Anyone use this malt mill?

[Ben_Persitz]

I have been getting my grain crushed at my LHBS, but I'm only getting about 60 efficiency. I suspect my crush has a lot to do with this as my temps are accurate, my thermometer is calibrated, and I do everything pretty well I think.

I want to start crushing my own but don't want to throw down $120 on a new mill so I'm thinking about buying this:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000E34C5M/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Anyone have any experience with something like this? Worth the $30?

It'd be nice to save $90 on a barley crusher..

 

[tasq]

Do a search for Corona Mill.

 

[Revvy]

Hundreds of us...Including Charlie Papazian who gets 87% efficinecy with it....


My Ugly Junk- Corona Mill Station...

 

[Ben_Persitz]

Hundreds of us...Including Charlie Papazian who gets 87% efficinecy with it....


My Ugly Junk- Corona Mill Station...

Do I need to build a setup like that though?

Can I just clip it to my counter and stick a bucket under it and do a little at a time by hand?

I assume it'd take like 25-30 minutes to go through about 10 lbs.

 

[tasq]

Do I need to build a setup like that though?

Can I just clip it to my counter and stick a bucket under it and do a little at a time by hand?

I assume it'd take like 25-30 minutes to go through about 10 lbs.

Not really... You'll end up spilling the grain and making a mess.

 

[rico567]

I use a mill of the same pattern. They go by various names: Corona / Victoria / Grizzly, etc. Most seem to be made in sunny Mexico, and are intended to grind corn meal. I have the "Victoria" version, purchased for about $25 delivered from Discount Tommy on eBay. It took a little adjusting and fiddling to get my grain crush dialed in just right, but now I hit all my Brix numbers just fine. Very pleased with the Corona-pattern mill...I just drive it with an old AC drill, goes through a 15 pound grain bill in about 10 minutes. Cheap solution.

 

[Ben_Persitz]

Not really... You'll end up spilling the grain and making a mess.

Hmm--I think I'll try it and see how it works. If I want to build a station I'll just copy Revvys model!

Just bought that mill for $34 including tax and shipping! WOO!

Excited to try this out.

 

[davesrose]

I saw some youtube video from the 80s where the guy was getting his daughter to help him hand mill some grains on the corona (the only other video he had was a more up to date truely fugly video of him popping a big puss pocket But what he did about the flying grain was to simply have the mill mounted on a shallow/wide bin. To me, there seems to be more work involved with getting the corona just right....so the more expensive mills might be more convenient, but anything can get you good effeciency (as it's all about that balance of fine enough crush without stuck sparge).

 

[rico567]

I'm talking that it took me an hour or so to get the thing to mill right; no big deal. For ways to mill neatly and cleanly, check out the various bucket installations in the "Ugly Junk" thread. Just do a search.

 

[jschweiss]

I just used one of these for my last two batches. It does seem to toss the milled grains in random directions but so far my efficiency has greatly improved so I think the thing for me to do is learn to live with it. The best way I've found to contain the mess is to mill directly into a big bag that covers everything but the hopper and the crank. It's not pretty but it will hold me until I can build a decent set-up.

 

[cuinrearview]

If I weren't such a bargain hunter I'd probably have bought a corona after I went all-grain. I came across a $75 Barley Crusher on craigslist instead a year before I made the switch. A year ago I made my first all-grain batch and I still really haven't needed it but it's fun chucking the drill on and crushing my own. Here soon she's gonna pay for herself when the sacks start showing up. I get low 80's efficiency and no problems sparging most grists and that's just fine with me.