Quality of the grind from online HBS

I just got my first online order from MoreBeer and I am disappointed to say the least with the grind. To me, it looks like between 1/3 and 1/2 the kernels are still whole. I've always used my LHBS, but they are over an hour away and their prices have always seemed a bit stiff, so I thought I'd try MoreBeer, but I'm not sure it's worth the driving convenience and cost savings if I get a crappy grind and can't get the good stuff out of my grain. The specialty malts are ground better than the base malt, but I need to get the goodness out of the base malts. At least my LHBS always gave a great grind.

Have others had this trouble with MoreBeer? Do any of the others do better?

I once tried grains from MoreBeer, and also Northern Brewer. Both grinds were terrible and produced efficiency a full 10% below what I was getting with LHBS crushed grains. It seems to be a pretty common complaint about crushed grain from online vendors.

I've since invested in a Barley Crusher and don't have to worry about that anymore.

I have also heard a lot about getting a terrible crush from on line vendors. I would say with a fair amount of confidence that there are very few vendors that would purposely give a customer poorly crushed grains. It is just poor customer service to purposely give a customer crushed grains that are not properly crushed. Anyone that has been brewing all grain for a while knows the range of efficiency to expect from their brewery and would quickly figure out that the crush is to blame. That would kill repeat business.

Brewmasters Warehouse said:

I have also heard a lot about getting a terrible crush from on line vendors. I would say with a fair amount of confidence that there are very few vendors that would purposely give a customer poorly crushed grains. It is just poor customer service to purposely give a customer crushed grains that are not properly crushed. Anyone that has been brewing all grain for a while knows the range of efficiency to expect from their brewery and would quickly figure out that the crush is to blame. That would kill repeat business.

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See, my theory is that you guys are trying to get us to buy either more grain or a grain mill....

Barring buying your own grain mill, you should find a different source. I have always gotten at least 75% efficiency (great crush) with Austin Homebrew, their service is great and shipping is a fixed cost. * I am in no way affiliated with Austin Homebrew *

the_bird said:

See, my theory is that you guys are trying to get us to buy either more grain or a grain mill....

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I can see that possibly happening, but after it happened 1 time it got put on a forum, and now can be blasted be everyone. It is quite possible that the OP will never buy from them again, which is not worth a couple of extra pounds of grain ($5 additional dollars in revenue).

I can tell you that all of our grains are crushed using a Barley Crusher, and then visually inspected before being packaged to ship. We use what we sell. It takes longer than some other mills, but it gives a great crush, and we can stand by the quality of our crush, and the mills that we sell. Before you ask we use the default gap setting which has received a lot of positive comments on HBT.

You know I was being sarcastic, right?

You know what I'm interested in? You're using the BC in a commercial setting; I'd be interested to hear how well it holds up for you over a long period of time. I love my BC, but obviously it doesn't get used nearly as much as yours will. Be interesting to hear if it holds up well for you, since I think some of its competitors have claimed that it's not as robust as theirs.

the_bird said:

You know I was being sarcastic, right?

You know what I'm interested in? You're using the BC in a commercial setting; I'd be interested to hear how well it holds up for you over a long period of time. I love my BC, but obviously it doesn't get used nearly as much as yours will. Be interesting to hear if it holds up well for you, since I think some of its competitors have claimed that it's not as robust as theirs.

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Bird you are so respected that I can see a newb thinking that is the case.

Now that is sarcasm.


I will let you know how it holds up over the long haul. Really do not think I will have any issues beyond the normal maintenance.

Buy a mill, buy some grain and get busy brewin!

$31 to your door!

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a bit more $$ at $42

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If you brew a lot then go for a 2 roller mill as they do a better job of not making too much flour in the grist and they are faster and a more uniform crush too.

I hate the crush that I get from everyone... my OLD LHBS would get me nearly 80% eff... now, no matter what online store I use, OR my NEW LHBS... I am getting 70% and the crushes stink.
I am going with Bremasters Warehouse!!!! I honestly do not know how these stores can ship out the crushes that they do... they are horrible.

mkling said:

I just got my first online order from MoreBeer and I am disappointed to say the least with the grind. To me, it looks like between 1/3 and 1/2 the kernels are still whole. I've always used my LHBS, but they are over an hour away and their prices have always seemed a bit stiff, so I thought I'd try MoreBeer, but I'm not sure it's worth the driving convenience and cost savings if I get a crappy grind and can't get the good stuff out of my grain. The specialty malts are ground better than the base malt, but I need to get the goodness out of the base malts. At least my LHBS always gave a great grind.

Have others had this trouble with MoreBeer? Do any of the others do better?

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It may not be the shops fault if its imported English malt? I guess theres a lot of different ways to crush. UK maltsters/micros tend to crack the hulls very lightly, most of them still look whole, and there is only the smallest amount of flour. It reduces efficiency but for old style English styles beers you dont look for high efficiency as that it comes from fermentables that you dont want in that style, 70% is normal.

From my brief experience of HBT, one malt people use is English Maris Otter Pale and if you buy this online I guess it has been imported from UK. There are only 2 MO malt merchant in the whole of UK (one I know), the online shops may be buying it pre-crushed in 25kg bags - it comes only very lightly cracked so it may not be the shops fault exactly, sort of out of their control as thats the style of English MO.

I guess DIY is the way if you need a finer crush.

EamusCatuli said:

Barring buying your own grain mill, you should find a different source. I have always gotten at least 75% efficiency (great crush) with Austin Homebrew, their service is great and shipping is a fixed cost. * I am in no way affiliated with Austin Homebrew *

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Ditto. I've hit 78% with grain crushed by Austin Homebrew Supply, with no mashout and double batch sparging. I get similar efficiency from my LHBS's.

(Although I did ask SWMBO-Claus for a Barley Crusher for Christmas)

My first 3 AG's had horrible crushes from a popular online store but I didn't know any better at the time. I was getting high 60's efficiency and then invested in a Barley Crusher. I love the thing and my last 2 were low 80's efficiency. After I saw the crush I did with the BC, I realized how under-crushed the previous "pre-crushed" grains were.

We use a Barley Crusher for our mill. It has held up very nicely so far with about 150,000 pound through it. Different grains require different settings and you have to keep tightening the rollers over time to be consistent. I think the fault lays in never adjusting the mill to a different grain or in general.

Forrest

Forrest, what gap setting do you use though? The last recipe I got from you has around 50% whole grains in it. My BC with the factory setting of 0.039" (checked using a feeler gauge) produces a MUCH finer grind that what I've received from AHS.

Keep in mind that it is a moving target. You need to adjust the gap but that number will keep getting smaller of time until you calibrate the mill.

We are currently using 0.036. It was at 0.039 when we were getting complaints.

Austinhomebrew said:

We are currently using 0.036. It was at 0.039 when we were getting complaints.

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Okay. I want to give credit where credit is due, AHS listens to their customers and the customer support is tremendous.

Flic said:

My first 3 AG's had horrible crushes from a popular online store but I didn't know any better at the time. I was getting high 60's efficiency and then invested in a Barley Crusher. I love the thing and my last 2 were low 80's efficiency. After I saw the crush I did with the BC, I realized how under-crushed the previous "pre-crushed" grains were.

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I get all of my recipe supplies from the LHBS. I told him that I got a new Barley Crusher and that I got 81% efficiency using the exact same recipe and mash/sparging steps that I had used numerous time to achieve a 64% efficiency with his crush. He admitted that it was time to adjust his rollers.

Brewmaster- nice website!

adamjab19 said:

Brewmaster- nice website!

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Thanks a lot!

Ed