Grain Mill Suggestions

Ok, so I made the leap to AG and now I am looking into getting a grain mill. I am not looking for over kill and to spend too much $$$. I do not want the cheap metal one that mounts to a table. I am looking to get one that is pretty much ready to go out of the box. Thoughts??

Kilted Brewer said:

The Barley Crusher Home

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+1,000,000,000 :rockin:

I am going to go with the Monster Mill. I think those look the best to me. Any of the major brands will do a more than adequate job.

FireBrewer said:

+1,000,000,000 :rockin:

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Add in in my +1,000,000,000.

I know some people have had success with a cheapo Corona mill or a Crankenstein (need to build a hopper), but the BC gives a kick arse crush without any fuss. No need to build a hopper, etc. It's all right there.

FireBrewer said:

+1,000,000,000 :rockin:

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Oh ya?

+1 googolplex

ohiobrewtus said:

Oh ya?

+1 googolplex

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Show off.

I would suggest Monster MIll or Crankandstein. There is another thread going on right now about adjustment issues and operational problems with the Barley Crusher. I've never heard of anyone with a Monster Mill or a Crankandstein mill having a problem.

I have a Crankandstein that came attached to a board to sit on top of a bucket. It also has a hopper and a handle, although I use a drill to power it. I left it on factory settings, I haven't had a single problem with it, I haven't needed to make any adjustments, and it produces a perfect grind giving me 88% efficiency.


Edit: Here is the Barley Crusher thread that you might want to read before buying one. Barley Crusher Help.

I have a Crankandstein and it is a quality product that comes ready to use.

ohiobrewtus said:

Oh ya?

+1 googolplex

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Now you're making my head hurt! Where's my beer?!?!

billtzk said:

There is another thread going on right now about adjustment issues and operational problems with the Barley Crusher. I've never heard of anyone with a Monster Mill or a Crankandstein mill having a problem.

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That thread is the first time I've heard of anyone having a problem with the BC. I've used it for probably 60 batches and have never had a problem with mine.

I've crushed about 12-15 sacks worth of grain through my BC and it still works perfect.

From the time it showed up on my doorstep to me crushing was about 10 minutes.

BierMuncher said:

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I've mostly used a cordless drill too, yet I hear stories of them failing and not having enough kick. Mine's 18V and has a hammer drill setting. Plenty of ass.

I say the Barley Crusher is the way to go.

Don't forget to check out the JSP line.
http://schmidling.com/maltmill.htm

-a.

I was thinking of asking this questions. Thanks for the thread and I had gone with the barley crusher in my head before I read this. So I am happy most agree.

Yup, for the money you can't beat a Barley Crusher - I have only done a few batches with mine, but it has been wonderful.

My Crankandstein. I have not used any other, but sure like this one. I use my Craftsman 19.2 volt cordless with two speeds, set on low, and it did a great job on 28 lbs of barleywine ingredients. I have it set at .035. I made a sliding door to hold the grains out of the rollers while I fill it. I just add grains according to the marks on the hopper, after tamping it in of course.

This was the bare bones; I made the top, bottom, and side plates, as well as throwing the hopper together.

Everytime I read one of these threads I find that people are going to recommend whichever particular mill they own. Compare the mills to each other and make your selection based on that. Personally, I have the standard non-adjustable JSP Maltmill and am extremely pleased with it.

- GL63

O.K. I'd like some input.

Mom gave me a grain master mill she had sitting around.

The mill has multiple settings. What setting should I use to mill the grain. Do I want course cracked grain or finer ground grain?

This mill is typically associated with bread making. Will this suffice for AG home brewing?

Here's a link for the mill:
http://www.vitality4lifeshop.com.au/store/images/grainmills/grain_master_whisper_mill_001.jpg

Thanks, your input is appreciated.

BTW, BierMuncher, nice tap set up.

FireBrewer said:

That thread is the first time I've heard of anyone having a problem with the BC. I've used it for probably 60 batches and have never had a problem with mine.

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Yes, same here, but a bunch of people sure came out of the woodwork on that one, eh? That's the only thing that would give me pause about buying a BC versus a CS or MM. I almost bought a BC, but CS was having a sale and the price was about the same so I opted for the CS. I'm satisfied with my choice.

OhioGuy said:

O.K. I'd like some input.

Mom gave me a grain master mill she had sitting around.

The mill has multiple settings. What setting should I use to mill the grain. Do I want course cracked grain or finer ground grain?

This mill is typically associated with bread making. Will this suffice for AG home brewing?

Here's a link for the mill:
http://www.vitality4lifeshop.com.au/store/images/grainmills/grain_master_whisper_mill_001.jpg

Thanks, your input is appreciated.

BTW, BierMuncher, nice tap set up.

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Just look at the picture of crushed grain that BierMuncher posted. Whatever setting gives you that grind, that's what you want.

OhioGuy said:

O.K. I'd like some input.

Mom gave me a grain master mill she had sitting around.

The mill has multiple settings. What setting should I use to mill the grain. Do I want course cracked grain or finer ground grain?

This mill is typically associated with bread making. Will this suffice for AG home brewing?

Here's a link for the mill:
http://www.vitality4lifeshop.com.au/store/images/grainmills/grain_master_whisper_mill_001.jpg

Thanks, your input is appreciated.

BTW, BierMuncher, nice tap set up.

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It may not crush instead of stone grind and will be way too fine for crushing grain to open the husks. Your mom is kind to do that but she should have asked you what you actually need.

WBC said:

It may not crush instead of stone grind and will be way too fine for crushing grain to open the husks. Your mom is kind to do that but she should have asked you what you actually need.

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So this mill will not work for home brewing?

Throw in a couple of handfuls of barley and give it the onions. Post a picture of the crush and let others see it/judge it. Take this with a grain of salt, I have been hitting my five month old 12% barleywine this evening, and although it is still "raw", it is tasty!!

i have used my bc for about 50 batches with no problems. i love it and i think its one of the cheapest mills out there.

steedtucker said:

i have used my bc for about 50 batches with no problems. i love it and i think its one of the cheapest mills out there.

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Wow, do you get a lot of dust with that setup? I have my crankandstien mounted to a board with a couple rubber feet that sits right on top of a bucket, and if I pull the top off before a few minutes of settling, it makes a big dusty mess. Good on ya if it works, but I would consider building a shelf under there so a bucket just fits instead of letting it fall 3 feet.

no problems with dust really.....you can see it sticks a little on the outside edges but not really a problem at all.

If you are looking for one that is good to go right out of the box, then choose a Barley Crusher or a JP. I just purchased a Monster Mill MM-3 with stainless rollers and 1/2" driveshaft. Fred from MM is/was running a sale, check the vendor board for details. He doesn't currently offer a base or a hopper with the mills. I will have to make my own base and hopper for this mill, but I like DIY projects. I chose the MM because of the quality of the product, and the quality of the customer service. I spoke with Fred on the phone and got advice from him regarding my mill purchase. After speaking with him on my own, and reading all the high praises for his customer service on multiple message boards, the choice was easy for me.

Pardon this posting on an old thread. I have had too much Hop Stoopid tonight!!

I just got my Barley Crusher back from servicing. I have to give Randy a +1 for customer service. There was a bent shaft and I had indicated to him that I wasn't sure if I had done it myself or if it came that way. In any case, he replaced the unit completely free of charge.

My cheap metal one that mounts to a table (corona) works fantastic for a grand total of the $25 I spent on my setup it can't be beat. (thanks wilserbrewer!)