Does this always happen with Brewmasters Crush?

Edit: I am not bashing brewmasters warehouse at all, I should have titled the post different! I could not edit the title.

Just finished a brewing a 5.5 gallon batch of American Pale. First time using Brewmaster's Warehouse, and thought that the crush was really fine.
I ended up getting my first stuck sparge..... And I used 2 handfuls of rice hulls. It took forever to drain the MLT, and when stiring the grain a bit "aggressive" to try to un-stick it I bumped my manifold out. I ended up draining the MLT through a fine mesh strainer because quite a bit of grain was coming through at first. I don't think that will effect the outcome of the beer. I hope not at least.
I was shooting for an OG of 1.048 for 5.5 gallons. Ended up with OG 1.057 with 5.75 gallons. According to beer smith 86.31%efficiency into fermenter. I was going to dilute it, but the way things were going, I forgot to make adjustments pre-boil. I was just happy to get the MLT drained.

I have grain for one more brew from them, I guess a paint strainer bag would help in addition to the manifold.

I've not had any issues with their crush at all, and have brewed maybe 15 batches using their crush. That's not to say that their mill might not need adjustment, but that it's not a consistent issue.
Do you use a braid in your MLT? If it's getting stretched or pinched, that can make things take a lot longer.

elkdog said:

Do you use a braid in your MLT? If it's getting stretched or pinched, that can make things take a lot longer.

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No, I use a CPVC manifold. I'm not saying it is an issue, I was just surprised that it got clogged up. I have relatively thin slits in the cpvc, and thought I'd be ok.

And since this was only my third all grain, trying to find ways to make sure it doesn't happen.

Post some pictures. The problem with having someone do your crush is potential for an inexperience person doing it. Mill gets out of adjustment or the speed is changed and it's not noticed. They have a good reputation and pretty sure they would replace poorly crushed grains if that was the case.

Add a mill to your shopping list for the future.

Have used Brewmasterswarehouse crush several times without an issue.

I guess I should have titled the post different. I don't want people think I am bashing Brewmaster's warehouse. I have only gotten grain from 3 places and this was the finest crush I have seen. It is also the best efficiency I have gotten.
My main question should have been, if this is they way the crush should be hence the better efficiency, what do I need to change in my system to make sure it doesn't happen again?

I tried to edit the title but couldn't.

I got a great crush from them. I had 5 pounds of 2 row and 3 pounds of wheat and didn't get a stuck mash, it actually went extremely well for my first AG. My efficiency was a whopping 85.6%! I use a stainless steel mesh tube and a 10gal round cooler.

Looking at it, I actually thought to myself that they seem to give you an actual ideal crush as opposed to what I've seen at LHBSs (fairly coarse crush) when milling specialty grains.

bovineblitz said:

Looking at it, I actually thought to myself that they seem to give you an actual ideal crush as opposed to what I've seen at LHBSs (fairly coarse crush) when milling specialty grains.

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This is exactly what I am getting at! I saw the huge difference in the coarsness of the crush from the two other places I got grain from so far. I got 86% efficiency today, highest I've hit yet. If it wasn't for the stuck sparge, the day would have been perfect.
I know my system is not perfect, and the point of the thread was to figure out what steps to take to avoid stuck sparges. Since the cause is obviously my manifold, is a stainless steel braid in fact better then a CPVC manifold, or would wrapping the manifold in a paint strainer bag work good enough.

I used a PVC manifold for a couple of years and always struggled with the crush. After changing to a SS braid as a last resort, I wish I never had screwed around with that damn PVC in the first place. No more rice hulls, no more worries with wheat malt, no stuck sparges. Ever.

riromero said:

I used a PVC manifold for a couple of years and always struggled with the crush. After changing to a SS braid as a last resort, I wish I never had screwed around with that damn PVC in the first place. No more rice hulls, no more worries with wheat malt, no stuck sparges. Ever.

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Thanks. I guess I will change to a SS braid before my next brew day. I think I read that people have better luck with the water heater supply braids? I will look at Home Depot tomorrow.

Dave258 said:

Thanks. I guess I will change to a SS braid before my next brew day. I think I read that people have better luck with the water heater supply braids? I will look at Home Depot tomorrow.

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Yeah, the water heater braids are less prone to crush or pinch (which is what happened to me a couple of brews ago). I've only used a braid, so I can't speak to a difference in the two.

FWIW, I didn't read you as bashing BMW at all; you had an issue with your brewday, and the crush was the most obvious variable to look at.

My favorite post about Brewmaster's crush

shortyjacobs said:

Apparently, Ed employs angels with ball peen hammers to crush his grain. The hammers have handles made of unicorn horns, and the angels sit on top of leprechauns as they work. Shooting stars are used for illumination. Once brewed with, your grain will cause your beers to win world competitions, your award winning beers will be drunk by world leaders, and peace will abound.

But I've never ordered from him, so I'd trust these other folks.

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My best efficiency also.

I've only done one all grain so far and I ordered the grains from Brewmaster's. I was using a plastic false bottom. I also had a stuck sparge, but that was a result of the plastic bottom floating on me. I'm probably going to add an additional paint strainer bag to my next attempt. I also got an INCREDIBLY high gravity when all was said and done.

I'm going to use them for my next batch and if the same thing happens I'm just going to adjust my efficiency setting in Brew Alchemy when using their ingredients and be done with it. I like that I'm able to order small amounts from them and don't have to order amounts of grain larger than what I actually need.

Dave258 said:

Thanks. I guess I will change to a SS braid before my next brew day. I think I read that people have better luck with the water heater supply braids? I will look at Home Depot tomorrow.

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Home Depot carries synthetic braids that look like SS braids so be careful. The larger heater supply are SS I believe but unless it's SS on the package do not get it. Lowe's carries smaller braids (sink braids) that are SS and much cheaper.

I have been using crushed grain from BMW since last summer with no problems from the crush itself, I've gotten excellent efficiency, 75%-85%. I have had problems with the SS braid that is causing a slow batch sparge, I can see the braid has somewhat collapsed after I empty the grains. I have recently bought a SS spring to go inside the braid for my next brew.

MikeG said:

I have recently bought a SS spring to go inside the braid for my next brew.

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I didn't make it to Home Depot today, and plan to go tomorrow. Where did you find the stainless steel spring? What is the diameter of it?

I don't know if I should change from the manifold to the braid, or just wrap the manifold in a big strainer/grain bag.

I got to figure it out. Making my starter tomorrow for the DFH India Brown recipe. I hope to squeeze in a brew day again very soon!

I use a nylon toilet hose that has external stainless steel braided wrap. You cut the ends off and slide off the stainless braid like a chinese finger trap.

Dave258 said:

I didn't make it to Home Depot today, and plan to go tomorrow. Where did you find the stainless steel spring? What is the diameter of it?

I don't know if I should change from the manifold to the braid, or just wrap the manifold in a big strainer/grain bag.

I got to figure it out. Making my starter tomorrow for the DFH India Brown recipe. I hope to squeeze in a brew day again very soon!

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McMaster-Carr. I got the information from nostalgia, he's got all the exact part numbers: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/mlt-cooler-conversion-crushproof-braid-122433/. I ordered the items and they arrived later on the same day!

Funny you should ask...

I have used BMW exclusively since I went AG almost 2 years ago. My efficiency has been excellent...always in the 80-85% range, no stuck sparges.

Last Sunday, I set out to brew my House Pale Ale as usual. After the 60 minute rest, I went to vorlauf and.....nothing! I could not get the wort to run no matter what I tried. Hundreds of gallons of AG batches in my 36 quart cooler with a nice copper manifold and I finally get stuck. Go figure!