BIAB Mill question

I'm going to attempt BIAB #2 for me. I ordered my supplies from Austin Homebrew Supply and requested a finer grind for BIAB. I didn't get a response at all, and I don't think they did it. I want to improve my efficiency. I got 69% last time. So...
Does this look like a fine enough mill?
How fine a mill works best? Got any pictures?
I'm trying to get a pasta maker to turn into a mill but our Michael's has been out of it. Until I get one, could I run the grains through a food proccesor to get a finer mill?
If I borrow a barley crusher (I'm hoping I can), what setting would be best?









Thanks!

It's hard for me to see clearly, but it looks like a decent crush. You want all of the husks cracked, but not milled into flour. A little flour is ok, but you don't want to pulverize the grain.

I get around 70-72% efficiency with AHS' crushes pretty consistently.

I need finer than a standard crush for BIAB. I think this looks like a standard crush but wasn't sure.

Daddymem said:

I need finer than a standard crush for BIAB. I think this looks like a standard crush but wasn't sure.

Click to expand...

I'm no expert on BIAB, but you may not want a finer crush. You'll risk more tannin extraction from the shredded husks. 69% efficiency is ok, and a better sparging technique may improve that somewhat. (Or adding sparging, if you're not doing it now, will add a ton of efficiency points). I know you want a higher efficiency, but you don't want to risk not having the best beer you can to gain a couple of efficiency points.

Only my second AG, but, from what I understand, fine crush causing tannins is more or less a myth. pH and high temperature are tannin causers, both of which sparging deals with. The crush is important for non BIAB so you don't get stuck sparges. For BIAB there is no sparge so the crush, from what I have heard is very flour like, I'd like a visual to see how fine so I can reproduce it.

You want it fine for BIAB, like the coarse polenta grits you see in the health food section of the grocery store. You still don't want the husk shredded too much as they still aid in drainage. I've seen reports of 80% for BIAB. I forget where, not here though.

The 69% you have been getting is very acceptable. I wouldn't change anything too much from what you are already doing if you are happy with the results......Just an honest onion.

I think that crush looks fine for BIAB. It's what mine usually looks like from the one LHBS I go to and I do BIAB and get around 75%.

Cool, I'll go with the flow then. I think a bigger squeeze on the bag should get me a couple extra points anyways...oh and a better control on the temperature. Thanks guys.

I think what Yooper is saying is that if you are shredding the husks too much with a finer crush, you may get tannins because the particles could end up in the boil, thus releasing tannins. Not sure how fine the mesh is on your bag, but that has a lot to do with it too if those particles will get through it.

Also, I don't see how anyone gets over 80% efficiency with BIaB without a Sparge, I sparge in a separate pot by simply transferring the grain bag over to it like a huge tea bag and dunking it and letting it sit and I still only get mid 70's efficiency numbers.

Maybe I'll do a double pass on my mill and get a real fine crush on the next one and see what happens.

RedIrocZ-28 said:

Also, I don't see how anyone gets over 80% efficiency with BIaB without a Sparge, I sparge in a separate pot by simply transferring the grain bag over to it like a huge tea bag and dunking it and letting it sit and I still only get mid 70's efficiency numbers.

Click to expand...

How thin of a mash are you doing? From what I've read, the "no sparge" efficiency comes from doing a really thin mash, like 2qt/lb.

Yeah, I am thinner on my mash than that. I'm normally at about 1.25qt/lb. But thats all my current setup will allow for grainbills in the 10-12lb range. I should try to mash in my 7.5gal pot, but I'd still have to sparge to collect enough for a full boil. This is why I need a 15gal pot and a 10gal pot. Anyone want to buy a 5gal SS and a 7.5gal AL pot reasonably cheap?

I crush my grain finer than that for a BIAB. I would run it through a mill again if you have one. 69%-70% really isn't bad though, with a finer crush you can expect 75%-80%.

That's my material.

What base is that ruler in? 10 ticks from 42 to 51? I'm gonna have to google it to convert it to standard measurement.


B

that crush is OK based on those pics.

Not a ruler, it's Engineers Scale but that would be the 10 scale which is inches, it reads in both directions