the high-70's/bottom-80's range, so I don't have the incentive I need to drop the big cash yet.