Crushing your own Grain

I have just purchased a crankandstein mill, and was wondering if anybody here wets their grain before crushing them. I bring this up because I was looking over New Glarus Brewing's website and saw that they do this. Here's the linkhttp://www.newglarusbrewing.com/PhotoAlbum.html, it's about half way down the page.

the only time I have ever heard about wetting grain prior to milling it was to keep the amount of dust down to a minimum. Grain dust can spontainiously combust if there is enuff of it and conditions are right but I dont think you are going to have to wrorry about milling that amount of grain with a crankandstien

Spontaneous combustion isn't quite the right word, explosion is. A common problem in grain silos and ships.

Ever make a flour cannon??

Just don't inhale. Malt lung - killer of homebrewers.

david_42 said:

Spontaneous combustion isn't quite the right word, explosion is. A common problem in grain silos and ships.

Ever make a flour cannon??

Just don't inhale. Malt lung - killer of homebrewers.

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went back to work for the first time in 6 weeks last night and got 2 hours of sleep . . .brain isnt back into working on just coffee and cigs yet

david_42 said:

(snip)
Malt lung - killer of homebrewers.

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Is that the disease I've got? Had it for 3 years now- One good glass of Malty Brown Beverage makes me let out a sigh of happiness? It doesn't seem to happen with IPA's...

casebrew said:

Is that the disease I've got? Had it for 3 years now- One good glass of Malty Brown Beverage makes me let out a sigh of happiness? It doesn't seem to happen with IPA's...

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Wow, that's hardcore, dude. If I inhaled a whole glass of beer into my lungs, I don't think a "sigh" is what you'd be hearing out of me.

sause said:

I have just purchased a crankandstein mill, and was wondering if anybody here wets their grain before crushing them. .

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I can't view the web site, but I do that as well. It's not so much of a wettening, though wet crushing of grain exists, as it is a moistening of the husks. It's called conditioning of the grain and it will soften the husks enough to keep them from shredding. This allows a finer grind while w/o getting lauter problems. It also helps when using large amounts of wheat w/o additional rice hulls.

To do this I used a spritz bottle and spray the malt in a bucket. I turn the malt often and repeat until it lost the dry feeling w/o being wet. If it is wet you have added to mucgh water and will mess up your mill.

Kai

Link fixed. Thank you for at least put my mind to ease that I could be going insane.

david_42 said:

Ever make a flour cannon??

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No but it sounds fun. Do tell.

http://www.newglarusbrewing.com/PhotoAlbum.html:

This is our new Feed Hopper for our Malt Mill. The husk of our malt will be hydrated with hot water in this hopper just before it is milled, in order to insure gentle handling

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This comment about teir hopper indicated that they condition the grain as I described above.

One other thing, speaking of milling your grain at home. The dust is a source for lactobacillus, so it is an avenue of infection especially because it is one of the things that really digs malt. I take it all with a grain of salt, but milling near your fermentors is just something you should be aware of if you haven't heard of it.

While we're on the subject. I am getting some malted wheat (hopefully today). I have been using my MaltMill on the factory crush and it has been fantastic. Anyway, do I need to reduce my roller spacing for wheat? What am I shooting for? Same end result as I get with my Barley?

While we're on the subject. I am getting some malted wheat (hopefully today). I have been using my MaltMill on the factory crush and it has been fantastic. Anyway, do I need to reduce my roller spacing for wheat? What am I shooting for? Same end result as I get with my Barley?

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depends on the efficiency that you want to get. The finer the grind, the more flour you will get and the better your efficiency will be. But if you have more flour you may also get more husk schredding (doesn't apply to wheat) and your run-off will be slower.

In your case, I would try the factory setting for both barley and wheat and see what you get. If you think you can handle a finer crush (malt conditioning or rice hulls) go for it. I go for a fine crush when I need high efficiency (bigger beers), but are also prepared for a longer lauter.

Kai

Getting back to explosions and fires. There is an old expression dating back to colonial or pre colonial times " Keep your nose to the grind stone". At that time grains were ground into flour by use of two circular stone disks. The bottom disk rotated The top disk was on threads and could be lowered down to the rotating disik. Grain was placed on the rotating disk and the upper disk was lowered until it made contact with the grain thereby grinding it. If the disk was lowered to much, friction would generate heat thereby causing a fire or explosion. Before this happened there would be scorching which would generate an odor. The mill attendent knew to "keep his nose to the grind stone.

Kaiser said:

depends on the efficiency that you want to get. The finer the grind, the more flour you will get and the better your efficiency will be. But if you have more flour you may also get more husk schredding (doesn't apply to wheat) and your run-off will be slower.

In your case, I would try the factory setting for both barley and wheat and see what you get. If you think you can handle a finer crush (malt conditioning or rice hulls) go for it. I go for a fine crush when I need high efficiency (bigger beers), but are also prepared for a longer lauter.

Kai

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Thanks Kai. I haven't dealt with the wheat at all yet so I wasn't sure what to expect, I'll give it a run on the default. If my efficiency turns out low, I can always adjust on the next batch when I use the wheat.