Re-crushing helps (IMO)

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Soulive

Soulive

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After inconsistent efficiency through several batches, I've finally noticed that re-crushing raises my efficiency about 3-5 points. I buy my base malt precrushed and run it through my BC before using it. When the percentage of re-crushed grain goes up, my efficiency goes up as well. If I use more uncrushed grains, my efficiency goes down some. Re-crushing isn't enough of a PITA to warrant losing 5 points. Anyone agree/disagree?
 
My question is... Why did you buy a BC only to buy pre-crushed grains? That pretty much rules out buying base malt in large quantities unless you're going through it really quickly... If you bought uncrushed grain you could always crush it twice if that's what works for you, though I think that if you got the gap on your BC adjusted right you probably wouldn't need to crush more than once.

It is an interesting thing to consider, though, that double-crushing (rather than a single crush with a narrower gap) works better. It sort of makes sense because triple-roller mills essentially run the grain through two roller gaps in a row, and those seem to work great.

Personally, I don't like the thought of pouring crushed grain into the hopper - I get enough dust in the air even pouring uncrushed grain in there. But, I'm grinding in an apartment, so those of you doing it in a garage or outdoors may feel quite differently.
 
Funkenjaeger said:
My question is... Why did you buy a BC only to buy pre-crushed grains? That pretty much rules out buying base malt in large quantities unless you're going through it really quickly... If you bought uncrushed grain you could always crush it twice if that's what works for you, though I think that if you got the gap on your BC adjusted right you probably wouldn't need to crush more than once.

It is an interesting thing to consider, though, that double-crushing (rather than a single crush with a narrower gap) works better. It sort of makes sense because triple-roller mills essentially run the grain through two roller gaps in a row, and those seem to work great.

Personally, I don't like the thought of pouring crushed grain into the hopper - I get enough dust in the air even pouring uncrushed grain in there. But, I'm grinding in an apartment, so those of you doing it in a garage or outdoors may feel quite differently.
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Good question. I buy pre-crushed because the local brewpub buys precrushed. Since I only pay about $35 per sack, I'm not gonna complain. I'm not opposed to uncrushed, I just don't have cheap access to it. I hear you on the grain dust, but I pour it outside...
 
It's nice that the brewpubs can buy a pallet of precrushed for pennies a pound more and dump it all into the mashtun that day. My only concern with double crushing is how much more pulverized the husks get. I'd take a close comparison look at the double crush to see just how much intact husks you retain. These are what help stop stuck sparges.
 
Yeah I had to re-crush my whole Oats as the husk escaped the normal mill setting. It is true the dust gets worse, so if you have allergies it might be a bad thing. It's a trade off between efficiency and what you are willing to deal with I suppose. I normally crush a little, look at the grain and then reset the mill if it isn't a good enough crush. The other thing too, is it may be worthwhile to mill different grains separately, which up until now I haven't done but I think I may start doing.....however....do not try to mill raw wheat by hand on it's own. It's horrible.
 
Soulive said:
Good question. I buy pre-crushed because the local brewpub buys precrushed. Since I only pay about $35 per sack, I'm not gonna complain. I'm not opposed to uncrushed, I just don't have cheap access to it. I hear you on the grain dust, but I pour it outside...
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they buy precrushed grain :confused:? what kind of business they running over there?
 
Do you re crush the wheat grains as well? I wonder if your stuck sparge problems you were referring to in the other thread could be related.
 
Soulive said:
After inconsistent efficiency through several batches, I've finally noticed that re-crushing raises my efficiency about 3-5 points. I buy my base malt precrushed and run it through my BC before using it. When the percentage of re-crushed grain goes up, my efficiency goes up as well. If I use more uncrushed grains, my efficiency goes down some. Re-crushing isn't enough of a PITA to warrant losing 5 points. Anyone agree/disagree?
Click to expand...

But, is it act of re-crushing itself that is giving you better efficiency? Maybe the initial "factory" crush is junk so with you re-crushing it, it brings it to roughly what you'd get in the first place? Maybe you need to experiment with uncrushed grains to see if there is a varying efficiency.
 
janzik said:
But, is it act of re-crushing itself that is giving you better efficiency? Maybe the initial "factory" crush is junk so with you re-crushing it, it brings it to roughly what you'd get in the first place? Maybe you need to experiment with uncrushed grains to see if there is a varying efficiency.
Click to expand...

That's the whole thing in a nutshell, really. Efficiency is a function of several factors and one of the main ones is the mean particle size. The big breweries basically make a flour because they can handle the lauter with specialized equipment and have the science to avoid excessive Tannin extraction from pulverized hulls (at least I am fairly certain this is the case).
 
Chimone said:
they just dont have the room for a mill?
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No they don't. Originally the place was set up as a concept. They decided to keep the brewing concept, but never made room for the mill...

janzik said:
But, is it act of re-crushing itself that is giving you better efficiency? Maybe the initial "factory" crush is junk so with you re-crushing it, it brings it to roughly what you'd get in the first place? Maybe you need to experiment with uncrushed grains to see if there is a varying efficiency.
Click to expand...

Very good point Joe. I will try re-crushing some previously uncrushed grain. Cheers...
 
Soulive said:
No they don't. Originally the place was set up as a concept. They decided to keep the brewing concept, but never made room for the mill...
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It's time to rig a table with half a dozen BC's wth super hoppers with drills attached. :rockin:
 
Soulive said:
I buy my base malt precrushed and run it through my BC before using it. When the percentage of re-crushed grain goes up, my efficiency goes up as well.
Click to expand...

This is all speculation since i've never used bulk pre-crushed grains, but I suspect there is a lot of stratification going on in the bag. The lighter husks will make their way to the top of the bag and the heavier particles and flour will migrate to the bottom. This probably isn't an issue for the brewery since they are throwing the whole bag in at one time. But for a homebrewer using just a portion of the bag at a time this could definitely explain varying efficiency throughout the bag.

Edited for speeling...
 
ErikH said:
This is all speculation since i've never used bulk pre-crushed grains, but I suspect there is a lot of stratification going on in the bag. The lighter husks will make their way to the top of the bag and the heavier particles and flour will migrate to the bottom. This probably isn't an issue for the brewery since they are throwing the whole bag in at one time. But for a homebrewer using just a portion of the bag at a time this could definitely explain varying efficiency throughout the bag....
Click to expand...

Excellent point. The ratio of husks to kernels would be pretty inconsistent. Plus the fact that crushed grain goes downhill pretty quickly as opposed to whole kernels. I don't even like to crush my grain the night before.

Prosit!
 

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