Are these grains crushed enough?

[Architect-Dave]

So, I am doing my first batch of all grain beer…so damn excited! I ordered by grains crushed. Attached is what came. Are these crushed? Northern Brewer said they are not as crushed as they would like them to be, but two buddies of mine who do all grain said they should be fine. Can someone help out a virgin all trainer here?

 

[Sammy86]

Looks to me like it's not crushed very well at all...i'd use the old rolling pin over the grains a few times to make sure those uncracked grains get opened up.

 

[Architect-Dave]

Looks to me like it's not crushed very well at all...i'd use the old rolling pin over the grains a few times to make sure those uncracked grains get opened up.

That is a good idea. I am wondering if a quick whirl in the Quisinart using the dough blade just to smack them around a bit would work also. I want to brew the Irish Red this Sunday so it will be ready for St. Pat’s and I want to try out the brewer so badly. But, if a rolling pin would do the trick in little batches, then I am for it.

 

[Airborneguy]

No. Email them withe the pics. Happened to me recently. They apologized, sent me another bag, and let me keep the original one.

 

[grampamark]

Disappointed, maybe, but hardly crushed.

 

[Bayou Fatma Brewer]

So, I am doing my first batch of all grain beer…so damn excited! I ordered by grains crushed. Attached is what came. Are these crushed? Northern Brewer said they are not as crushed as they would like them to be, but two buddies of mine who do all grain said they should be fine. Can someone help out a virgin all trainer here?

I recently bought my own Grain crusher/Miller and my efficiency shot up a lot. IMO….Those look like they aren’t crushed/milled enough. Here‘s some pics and advice:

https://www.brewersfriend.com/2009/03/28/best-grind-setting-for-grains/

 

[PCABrewing]

So, I am doing my first batch of all grain beer…so damn excited! I ordered by grains crushed. Attached is what came. Are these crushed? Northern Brewer said they are not as crushed as they would like them to be, but two buddies of mine who do all grain said they should be fine. Can someone help out a virgin all trainer here?

Any brew clubs near you?
I bet somebody nearby has a mill. And even if you need to join that would be a win-win.
I think the cuisinart will make a mess of them, might lead to a stuck mash.

 

[Christoff]

I had the same problem last month (twice). NB was good about sending new grain right away but it was only moderately better. As an experiment, I put mine through the pulse feature on my vitamix and sifted out the dust. Not sure it helped a whole lot. The dough roller is a good idea

 

[Architect-Dave]

No. Email them withe the pics. Happened to me recently. They apologized, sent me another bag, and let me keep the original one.

They are doing the same. They are good with that.

 

[Architect-Dave]

I recently bought my own Grain crusher/Miller and my efficiency shot up a lot. IMO….Those look like they aren’t crushed/milled enough. Here‘s some pics and advice:

https://www.brewersfriend.com/2009/03/28/best-grind-setting-for-grains/

Yep - based upon the pics in that blog, looks like they sent bags of #2…

 

[hotbeer]

Since you are saying you are noob to all-grain...

If you are doing BIAB then you could crush it to powder almost.

However if you not doing BIAB, then it might be good to start off with grain that isn't crushed as well as some of the more experienced brewer's will do.

You might well have a lower efficiency, but this appears to be a kit you got, and they probably figured the recipe for lower efficiency than what we'd want after the experience of a hand full of all grain brews behind us.

So I wouldn't dwell on it too much. Unless you are going to get a mill or have access to one. Just use it and see if your SG's match. If you have it milled more to where someone with experience might, then you might be fighting stuck mashes that take forever to drain.

If the recipe only gives you OG and FG, then put it in a Beer Recipe builder and see what the pre-boil SG should be. But make sure you adjust the efficiency of the recipe buidler to match the OG and FG stated as close as possible.

 

[Architect-Dave]

Since you are saying you are noob to all-grain...

If you are doing BIAB then you could crush it to powder almost.

However if you not doing BIAB, then it might be good to start off with grain that isn't crushed as well as some of the more experienced brewer's will do.

You might well have a lower efficiency, but this appears to be a kit you got, and they probably figured the recipe for lower efficiency than what we'd want after the experience of a hand full of all grain brews behind us.

So I wouldn't dwell on it too much. Unless you are going to get a mill or have access to one. Just use it and see if your SG's match. If you have it milled more to where someone with experience might, then you might be fighting stuck mashes that take forever to drain.

If the recipe only gives you OG and FG, then put it in a Beer Recipe builder and see what the pre-boil SG should be. But make sure you adjust the efficiency of the recipe buidler to match the OG and FG stated as close as possible.

Interesting point. They are sending along new grains as they feel this is not milled well enough. But, I am going to use some of them as steeping grains for other extract recipes I have.

 

[hotbeer]

I am going to use some of them as steeping grains for other extract recipes I have.

Figure out what efficiency you are getting first with the batch you brew with the malts they send you. If you still aren't hitting the OG and FG of their recipe then you might just use them to augment the fermentable malts in the mash of the other all grain kits you brew in the future.

Since most of the malt is base malt, I'm not so sure what value as steeping grains you will get out of them. Just seems like you'd have a lot of unconverted starches you'd add to the wort. But that's just a assumption on my part that someone else with more knowledge should address.

 

[IslandLizard]

But, I am going to use some of them as steeping grains for other extract recipes I have.

They'd still need to be crushed adequately.
And... these are not all steeping grains. The majority of the grain in the bag is base malt that needs to be mashed at proper temps for a certain time.

two buddies of mine who do all grain [...]

Are they nearby and have a mill, so they can crush it for you, and properly?

There should be no whole kernels in the milled grist, and no endosperm* pieces larger than 3/32", while most being in the order of 1/16" or smaller.

* Endosperm is the white, starchy part inside the husk.

 

[Architect-Dave]

They'd still need to be crushed adequately.
And... these are not all steeping grains. The majority of the grain in the bag is base malt that needs to be mashed at proper temps for a certain time.


Are they nearby and have a mill, so they can crush it for you, and properly?

There should be no whole kernels in the milled grist, and no endosperm* pieces larger than 3/32", while most being in the order of 1/16" or smaller.

* Endosperm is the white, starchy part inside the husk.

I did not realize base grains and steeping grains were different. Good to know. Both my buddies said to just dump them. So did Northern Brewer. So, I am going to…and not save them for anything.

 

[IslandLizard]

So, I am going to…and not save them for anything.

Why? There's nothing wrong with them, it's free grain, just needs a little extra crush.
Some have used a blender for that.

 

[hotbeer]

Both my buddies said to just dump them. So did Northern Brewer. So, I am going to…and not save them for anything.

Would you throw away a case or two of beer because the labels weren't perfect?

Buy some hops and you can still make beer with it. If you are BIAB, you could grind them in a coffee mill that has a burr or use a inexpensive Corona mill. For regular mash I'd probably want to use a typical roller mill.