GeneticBrew
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There are many grain mills targeted to the home brewing market. This is meant to be a list of the mills currently on the market, along with some basic features. It should allow the viewer of this thread to quickly ascertain what is available and be a good start for further research.
Cost is now listed on each mill. It's not an exact cost and generally doesn't include specials, various models or any options and accessories.
Monster Mill (Monster Brewing Hardware)
Barley Crusher (Barley Crusher)
Captain Crush (Northern Brewer)
JSP Malt Mill (Jack Schmidling Productions, Inc)
Crankenstein (Crankenstein)
Millar's Mills - Barley Mill (Millar's Mills)
MashMaster MillMaster (Australia) (MashMaster)
Cereal Killer (Adventures In Homebrewing)
Rebel Mill - (Rebel Brewing)
Victoria/Corona Mill
Grain Gobbler - (MoreBeer)
Williams Brewing (Grain Mill)
Austin Homebrew (DIY Mill)
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The technical method of judging crushed grain is through the use of a set of sieves (or screens).
The percentage of sample retained on each screen is then used to judge the crush (and the grain, plumpness of the kernel).
This is known as the ASBC Sieve Test.
Most homebrewers do not have the equipment to perform an ASBC Sieve Test.
Instead the crush is judged by three general factors*:
- The grain husks should remain intact (not shredded)
- The kernel should be cracked into 3 or 4 pieces
- There should be minimal flour
Each mill listed is advertised to produce an acceptable crush, with enough time and patience in adjustment.
* - Since everyone's brewing process is different, some will prefer a finer crush and some may prefer a courser crush.
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Homebrew mills will usually have knurled or slotted rollers. They both perform the same function, to pull grain into the rolls and crush it.
Slotted rollers will usually not have gear drives as the slots are sufficient for pulling the grain in and driving each roll.
Smooth rollers require a large diameter (6" +) in order to draw the grain in, this makes them unsuitable to the homebrew market.
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The advantage of a geared mill is the positive drive given to the second and/or third roller.
In non-geared mills, the second or third roller will sometimes stick (not spin) while the mill is running. This is mostly due to poor adjustment, but can also be caused by an unmaintained mill, bad bearings, smaller than normal kernel plumpness or worn out rolls (the knurling has been worn to the point where it doesn't pull the grain in).
Some mills will have a grain engaged gear drive where the gears are milled into the rollers and exposed to the grain being run through the mill. The geared portion of the rolls on these mills are considered a positive drive as long as they are exposed to grain. This is as opposed to the knurled portion of the roll which relies on the knurls to grab the grain and drive the rolls.
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Most of the mills in this post are known as "roller" mills because of the rollers which crush the grain. There are also "plate" mills and "hammer" mills. The Corona or Victoria mill is an example of an auger driven plate mill. Hammer mills pulverize the grain with a series of flailing "hammers". Plate and Hammer mills are usually used to grind larger kernels such as corn and may produce too fine a crush for homebrewing purposes. They also tend to shred the husks which should be preserved for mash purposes.
Cost is now listed on each mill. It's not an exact cost and generally doesn't include specials, various models or any options and accessories.
Monster Mill (Monster Brewing Hardware)
- - 2 or 3 knurled rollers (adjustable)
- - 1.5" and 2" diameter rollers - 6" long
- - hand crank available on most models
- - 3/8" and 1/2" drill drive
- - Rollers are not gear driven
- - optional hopper
- - optional wood base
- - $127 - $265 depending on model (w/o options)
Barley Crusher (Barley Crusher)
- - 2 knurled rollers (adjustable)
- - 1.5" diameter rollers - 5" long
- - Hand Crank included
- - 3/8" drill drive
- - Rollers are not gear driven
- - 7 and 15 lb hopper options
- - wood base included
- - $120 (w/o options)
Captain Crush (Northern Brewer)
- - 3 slotted/grooved rollers (adjustable)
- - 1.575" / 40mm diameter rollers - 5" long
- - No Hand Crank
- - 3/8" drill drive
- - Rollers are not gear driven
- - 11 lb hopper
- - Acrylic hopper and base
- - $280
JSP Malt Mill (Jack Schmidling Productions, Inc)
- - 2 knurled rollers (fixed and adjustable)
- - 1.5" diameter rollers - 10" long
- - Hand Crank
- - 3/8" drill drive
- - Rollers have a gear drive option
- - wood base included (optional steel base)
- - 3lb hopper included (optional large hopper adapter)
- - $110 - $155 depending on model (w/o options)
Crankenstein (Crankenstein)
- - 2 or 3 knurled rollers (adjustable)
- - 1.5" and 2" diameter rollers - 4-5" long
- - Hand crank available on most models
- - 3/8" and 1/2" drill drive
- - Grain engaged gear teeth on some models
- - optional hopper
- - optional wood base
- - $89 - $174 depending on model (w/o options)
Millar's Mills - Barley Mill (Millar's Mills)
- - 2 knurled rollers (adjustable)
- - 1.5" diameter rollers - 7" long
- - Hand Crank Included
- - 3/8" drill drive
- - Rollers are not gear driven
- - 10 lb hopper options
- - Base consists of two aluminum rails
- - $159 (w/o options)
MashMaster MillMaster (Australia) (MashMaster)
- - 2 knurled rollers (adjustable)
- - 1.5" diameter rollers - 5" long
- - No Hand Crank Included
- - 1/2" drill drive
- - Gear driven rollers
- - 10 lb hopper options
- - No base or accessories included (1.5kg/3.3lb hopper sold separately)
- - $226.52 (w/o options)
Cereal Killer (Adventures In Homebrewing)
- - 2 knurled rollers (adjustable)
- - 1.25" diameter rollers - 5" long
- - Hand Crank Included
- - 3/8" drill drive
- - Rollers are not gear driven
- - 7 lb hopper options
- - Wood base included
- - $130 (w/o options)
Rebel Mill - (Rebel Brewing)
- - 2 knurled rollers (adjustable)
- - 1.5" diameter rollers - 5" long
- - No Hand Crank included
- - 3/8" drill drive
- - Rollers are not gear driven
- - 10 lb hopper options
- - Optional 10 lb hopper extension
- - Base made to fit on 6.5g pail
- - $250 (w/o options)
Victoria/Corona Mill
- - Auger/Plate Crush
- - Can Crush Corn
- - Hand Crank included
- - 3/8" and 1/2" drill drive
- - No base - clamp mounted to a surface
- - $35+
Grain Gobbler - (MoreBeer)
- - 2 knurled rollers (adjustable)
- - 1.5" diameter rollers - 2" long (non-adjustable) - 4" long (adjustable)
- - No Hand Crank Included
- - 3/8" drill drive
- - Rollers are not gear driven
- - 3 lb hopper options
- - Wood base that clamps to a bucket
- - $160 depending on model (w/o options)
Williams Brewing (Grain Mill)
- - 2 knurled rollers (adjustable)
- - 1.25" diameter rollers - 5" long
- - Hand Crank included
- - 3/8" drill drive
- - Rollers are not gear driven
- - 7 hopper options
- - wood base included (particle board)
- - $100 (w/o options)
Austin Homebrew (DIY Mill)
- - 2 knurled rollers (adjustable)
- - 1.25" diameter rollers - 6" long
- - Hand Crank included
- - 3/8" drill drive
- - Rollers are not gear driven
- - DIY hopper
- - DIY base
- - $130 (w/o options)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The technical method of judging crushed grain is through the use of a set of sieves (or screens).
The percentage of sample retained on each screen is then used to judge the crush (and the grain, plumpness of the kernel).
This is known as the ASBC Sieve Test.
Most homebrewers do not have the equipment to perform an ASBC Sieve Test.
Instead the crush is judged by three general factors*:
- The grain husks should remain intact (not shredded)
- The kernel should be cracked into 3 or 4 pieces
- There should be minimal flour
Each mill listed is advertised to produce an acceptable crush, with enough time and patience in adjustment.
* - Since everyone's brewing process is different, some will prefer a finer crush and some may prefer a courser crush.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Homebrew mills will usually have knurled or slotted rollers. They both perform the same function, to pull grain into the rolls and crush it.
Slotted rollers will usually not have gear drives as the slots are sufficient for pulling the grain in and driving each roll.
Smooth rollers require a large diameter (6" +) in order to draw the grain in, this makes them unsuitable to the homebrew market.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The advantage of a geared mill is the positive drive given to the second and/or third roller.
In non-geared mills, the second or third roller will sometimes stick (not spin) while the mill is running. This is mostly due to poor adjustment, but can also be caused by an unmaintained mill, bad bearings, smaller than normal kernel plumpness or worn out rolls (the knurling has been worn to the point where it doesn't pull the grain in).
Some mills will have a grain engaged gear drive where the gears are milled into the rollers and exposed to the grain being run through the mill. The geared portion of the rolls on these mills are considered a positive drive as long as they are exposed to grain. This is as opposed to the knurled portion of the roll which relies on the knurls to grab the grain and drive the rolls.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Most of the mills in this post are known as "roller" mills because of the rollers which crush the grain. There are also "plate" mills and "hammer" mills. The Corona or Victoria mill is an example of an auger driven plate mill. Hammer mills pulverize the grain with a series of flailing "hammers". Plate and Hammer mills are usually used to grind larger kernels such as corn and may produce too fine a crush for homebrewing purposes. They also tend to shred the husks which should be preserved for mash purposes.
