Need New Grain Mill

[Brooothru]

So here I sit with about 25 minutes left in the mash on what should be a relaxed brew day. But the Beer Gods frowned on me early in the process when without warning my grain crusher went Tango Uniform on me about half way through my 12 pound crush.

You know how you take some things totally for granted? Well that's how I thought about my mill. It's a Barley Crusher that I got back in 2008 according to the shipping invoice. It's just a tool, like a hammer, that I never gave much thought to. Until I needed to pound something.

I finally limped through a "crush", though it remains to be seen what my efficiency ends up being. Bottom line, SWMBO'd gave prior approval on my loan application to get a new one.

I remember a thread maybe 6 months ago talking about peoples' favorite crushers. Any feedback or regrets from what y'all have purchased? I've been mostly happy with the Barley Crusher even though their was a fair amount of displeasure with them from other owners who commented on the previous thread. I don't want to spend an arm OR a leg on a new one but I do brew at least 15-20 times a year, so I'm not averse to spending $$$ for quality.

Suggestions?

 

[Barbarossa]

I bought one recently so I can share with you my research.

2 rollers vs 3 rollers. 3 rollers seems like a pita to setup adjust and maintain. I went with 2.

All the manufacturers seems to be sourcing from the same Chinese companies for the rollers. Then they build a cheap feeding cone to it. So most likely, they are all the similar. Everywhere you look, theyre all either unbranded or only the box is branded. So that made me think that it does not matter. Evil twin, barley crusher, malt muncher, cereal killer... All the same to me. Reviews for all of them were similar. Most people happy, some have problem adjusting the gap. None of the mills stand out for their reviews.


So I went with the cereal killer since it was available to ship fast and had that metal plate to fit in top of 5 gallon buckets. And I can easily hook up my drill, but I think they all do that.

 

[micraftbeer]

I have a 3-roller, Monster Brewing MM-3. They are made in the US (even the rollers), in Georgia. There is a functional benefit of 3-rollers over 2-rollers (unlike Gillette 5-blade vs 4-blade...). I am able to get all of my grains cracked without having to end up grinding some to dust. For me, at the mash efficiency I was getting with my 2-roller, I would also get a random dose of stuck mashes. This really sucked when running a RIMS with constant recirc and wanting to not have to babysit my mash.

I concur on the crush gap adjustment being tricky. Technically it's just as easy to ADJUST, just trickier to get your feeler gauge in the gap since it's on an angle (tip: get the feeler gauges with the 45-degree bend at the end). So if you adjust roller gap a lot (I don't), this might frustrate you.

When I got the 3-roller mill, I was curious if it could solve my efficiency vs. stuck mash problem, and it totally did. No more stuck mashes, and no more crying when I see un-cracked grains in my mash tun as I clean it out. Below is the link to my review of the MM-3, where you can see some comparison pictures of grain crush and some data from my mash conversion experiments.

https://www.homebrewfinds.com/2020/04/hands-on-review-monster-mill-mm-3-grain-mill.html

 

[bracconiere]

what went wrong? i still use my JSP Malt Mill, albeit, with....ummm, modifications?

 

[Barbarossa]

Here's my favorite YouTube homebrew channel talking about mills. Good stuff.

 

[Sammy86]

So I went with the cereal killer since it was available to ship fast and had that metal plate to fit in top of 5 gallon buckets. And I can easily hook up my drill, but I think they all do that.

Same as this brewer and I've been hitting 84-89 BHE with it...fantastic mill!

 

[CascadesBrewer]

It's a Barley Crusher that I got back in 2008 according to the shipping invoice.

I would not be surprised if my Barley Crusher was of similar vintage (though many of those years I did not brew many batches and I also hand cranked). I did not have any issues until I started crushing tightener for BIAB. What I have been doing lately is to first run my grain through at around the factory setting, then run the grain through at my fine BIAB crush. While it seems like that would add a lot of work, it only adds a few minutes and saves time vs having to mess with the rollers not grabbing.

That Monster Brewing MM-3 is at the top of my list for a replacement. More and more I am trying to avoid cheap import products, so I am willing to pay a few extra dollars if needed.

 

[Tom R]

If you want to easily and accurately change gap settings on a 3-roller mill, consider the Crankandstein. No feeler gauges required.

I'm very happy with my 3D.
3D Homebrewing Mill - $172.00 : Crankandstein , Advancing the Craft

 

[bracconiere]

If you want to easily and accurately change gap settings on a 3-roller mill, consider the Crankandstein. No feeler gauges required.

I'm very happy with my 3D.
3D Homebrewing Mill - $172.00 : Crankandstein , Advancing the Craft

reminds me of the era i got my JSP in....

 

[IslandLizard]

Monster Mill 2 (MM-2) here. 2 regular 1.5" steel rollers, easy to adjust. There are other MM options...

The only thing I (kinda) regret was not buying the 1/2" shaft option. I got the 3/8" shaft to be used with the (old) drill I had in mind for the job, but it couldn't pull it, only hummed.

 

[MaxStout]

I have a MM2 with the regular steel rollers, like @IslandLizard uses, only I did spring for the 1/2" shaft. Only complaint is that they use bronze sleeve bearings, not ball bearings. This is only an issue if you use a motor/pulley system like I do (side-loading). If you direct drive with a low-speed motor, that won't be an issue. Otherwise the MM2 is a solid mill.

Look at the Cereal Killer, it's around $100 at Austin. I've heard good things about it, and it uses ball-bearings.

 

[NewJersey]

I have a mm3 and it's been great. It's my first mill and everyone is right that they're kinda a pain in the ass to adjust. Once I got it where I liked it tho I haven't adjusted again. (And may never).
I have to admit that I definitely fell for the "more rollers must be better", but for $170 I'm not mad at all.

 

[GoeHaarden]

Anyone think a geared mill is worth the extra $$$?

 

[day_trippr]

My experience with worn rollers makes me think gears are worth a moderate premium...

Cheers!

 

[SourLover]

I have the MM3 and it has worked perfectly for me. I'll adjust the gap depending on the manner in which that particular batch is being brewed, but I don't find it to be too difficult. I have a straight set of feeler gauges, but I can totally see where the 45 degree set previously mentioned would be a little better. I probably adjust mine 6-8 times a year, and the total time to adjust it each time is maybe 5 minutes?
I'm trying to think of any problems I've had with mine. or anything that I would call negative, but I can't come up with anything. It works as advertised for me.

 

[Brooothru]

Great info, everybody! Thanks for all the data points.

Now I'm gonna have to do some serious due diligence. I've got a crap ton load of brewing to do in the next few months, so availability and quick delivery are a must. At least now I have some direction in which to look.

 

[Brooothru]

So here I sit with about 25 minutes left in the mash on what should be a relaxed brew day. But the Beer Gods frowned on me early in the process when without warning my grain crusher went Tango Uniform on me about half way through my 12 pound crush.

You know how you take some things totally for granted? Well that's how I thought about my mill. It's a Barley Crusher that I got back in 2008 according to the shipping invoice. It's just a tool, like a hammer, that I never gave much thought to. Until I needed to pound something.

I finally limped through a "crush", though it remains to be seen what my efficiency ends up being. Bottom line, SWMBO'd gave prior approval on my loan application to get a new one.

I remember a thread maybe 6 months ago talking about peoples' favorite crushers. Any feedback or regrets from what y'all have purchased? I've been mostly happy with the Barley Crusher even though their was a fair amount of displeasure with them from other owners who commented on the previous thread. I don't want to spend an arm OR a leg on a new one but I do brew at least 15-20 times a year, so I'm not averse to spending $$$ for quality.

Suggestions?

Great news: I hit all my numbers for the Kolsch. Pre-flight estimates were OG 1.046 and 6.3 gallons. Came out 1.047 and 6.2 gallons, so efficiency didn't suffer (110 minute step mash). Too bad the crush took 35 minutes for 12# of grain.

 

[Twinkeelfool]

So here I sit with about 25 minutes left in the mash on what should be a relaxed brew day. But the Beer Gods frowned on me early in the process when without warning my grain crusher went Tango Uniform on me about half way through my 12 pound crush.

You know how you take some things totally for granted? Well that's how I thought about my mill. It's a Barley Crusher that I got back in 2008 according to the shipping invoice. It's just a tool, like a hammer, that I never gave much thought to. Until I needed to pound something.

I finally limped through a "crush", though it remains to be seen what my efficiency ends up being. Bottom line, SWMBO'd gave prior approval on my loan application to get a new one.

I remember a thread maybe 6 months ago talking about peoples' favorite crushers. Any feedback or regrets from what y'all have purchased? I've been mostly happy with the Barley Crusher even though their was a fair amount of displeasure with them from other owners who commented on the previous thread. I don't want to spend an arm OR a leg on a new one but I do brew at least 15-20 times a year, so I'm not averse to spending $$$ for quality.

Suggestions?

I bought a barley crusher around the same time as you. But I’m in Australia, so it cost me $200 or something. When I had a break from brewing around 2015? It was still going strong. I sold all my gear. I got back into brewing a few years ago. I bought a keg land one. It’s been just as good at way less cost, way less.

 

[Golddiggie]

Love my Monster Mill 2 roller I got back around 2011. I went with the 2" hardened steel rollers and hopper extension at purchase. I highly recommend getting the extension unless you actually LIKE refilling the hopper for bigger grain bills.

Last year I went from using a drill to run it to their motor setup. I had to build a riser for the mill to sit on since their motor gear reduction drive shaft is setup for their three roller mills. With how well this thing runs, I don't expect to HAVE to replace it for many, many years. IME/IMO, it would easily handle grain bills for 1bbl batches without giving it any thought. The hardened rollers are also a very nice item since I have even less wear concerns. I know some people get a chubby over the stainless rollers. I talked with the owner of Monster back when I was deciding and the stainless rollers actually have a shorter useful life span compared with the hardened rollers. Unless you live in an area where the mill where left where corrosion is an actual concern, [IMO] you're better off with the hardened rollers.

All the Monster Mills are produced in the USA (in GA as already mentioned) which is another selling point for me. Their motor comes from Taiwan (or did when I got mine) which is a LOT better than being from China (Chinesium). The fact that you can easily communicate with the owner is another large point in their favor.

 

[GoeHaarden]

Had a cereal killer several years ago and end up giving it away because it would not maintain a gap through even one milling. Been running the trusty ole corona since for BIAB. Thinking an upgrade is in order.

Looking at the geared MM3 which isn't much more than the non-geared version. Anyone have experience with one and a drill? For BIAB...

 

[Brooothru]

Finally pulled the trigger on a Monster Mill MM3, based on the number of favorable comments from you guys. The only concern is whether my cordless Ryobi ⅜" drill will tote the load. I'd gotten spoiled on brew day with the quick and painless setup with the cordless but now fear I'll have to dust off my ½" corded DeWalt impact drill. That beast has so much torque, I pity the poor grains that might challenge this MM3.

 

[Dancy]

So I went with the cereal killer since it was available to ship fast and had that metal plate to fit in top of 5 gallon buckets. And I can easily hook up my drill, but I think they all do that.

I bought this recently and Ive used it once and will again this weekend. I set the gap with a credit card for a fine crush of 11.5 lbs with a BIAB in my Mash&Boil, using an electric drill. Worked like a charm. However, I brew less often than the OP.

 

[riceral]

I have been looking for a better mill to replace my generic, knock-off brand mill. I had decided on the Monster mIll 2 roller when, Lo! and behold, I found a coupon code for 20% all store items at a large supply store. So, I ended up with a MM3 for less than the cost of the MM2 (before discount) that I was planning on buying. Plus, free shipping.

It arrives today. Yea!

 

[Brooothru]

I have been looking for a better mill to replace my generic, knock-off brand mill. I had decided on the Monster mIll 2 roller when, Lo! and behold, I found a coupon code for 20% all store items at a large supply store. So, I ended up with a MM3 for less than the cost of the MM2 (before discount) that I was planning on buying. Plus, free shipping.

It arrives today. Yea!

It ALWAYS happens that way. Two weeks ago I was getting almost daily 15%-20% off offers from 'all the usual suspects' of online brew shops. Now, a day after my trusty 12 year old grain mill shoots craps, nothing but crickets (or maybe cicadas, I dunno). To add even more pain to the process, since I really need this mill like yesterday, I'm paying for next day FedEx delivery. Ouch!

This thing better come with a "cuss-free" guarantee.

 

[Golddiggie]

@Brooothru Did you get the hopper and hopper extension for the mill??? My coming batch (this weekend) has a 22# grist that will easily fit in the hopper setup. My larger concern is over the catch container capacity.

When it arrives, read whatever documentation it comes with (or check on their site) and you should be good to go. IME, other than assembly of the hopper, and placing it on the base, you just need to set the gap and then run the malt through it. I have a couple of sets of feeler gauges so doing that, here, is easy. I check the gap when I remember (try to every few batches or so) but I've yet to have it shift on me.

 

[Brooothru]

@Brooothru Did you get the hopper and hopper extension for the mill??? My coming batch (this weekend) has a 22# grist that will easily fit in the hopper setup. My larger concern is over the catch container capacity.

When it arrives, read whatever documentation it comes with (or check on their site) and you should be good to go. IME, other than assembly of the hopper, and placing it on the base, you just need to set the gap and then run the malt through it. I have a couple of sets of feeler gauges so doing that, here, is easy. I check the gap when I remember (try to every few batches or so) but I've yet to have it shift on me.

Thanks for the tips. I've spent the better part of this morning, after ordering the replacement, looking at "best practices" on their website and viewing some You Tube videos trying to get up to speed so I can set up and hit the ground running when it arrives (hopefully tomorrow, since I've already gotten the email that it has "shipped"; i.e., they've sent a memo to FedEx that they have a package for pickup). There appear to be a few quirks in assembly as some people commented that the written directions could be a little better explained. The comments and the videos demystified it, and everything now seems pretty straight forward.

I'm going to re-measure the gap on my recently deceased Barley Crusher since it's been giving me consistent mash efficiencies well into the 80s. The first stage roller gap appears to be fixed at ~ 0.06". For my Braumeister setup I think the optimum crush gap is 1.1 mm to 1.5 mm (0.043" to 0.059") so I'll shoot for a variable gap width of the second roller in that range. The Monster Mill setup video indicated that the factory setting of the second roller gap is supposed to ship at 0.045", so hopefully it'll be dialed in right out of the box. I'll compare that gap to what I've been currently using on the Barley Crusher, check for tightness in the roller adjustment knobs, and then run a pound or two of grain through it to check for crush quality and to remove any fabrication oils from the hopper and roller mechanisms. I'll also be able to see if my portable drill can take the load, or if I'll have to drag out the big guns.

 

[SMD]

I have a Phil Mill 2 roller mill I picked up for $50 on Craigslist. We had some growing pains learning how to adjust the gap, which resulted in a couple poor efficiencies, however after getting my gap set right I've gotten a great crush every time I've used it with my hand drill. Its a little finicky getting started but once it gets going it gets the job done. I can't even guess how old it is, since I've never seen another one out there. I'd consider putting new rollers in if I knew where to find them!

 

[Golddiggie]

When I was using a drill to power mine, it was a 1/2" cordless hammer drill. It would use a full (18v) battery to crush about 25-30# of grain. Not sure what the shaft size is on the mill you ordered, that will also determine which drill to use.

I'd advise getting their motor setup as soon as you can. It makes things a LOT easier.

 

[SourLover]

Finally pulled the trigger on a Monster Mill MM3, based on the number of favorable comments from you guys. The only concern is whether my cordless Ryobi ⅜" drill will tote the load. I'd gotten spoiled on brew day with the quick and painless setup with the cordless but now fear I'll have to dust off my ½" corded DeWalt impact drill. That beast has so much torque, I pity the poor grains that might challenge this MM3.

My MM3 has the 1/2" drive shaft. I do see that they have an optional 3/8" shaft though. The 1/2" shaft appears to be standard, with the 3/8" being an option.

Thanks for the tips. I've spent the better part of this morning, after ordering the replacement, looking at "best practices" on their website and viewing some You Tube videos trying to get up to speed so I can set up and hit the ground running when it arrives (hopefully tomorrow, since I've already gotten the email that it has "shipped"; i.e., they've sent a memo to FedEx that they have a package for pickup). There appear to be a few quirks in assembly as some people commented that the written directions could be a little better explained. The comments and the videos demystified it, and everything now seems pretty straight forward.

It sounds like you have got it figured out. I will confirm that the directions were horrible. I do remember putting all of the little bolts together loosely, and then tightening them all up, only when all of the bolts were in.

When I was using a drill to power mine, it was a 1/2" cordless hammer drill. It would use a full (18v) battery to crush about 25-30# of grain.

I use a Milwaukee M18 Fuel 1/2" cordless drill driver to run mine, and I don't think there is anything that kills the battery more quickly than crushing grains. I'm guessing most 1/2" corded drills will work just fine.

Did you get the hopper and hopper extension for the mill???

How did I not know that they have a hopper extension? I've got a 49 pound grain bill coming up in a few months and was wondering how I was going to do it. I've already got this on my next order. Thanks!

 

[Golddiggie]

I would run the cordless drill at about 1/2 trigger pull in the low speed range (0-500rpm). It was all torque at that speed, so I understand why it ate batteries like candy. Again, their motor option makes things sofa king easier. With the three roller mills, all you need to do is couple the shafts. I don't recall if they have an option to connect from the motor to a 3/8" shaft. Since my mill has the 1/2" shaft on it. Always better to have a larger shaft diameter.

 

[mbg]

Anyone have experience with this 3-roller geared mill at More Beer?

https://www.morebeer.com/products/mighty-mill-3-roller-grain.html

 

[Brooothru]

I would run the cordless drill at about 1/2 trigger pull in the low speed range (0-500rpm). It was all torque at that speed, so I understand why it ate batteries like candy. Again, their motor option makes things sofa king easier. With the three roller mills, all you need to do is couple the shafts. I don't recall if they have an option to connect from the motor to a 3/8" shaft. Since my mill has the 1/2" shaft on it. Always better to have a larger shaft diameter.

It's 1/2" shaft I believe, so I'm resigned to being tethered to a wall outlet. No problem really since I installed 120V and 240V outlets in the brew area, and I know the Dewalt drill will easily handle the load. My battery powered Ryobi, not so much.

The motor option certainly has appeal, but right now it's 'baby steps' convincing the spousal unit and will wait until a discrete period of time has passed .

 

[superiorsat]

The factory gap was not as stated on the paperwork for my MM3. Don't remember what is was but it was not plug and play as they say. Wasn't overly hard to set, but if I remember you could end up with a different size gap on each end of the roller which isn't good and probably hard on the bearings.

 

[IslandLizard]

Also pay attention to the way you move the adjustable roller to get it to lock down properly. IIRC, they have instructions for that, the only manufacturer that spells it out, AFAIK.

The essence is, the adjustable roller needs to a) move toward the fixed roller and b) coming in from underneath! That way the lock down screws will hold it there, making it impossible for the gap to widen up under load. IOW, the adjusters dig in to the set screws during milling.
Note: Left and right adjusters move in opposite directions (of course).

 

[Brooothru]

The factory gap was not as stated on the paperwork for my MM3. Don't remember what is was but it was not plug and play as they say. Wasn't overly hard to set, but if I remember you could end up with a different size gap on each end of the roller which isn't good and probably hard on the bearings.

I measured the existing gap on my defunct crusher last night and it was 1.3mm. Braumeister suggest a crush gap of 1.4~1.5mm to optimize efficiency in their system, so I think I may have been cheating a bit to eek out a point or two of extract. That narrow of a gap sometimes made the crush more difficult if there was much wheat in my malt bill, and I did have some occasional "fountaining" while mashing/recirculating.

I think I'll initially set the gap to 1.4mm and see what kind of efficiencies I get on a few brew sessions. If all goes well I might try to tighten the gap down a little. Resetting the gap on the MM3 looks to be more involved than just loosening a few set screws and turning a knurled knob, so I want to find a single acceptable setting for all the different grains I commonly use to avoid resetting frequently.

Have you experienced any drift in you gap setting after several uses?

 

[Brooothru]

Also pay attention to the way you move the adjustable roller to get it to lock down properly. IIRC, they have instructions for that, the only manufacturer that spells it out, AFAIK.

The essence is, the adjustable roller needs to a) move toward the fixed roller and b) coming in from underneath! That way the lock down screws will hold it there, making it impossible for the gap to widen up under load. IOW, the adjusters dig in to the set screws during milling.
Note: Left and right adjusters move in opposite directions (of course).

Yeah, I got that from one of the videos. I guess a lot of people were turning the adjustment knobs in opposite directions which created offset gaps.

"Measure twice, cut once."

 

[IslandLizard]

"Measure twice, cut once."

Didn't someone suggest to follow the alternate paradigm:
"Measure once, cut twice."

 

[superiorsat]

I measured the existing gap on my defunct crusher last night and it was 1.3mm. Braumeister suggest a crush gap of 1.4~1.5mm to optimize efficiency in their system, so I think I may have been cheating a bit to eek out a point or two of extract. That narrow of a gap sometimes made the crush more difficult if there was much wheat in my malt bill, and I did have some occasional "fountaining" while mashing/recirculating.

I think I'll initially set the gap to 1.4mm and see what kind of efficiencies I get on a few brew sessions. If all goes well I might try to tighten the gap down a little. Resetting the gap on the MM3 looks to be more involved than just loosening a few set screws and turning a knurled knob, so I want to find a single acceptable setting for all the different grains I commonly use to avoid resetting frequently.

Have you experienced any drift in you gap setting after several uses?

I set it once years ago to a crush I liked and have not had to do it again since.

 

[T Murph]

Anyone have experience with this 3-roller geared mill at More Beer?

https://www.morebeer.com/products/mighty-mill-3-roller-grain.html

I have the Mighty Mill 3 and I'm very happy with it. Didn't get the larger hopper as I'm restricting my batch sizes to 5g or less. My LHBS uses one to crush grains for home brewers and a couple of local brew pubs. I like the shaft in particular because the end of the shaft is a 1/4 hex made to fit perfectly in a screw gun / impact. They are typically stronger than your basic 3/8 drill. I use a Ridgid or Makita impact to drive it crushing grain with no problem and it never drains the battery for a single batch of beer. The rollers are also easily adjustable for your desired crush. I think I paid $179 for it from More Beer. I'm happy with it.

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

The only true 3 geared rollers from what I can find is the Crankenstein 3GT mill.

https://www.crankandstein.net/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=7&products_id=33
What about the cover? They sell the base and hopper, but what about the sides?