First Crush

Hey everyone, I did my first crush today with my new Barley Crusher set at the factory setting of .039, to me it seems to be on the fine side compare to the crushed grains I get order online, what does it look like to you veterans crushers? Here are some pictures, hope they can help. I have one more question, I was in my local beer supply store and they had 50lb bags of Crisp Ale Malt, I asked the worker if they had 2row, and he told me that the ale malt is the same thing, is that true, and if not can I substitute it for 2row?

Here are some more pictures, that I uploaded, I tried to post these on the first post, but the files wouldn't upload.

The crush looks great. Crisp is the name of a malting company. I would say what they suggested would substitute for 2-row (likely it is 2-row), just a little more expensive than generic 2-row.

I go a little tighter on my barley crusher, so I have it crushed even more, but yours looks pretty good.

I would close the gap some, I have mine set at .035 which is perfect for my system.

Just keep tightening your gap a little bit at a time until the husks don't look like that anymore, then go back one step. I have a corona mill, so I have no idea what the gap is, but the idea is the same.

2-row is actually a description of the way the grain is arranged on the plant. Make it into soup, caramelize it, cook it to 600 Lovibond, it's still 2-row. Crisp is a British malting company. Their malt is just a little darker than Canadian/American malts, but should work fine anyplace you would use 2-row, maybe even a little more flavorful.

Looks pretty good to me. I have a BC and stuck with the factory gap for a couple of batches and then tightened things up a bit. For me .037" has given me great results and no shredded husks.

+1 for .035 - gets my efficiency into the 80's. It's amazing what .004 will do!

kingwood-kid said:

2-row is actually a description of the way the grain is arranged on the plant. Make it into soup, caramelize it, cook it to 600 Lovibond, it's still 2-row. Crisp is a British malting company. Their malt is just a little darker than Canadian/American malts, but should work fine anyplace you would use 2-row, maybe even a little more flavorful.

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Yep. I think you'll be satisfied with the Crisp purchase -- I haven't used their Pale Ale Malt, but I'm generally fond of slightly darker or more robust base malts like Marris Otter, Golden Promise, or even domestic Pale Ale malt from companies like Rahr.

In short: you have a great type of 2-Row!

junior said:

Hey everyone, I did my first crush today with my new Barley Crusher set at the factory setting of .039, to me it seems to be on the fine side compare to the crushed grains I get order online, what does it look like to you veterans crushers? Here are some pictures, hope they can help. I have one more question, I was in my local beer supply store and they had 50lb bags of Crisp Ale Malt, I asked the worker if they had 2row, and he told me that the ale malt is the same thing, is that true, and if not can I substitute it for 2row?

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If you were selling crushed grain for brewing would you adjust your crusher for the finest crush that could be mashed or would you set it a little coarser so that none of your customers complain about stuck sparges from having the grain crushed to fine? Remember that you are also selling grain and if the beer turns out good but takes a little more grain because the efficiency isn't the best will the customer complain about the extra few ounces of grain they need to buy? Your crusher seems to be set OK or perhaps a little coarse. Try a batch. If you get a stuck sparge, spread the rollers a bit. If it sparges just fine, try closing the gap for the next batch.

Thank's to all for the feedback, I just thought the grind looked finer than when I ordered my grain crushed, I always hit my numbers with that crush. Hopefully I will hit my numbers with factory/.039 gap. One more question, I hand crank the Barley Crusher, and what a pain, I read somewhere that if I would use a drill it should be variable drill, doe's anyone here use a regular drill?

I also just got a barley crusher and brewed my first batch.

With it left at the factory setting I almost had a plugged mash tun, it was very slow towards the end. My efficiency improved from 70 to 83.

junior said:

Thank's to all for the feedback, I just thought the grind looked finer than when I ordered my grain crushed, I always hit my numbers with that crush. Hopefully I will hit my numbers with factory/.039 gap. One more question, I hand crank the Barley Crusher, and what a pain, I read somewhere that if I would use a drill it should be variable drill, doe's anyone here use a regular drill?

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Pretty much any drill driver with a 3/8" chuck will work. Just don't run it full speed. I tend to go sort of slow and it takes me about 3-5 minutes to get through 15# of grain.

A low power high speed drill is not desireable...the HF D-handle 1/2" drill, or the Low speed 1/2' spade drill work very well. I would tighten the mill untill there are no grains left uncrushed. Looks like there might be a few in the pics.

I do suggest checking the gap every few brews. Mine moved a bit in the beginning but stayed set after the first time I readjusted.

bnmir said:

I do suggest checking the gap every few brews. Mine moved a bit in the beginning but stayed set after the first time I readjusted.

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Yes agreed check the gap...but i would add to always check the crush visually as a matter of habit, better to spot an issue sooner rather than later...not much you can do when you notice a "coarse" crush while dumping the MT

Natalie Cowell, 3rd grade, Fairfield Elementary School. Head over heels.

Your milled grain looks great too. There are some conflicting ideas on the relationship between milling courseness and efficiency. Loads of anecdotal evidence that finer milling results in big jumps in efficiency, but Briess (malsters) did a very nice, controlled study on the matter that showed that it doesn't make much of a difference at all. To keep from cluttering this thread, I'll just post a link to that here for anyone interested in a discussion of crush vs. efficiency.

passedpawn said:

Natalie Cowell, 3rd grade, Fairfield Elementary School. Head over heels.

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Can't believe it took us this long for someone to make the joke. HBT is slipping!