No Grain Mill - Options?

Ok, so i got the grains and stuff needed to make some Graff, want to make it this weekend. I purchased the stuff at a LHBS which is about 4hrs away(they crush them on site) but purchasing them and not using them for a while i opted not to get them crushed as i read you're supposed to use them asap after crushing(bought them about a month ago). So, here i am, and i want to make some this weekend.....what are my options. I've read that some use a rolling pin and it worked fine...time consuming but i'm ok with that. Any other options or is this it? its only 1/2lb of crystal malt...so it shouldn't take long..

blender. Use 1 cup at a time so that things mix a bit better (otherwise top stays at top (uncrushed) and bottom is annihilated. Pulse on medium speed about 5 seconds. Worked for me when I was in a similar situation. Efficiency was a little lower but I stayed on the safe side and didn`t blend the heck out of the grain.

I'm sending one of my children over with his skateboard - he'll take care of your problem!



Or rolling pin or blender would work, too, I suppose.

The blender or small food processor should work fine, but be careful! Don't turn it to powder. It might be good to blend it for short bursts to make sure it mixes around well and breaks up evenly.

if it's only 0.5 lbs, I'd stay away from the blender or food processor and just put them in a plastic bag and crush them with a rolling pin or wooden mallet. I'd be afraid of grinding the grains too much with the appliances.

Remember... you are just trying to crack the husks open.

I recently did 0.5kg (roughly 1 lb) of home roasted grain using a pestle and mortar. Worked, but my wrist is still sore after.

Pasta maker perhaps?

I did 1.5 lbs using my rolling pin (it was my first extract + specialty grains) and it was not a problem at all. Did it while my water was heating up.

Coincidently, according to my tracking number, my BC is getting delivered today

Bendbiker said:

blender. Use 1 cup at a time so that things mix a bit better (otherwise top stays at top (uncrushed) and bottom is annihilated. Pulse on medium speed about 5 seconds. Worked for me when I was in a similar situation. Efficiency was a little lower but I stayed on the safe side and didn`t blend the heck out of the grain.

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Damn... I wish i read this before deciding to go with the blender instead of rolling pin... I used 1 lb. of wheat grain in my wheat beer and decided to blend it all at one on pulse... well it was to add 2.6 points to the recipe... i didnt get it. So now my OG is 1.042 instead or 1.047... well thats where i think i missed.

Dr1nkBeer said:

Damn... I wish i read this before deciding to go with the blender instead of rolling pin... I used 1 lb. of wheat grain in my wheat beer and decided to blend it all at one on pulse... well it was to add 2.6 points to the recipe... i didnt get it. So now my OG is 1.042 instead or 1.047... well thats where i think i missed.

Click to expand...

no real difference there that could be noticed.

Put them in a garbage bag, tie off the top, spread them out as thin of a layer as possible, roll a rolling pin over them with enough pressure to crack the husk but not enough to crush it into tiny little pieces.

So no one's tried the skateboard method?

eastoak said:

no real difference there that could be noticed.

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do you mean that even if I got the additional fermentables it wouldnt have made a difference or by doing one cup at a time the result would have been the same..

I really didnt even pulse that much.. but once i noticed the "powder" i stopped and it was too late...

should be good anyway but I would have liked to see the difference...


on a side note... THE SKATEBOARD METHOD?... do tell.

Pappers_ said:

So no one's tried the skateboard method?

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Pappers,

I may have to have you try the skateboard method next weekend if my neighbor is still out of town (he told me that I could use his mill, but I am still waiting for my grain to be delivered).