buying a grain mill - suggestions

Ive been looking at grain mills recently. I like the ones at monster brewing - http://www.monsterbrewinghardware.com/products_main.html

Is there a big different between the 2 and 3 roller versions? Should i just save up for the 3 roller or will the 2 roller be enough?

Any of mill suggestions?

Adam

3 roller mills give you bragging rights, I mean a little extra control in your crush.

I researched all sorts of stuff including building my own stone mill rollers, and ended up hooking my Corona up to a hopper and dust free bucket topper, powered it with the ass-end of a bike frame and cassette, put an office chair in front of it, and tapped a keg.

Go for it, you'll love ANY mill you get (seriously). It's just not mandatory.

You could likely run a fair sized brew pub operation w/ a 3 roller mill. If you have the dough, and want the braggging rights...by all means go for it. Lots of other good options.

I've got one of these and love it, fwiw. http://schmidling.com/maltmill.htm

I bought a Barley Crusher about a 9 months ago, and love it. Just on the stock setting my efficiency jumped up into the low 80's. I haven't had any issues with it. I figure I've run about 150lbs of Grain through it. A lot of people have had great success with Corona mills and Pasta Rollers at a fraction of the price of BC. For me, I wasn't up for putting in the time & effort into setting up one of the other options. So a BC & 5g bucket was perfect.

Benefit / Cost Ratio = Barley Crusher

Bling Factor / Cost Ratio = 3-roller Monster

I love my BC - fresh and proper crush

Dave

SkiSoloII said:

Benefit / Cost Ratio = Barley Crusher

Bling Factor / Cost Ratio = 3-roller Monster

I love my BC - fresh and proper crush

Dave

Click to expand...

Yup, just bought a Barely Crusher with a 15 lb hopper. Love it. You can easily pull the handle off and use a drill to power it.

I have the BC, and two* of the Monster Mill three rollers. And one of the old Crankandsteins. The MM is by far the best investments I have made. Motorized or hand cranked, they do the job and do it well. The Barley Crusher is a good mill as well, and it served me quite well for a number of years. But it would start free-spinning, and I would have to reverse the roll and re-roll to get it crushing again. It ended up doing it so much that it would add at least double the crush time as it should have. I finally got fed up and just splurged for the Crankandstein. Left that one out in the elements while I was deployed and came back to a rusty mess. So I bought the 3 roller MM and absolutely love it. Sure it costs 30 dollars more than the BC (for the 3 roller, the 2 roller MM is cheaper), and you have to mount it to something, and make you own hopper. But the BC mount is small, as is the hopper. I would not buy anything other than the MM if I had to do it again - which I don't think I will now that I have two of them OUT of the elements.

And there is a slight advantage to the 3 roller - it will crush the grain and separate the husk on the top, then crush the kernel finer on the bottom. But you can get a pretty good crush on the 2 roller once you dial it in. If $40 is worth that little extra crush then the 3 roller is for you. But that is a good chunk of change, and you can make great beer with the 2 roller and use that money to buy the grain to crush in it.

* I only have two because I had to rebuy my gear over here as I didn't think I would be brewing while stationed in Germany. But lack of stouts made me buy the same gear I already have!

so this is the BC some of you have?

http://www.northernbrewer.com/default/barley-crusher-w-7-hopper.html

If so, for $15 more you can get a 2 roller monstermill (with hopper) for about $25 more. worth the price difference? i just want something that gets the job done in a reasonable amount of time and is reliable

Adam

nootay said:

so this is the BC some of you have?

http://www.northernbrewer.com/default/barley-crusher-w-7-hopper.html

If so, for $15 more you can get a 2 roller monstermill (with hopper) for about $25 more. worth the price difference? i just want something that gets the job done in a reasonable amount of time and is reliable

Adam

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Yes, I two roller is more than enough to get the job done. For the price difference I did the 15lb hopper. What sold me was I could order it, take it right out of the box and start using it. No messing around buying materials and looking around to build a base and hopper for it. They work awesome and very speedy with a cordless drill connected to it.

http://www.barleycrusher.com/

Barley Crusher! It fits right on my 5 gallon bucket and hooks up to my drill without any sort of adapter. I'm getting upper 80s efficiency w/gap set to 30. It's a well made product. Well worth the money. As a side, note, you definitely need to get a gauge to measure the gap. Side note: Don't believe what they say about the factory setting. They say it's at 39 or something and mine was 34 at one end and 32 at the other end. Get a gauge at your local auto parts store.

nootay said:

so this is the BC some of you have?

http://www.northernbrewer.com/default/barley-crusher-w-7-hopper.html

If so, for $15 more you can get a 2 roller monstermill (with hopper) for about $25 more. worth the price difference? i just want something that gets the job done in a reasonable amount of time and is reliable

Adam

Click to expand...

That hopper on the MM is very well built and packs flat. Not knocking the BC, I just had problems with it. There are plenty of people that have not had one single problem with it, so you may not run into the issues I had.

And the 2 roller MM is actually less than that. But you don't get the hopper or handle.

nootay said:

Ive been looking at grain mills recently. I like the ones at monster brewing - http://www.monsterbrewinghardware.com/products_main.html

Is there a big different between the 2 and 3 roller versions? Should i just save up for the 3 roller or will the 2 roller be enough?

Any of mill suggestions?

Adam

Click to expand...

Hey! I use the Phil Mill. Pain the keister rolling-up 20 pounds a whack, but I get a GREAT crush. Whatever you do.... don't buy one. Get something you can motorize and build a table around.... seriously.

I am a recent purchaser of a MM3. If you're a "buy it once" kind of guy then I say just cough up the extra dough and get the three roller with hopper and base. I love mine and my husks make for a mighty fine grain bed to filter through. One of the LHBS I go to has a barley crusher and the other has a MM3. Each crushed well with a slight edge in the favor of the MM3 it's very slight but it still has a bit of an edge. That is one of the reasons I went with the MM3 after having seen each in action at the stores.

I have the MM-2, great mill. I bought the hopper with the mill, very heavy duty and holds 11 lb of grain, seemed much sturdier than the hopper that came with the BC. Price was right and I get a great crush. I would recommend a beefy corded drill which ever mill you but, my 18v cordless Dewalt really struggled.

+1 on the barley crusher. Cheapest price is at AHBS...shipping is flat rate 7.99 and that includes sacks of grain (2-row is 51.99 for 50lbs)

http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?products_id=12242


cheers

Just bought the BC and cant wait to put it to use! Been buying store ground for some time which made me never want to buy in bulk so now I can!

How about this one ?
http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?products_id=12545

I will be keeping it in the room with the hot tub and was thinking the stainless wouldn't rust.

Do you need to change the gap setting for different Grains or just set it up once and leave it alone?

I dont think its all SS! Some parts are SS, some are alloy but some are steel and that will rust, there are also other parts that may be subject to rust like bearings possibly. That is the MM2 that others are speaking of here though.

I was also having problems with my BC. After emailing back and forth with BC they recommended taking it apart and cleaning it.

Now it works a little better, but I still have problems with it free spinning.

That 3 roller MM is looking like a good buy. On big brew days I might mill 60 to 70 pounds of grain and don't like the mill stalling out.

BW

Thanks for all the info guys! Still not sure which i will buy, but it sounds ill probably stick with a 2 roller for the time being and spend the extra on a bag of grain

I have a BC, so far it works fine. Had to laugh however when my son looked at the base and asked me if I made it. I asked him why and he said because it is so poorly cut, I had to agree that it looks like crap. It really is not a craftsmen type of product. If it dies I would look elsewhere.

smokinghole said:

I am a recent purchaser of a MM3. If you're a "buy it once" kind of guy then I say just cough up the extra dough and get the three roller with hopper and base. I love mine and my husks make for a mighty fine grain bed to filter through. One of the LHBS I go to has a barley crusher and the other has a MM3. Each crushed well with a slight edge in the favor of the MM3 it's very slight but it still has a bit of an edge. That is one of the reasons I went with the MM3 after having seen each in action at the stores.

Click to expand...

I myself have a MM3-2, a friend I swayed to a MM3-2 has beat the snot out of his doing over 60# single brew batches plus now over 40 brew sessions and counting. Zero problems once set up and adjusted. Just a couple drops of oil for the oilite bushings every 600-800 pounds of grain crushed. The hopper holds 45 pounds.
Buy again no and why? Just replace the oilite bushings when they ever wear out in the future which is still a long ways off. Secret for long bushing life is polish the rollers pinions then send out and have the rollers knurling and pinions case hardened. Bushings are cheap to replace vs worn knurling and pinion shafts. Direct drive with a loveJoy coupling drive vs a pulley belt side force on the drive bushing, this for a longer bushing life. Buy good once.

HI_SALENITY said:

How about this one ?
http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?products_id=12545

I will be keeping it in the room with the hot tub and was thinking the stainless wouldn't rust.

Do you need to change the gap setting for different Grains or just set it up once and leave it alone?

Click to expand...

If you go here http://www.monsterbrewinghardware.com/index.html they do have a stainless steel roller option.

brewmonk said:

I researched all sorts of stuff including building my own stone mill rollers, and ended up hooking my Corona up to a hopper and dust free bucket topper, powered it with the ass-end of a bike frame and cassette, put an office chair in front of it, and tapped a keg.

Click to expand...

You just gave me a great idea. I have been trying along the way to be as "green" as possible when brewing. I am planning on opening a commercial brewery and I have been looking into PV and Wind to offset my planned electric brewing system.

Well. I never thought of human power. My grain mill will now be powered by bicycle. I may even setup a few "Bar Stools" where people can pedal for a discount. Hey why not. I know of a Gym that is powering there equipent from the electricity their machines are producing.

Thank you for the idea!!

Brewmoor said:

You just gave me a great idea. I have been trying along the way to be as "green" as possible when brewing. I am planning on opening a commercial brewery and I have been looking into PV and Wind to offset my planned electric brewing system.

Well. I never thought of human power. My grain mill will now be powered by bicycle. I may even setup a few "Bar Stools" where people can pedal for a discount. Hey why not. I know of a Gym that is powering there equipent from the electricity their machines are producing.

Thank you for the idea!!

Click to expand...

How many miles of peddling to the pint of bier?

Well im about to buy my mill and have a question about my first all grain brew. My next beer in line is a samuel smiths oatmeal stout clone. I was going to do this extract, but might as well go all grain right?

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f68/samuel-smiths-oatmeal-stout-78126/

Is this a good all grain starter? I know the process for all grain, but im sure ill run in to issues along the way. I calculated the price for all the grains and it comes to about $21, which isnt bad for an all grain starter brew. I havent built a mash tun yet, but plan on going the 10 gallon cooler route. Will probably head to ace and follow the instructions in the sticky for building the MLT. anything im not thinking about here?

smokinghole said:

If you go here http://www.monsterbrewinghardware.com/index.html they do have a stainless steel roller option.

Click to expand...

Stainless, add $120 above the MM3-2 base price of $229 or $246 with shipping, stainless option your at $366. Just go for their $60 case hardened steel roller version or the basic MM3-2, detail and polish journals then send them out to be case hardened. My 3 rollers are 3 gas case hardened only cost me a case of Bud. A simple process run thru with other parts in the gas chamber ovens with other customers parts. The brown finish from the process has made the steel rollers rust free so far plus i'm way ahead in money saved. repolish the journals good to go. Would I do it again this way, yes within a heartbeat, used the saved money for other brewing items.

nootay said:

Well im about to buy my mill and have a question about my first all grain brew. My next beer in line is a samuel smiths oatmeal stout clone. I was going to do this extract, but might as well go all grain right?

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f68/samuel-smiths-oatmeal-stout-78126/

Is this a good all grain starter? I know the process for all grain, but im sure ill run in to issues along the way. I calculated the price for all the grains and it comes to about $21, which isnt bad for an all grain starter brew. I havent built a mash tun yet, but plan on going the 10 gallon cooler route. Will probably head to ace and follow the instructions in the sticky for building the MLT. anything im not thinking about here?

Click to expand...

I think that will be a good first AG, Stouts are usually pretty forgiving.

If I may, I would suggest planning on a little lower efficiency on your first few batches, maybe 65'ish. I'd personally rather be a little high on my OG than low. It will take a few batches to figure out what to expect from your system and process. I think my first AG I got 55%. Anyhow, just a suggestion. Hope it goes well.

ahh i meant to through the recipe in to beersmith and change that, im glad you reminded me! yea i planned on putting it at 60. ive read the how tos for all grain probably 25 times, so i feel like i should have no problems, but i know something will be off.

PS - would you happen to share the hot pepper blonde recipe you have in your signature? i was thinking about making something similar eventually.

hmm, the samuel smith recipe calls for Pale Malt (2 row). I was planning on buying this for my base malt:

http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?cPath=178_21_71_425_426&products_id=10345

which is Brewers 2-Row Malt . Will that work fine for this or do i need something different?

http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?cPath=178_21_71_425_426&products_id=10351
This is what the recipe calls for,
I don't know if you would notice a hell of a lot difference using
the other 2row

Thats what i figured, im just going to make it with the other.

Thanks

Brewmoor said:

You just gave me a great idea. I have been trying along the way to be as "green" as possible when brewing. I am planning on opening a commercial brewery and I have been looking into PV and Wind to offset my planned electric brewing system.

Well. I never thought of human power. My grain mill will now be powered by bicycle. I may even setup a few "Bar Stools" where people can pedal for a discount. Hey why not. I know of a Gym that is powering there equipent from the electricity their machines are producing.

Thank you for the idea!!

Click to expand...

If you are near a river you could connect your mill to a waterwheel and make the smallest water-driven mill in the world.

Pappers said:

I've got one of these and love it, fwiw. http://schmidling.com/maltmill.htm

Click to expand...

I love mine. I bought it from my LHBS (they upgraded to a large motorized machine). I'll bet it ground hundreds of lbs of grain a day, 5 days a week, for years. It works perfectly now at my house. That is a testament to its reliability. BTW, I put a 7 amp drill on mine.

After reading this thread I just pulled the trigger and got the MM3 1.5" Roller with base and hopper. $205.00 shipping included. I'm looking forward to it. The MM3-2 was $80.00 more. From what I have read I couldn't justify the expence. That money will go towards buying grain.

Cheers!!

Richie

I had the burning desire to spend some extra cash (over $600) that came to me from a loan to a friend I gave up as a loss hence my MM3-2 purchase. I went the basic model knowing i'll go thru it detailing it plus had a free case hardening offer by a business owner friend. I'm very happy plus left the knurling dark colored no rusting so far. Congrats on your purchase "Fred" will tell you on his mills.