So how difficult is it, to grind one's own grains without a grain mill? I'm just doing small-batch extract brews (3 or less gallons, steeping grains only, so most likely not more than 1 pound total to grind per recipe)
Rolling pin? Ordered my first batch of steeping grains...
- Thread starter Hoochin'Fool
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I've not tried it myself but I have seen mention of using a blender and pulsing with a small amount of grain.
BrewnWKopperKat
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Rolling pin? it's a lot of work to get a 'below average' crush. Pretty much a 'one-and-done' approach.
A Corona®-like mill is another option that people say will work well enough (when getting started).
Purchasing the grains crushed is a viable option in cooler / drier locations. Crushed grains, stored properly, will keep for a number of months.
eta: similar comments in a related current topic:
A Corona®-like mill is another option that people say will work well enough (when getting started).
Purchasing the grains crushed is a viable option in cooler / drier locations. Crushed grains, stored properly, will keep for a number of months.
eta: similar comments in a related current topic:
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You probably could give the grain a spin, while shaking it, in a spinning blade-type coffee grinder. Clean the coffee out first...
Or stick the grain in a thick/heavy duty plastic bag (bags that cereal come in are quite sturdy) and pound it with a hammer/mallet.
Why didn't you buy it crushed? At least it would have been around 50% there, most outfits mill far too coarsely.
+1 on a $25 Corona mill knock-off.
Or stick the grain in a thick/heavy duty plastic bag (bags that cereal come in are quite sturdy) and pound it with a hammer/mallet.
Why didn't you buy it crushed? At least it would have been around 50% there, most outfits mill far too coarsely.
+1 on a $25 Corona mill knock-off.
Use a rolling pin for emergencies only.
OP
OP
Mostly because I wasn't sure how fast I'd be going thru it, and I've read that it will stay fresh for longer if uncrushed. It should arrive here next week sometime, I'm gonna try the "smash it with a hammer" method first, cuz that sounds like the most fun. Will update thread with results next weekend!
Oh... what style beer? If it is a Single Malt, Single Hop style you could call it a Smashed SmasH beer!!!
Where did you order from? Some large suppliers have been very tardy (several weeks out) with fulfilling their orders (e.g., Northern Brewer and their affiliates, MS, AIH, AHB).
Maybe you can still change/amend it?
Also don't be surprised your order comes in crushed anyway... They're notoriously dyslexic there from what I've read around here.
Now Northern Brewer (NB) and such all crush coarsely and poorly. Heck, my local LHBS won't reset their mill, ever, or get a 2nd one for finer, BIAB milling or wheat.
After crushing there should be no pieces of crushed endosperm any larger than 3/32" or any whole kernels. This often happens with small kernel grain such as wheat, rye, oats, spelt, etc. dropping through the gap, mostly uncrushed. So a grist like that needs to be properly re-crushed if you want decent mash/steep efficiency.
Any decently stocked local homebrew stores around you can buy from?
Or if there's a homebrew club in your area, someone local may crush it for you.
But yeah, a pound is very doable by, uh, pounding it yourself.
5 minutes well spent.
OP
OP
Ordered from Ritebrew.com late Friday night, so I'm sure I could still email them and ask to have them crushed before shipping, but at this point, I'm kinda looking forward to some stress-relief hammering. Update: it already shipped, should be here Wednesday!
The only LHBS around is Northern Brewer's store in St. Paul, MN or Midwest Supplies in St Louis Park, neither of which is super convenient to get to.
The only LHBS around is Northern Brewer's store in St. Paul, MN or Midwest Supplies in St Louis Park, neither of which is super convenient to get to.
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A champagne bottle will work in a pinch. Don't use a regular wine bottle, they are not strong enough.
OP
OP
In case anyone wants to know how "hammering" two ounces of Briess Chocolate Roast went -- it made a mess! First, the sandwich bags (doubled up) got a hole instantly. Next I layered it thinly inside saran wrap, and wrapped that up in 4 layers. No leaks this time, and the hammering went fine, but I had a hard time getting any consistency -- about half was completely turned into flour and grit, a quarter looked about right, and the remaining quarter didn't get crushed at all. (The hammering took place on a clean cement floor)
Upstate12866
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Hi there fellow small batch brewer, I offer another vote for a blender, which you may already have laying around. It really does work OK. One downside is that it can be so fine that you have extra trub in your fermenter, or have problems with your brew bag getting gummy from too much flour. I use a paint strainer bag inside a finer mesh bag to help with this. You can also fine tune how you grind to help avoid too much flour. I think it's worth a shot! happy brewing
OP
OP
I've been looking at coffee grinders, but will consider good old blenders as well!
