Barley crusher what size gap is best?

Nobody have a proffered gap spacing they use with there crusher? I read that 1 and 1 o'clock settings work well somewhere on here. Any suggestions?

Anybody not nobody

I mill to 0.037". My mill does not have an adjustment knob that will read a 1 o'clock setting; I adjust the spacing using a set of feeler gauges.

I have mine set to .029" according to a feeler gauge. Never had a stuck sparge and get good extraction.

.36 here. Probably will adjust tighter again in the future.

0,028 with feeler gage for BIAB

This is almost like asking shoe size...it depends on personal preference as well as how you are lautering...what works for some may not work for others

I just adjusted mine a little tighter last weekend, I had been getting a consistent 79% efficiency but have had some wheats at 79% and some down to 70% so I figured I'd adjust it, and I know it probably wasn't the crush, but I think it couldn't hurt. Haven't used it with the new setting, I basically used a credit card and adjusted till it could still slide in and out a bit easy. I wouldn't say it's fully 1'oclock but maybe halfway to it. I will be trying it tomorrow if the winds don't keep up so crazy (outside with a propane burner) and will report back.


Rev.

My wheats always drop 5-10% effeciency depending on how much Wheat I use; A wheat wine will be 10%.

I have no feeler gages (but I need to get some). I crushed, it looked a little under-crushed so I tightened and crushed again. It looked good but I had a stuck sparge. I backed off the next batch and it worked great. I'm curious to know what the spacing is now.

SoonerDoc said:

I have no feeler gages (but I need to get some). I crushed, it looked a little under-crushed so I tightened and crushed again. It looked good but I had a stuck sparge. I backed off the next batch and it worked great. I'm curious to know what the spacing is now.

Click to expand...

I stopped by my local autoparts store (Kragen/O'Rileys) and picked up a feeler gage set last weekend for ~$3. It's almost identical to the set magno uses.

I keep mine at the factory setting (.39?). I get 77% efficiency everytime and am happy with it.

.033 and I always condition my grain before milling.

DeafSmith said:

.033 and I always condition my grain before milling.

Click to expand...

How do you condition your grain?

magno said:

How do you condition your grain?

Click to expand...

http://braukaiser.com/wiki/index.php?title=Malt_Conditioning

(Lots of other good information on that site, too - check it out.)

Rev2010 said:

I will be trying it tomorrow if the winds don't keep up so crazy (outside with a propane burner) and will report back.

Click to expand...

So I tried it yesterday with the tighter crush and saw a lot more flour so I am going to dial it back. I was doing a pumpkin so I can't say how it affected the runoff and sparging as the pumpkin gums it all up anyhow. I had a very slow runoff but added a water infusion to heat it up more and get it running. Still wound up waaaay under efficient on this pumpkin ale, like a miserable 64%! I did use 4 cans of Libby's pumpkin though (the smaller size) when last time I'd used three. I also used a lot of rice hulls. I think in the future I will just use two cans and even more ricehulls. I started brewing late so I was in a hurry to get out and boiling before it got a bit too late, so as a result I know for a fact I left behind a good amount of sugars in my rush to runoff and sparge.

Anyhow, I'll be setting my mill back to it's factory default just to be on the safe side. I've been happy with the 79% efficiency I've been getting with it at that setting.


Rev.

I use a credit card to set rollers = .030 inches. I spritz with 2 oz water in 10 lb grain 15 minutes before crush. Good luck.

.035 on mine and I never condition the malt and hit 80%+ Efficiency.

0.028 on mine for BIAB, and I also always condition my grain.