A61 S.B. Bell Co. Grain Mill and buying grain in bulk ?

[rompstar]

Pickup this grain mill, it is a model: A61 by C.S Bell Company from Ohio / I took it apart and it is fully adjustable, so can do super fine like flour or more coarse.

Does anyone use anything similar to this ?

Also, I am now looking to get grain in 50 lb sacks, but being a home brewer, where can I get something like that at lower prices (not home brew store) ?

Is that even doable since I don't have a license ?

I am willing to go in with someone on some grain, let me know specs and price.

 

[okiedog]

Have you tried running barley malt through that mill? If so, does it leave the husks intact? If it doesn't, then it is not suitable for use as a malt milling.

If you are looking to buy malt below retail LHBS prices, I would check with local micro breweries and ask if you can combine a grain order with them. Some of the smaller breweries are willing to add to their orders, and might even get a better price due to quantity discounts.

 

[Transamguy77]

The plates on that look similar to a Corona mill, have you asked your home brew store how much they sell sacks of grain for? The one near me sells them for $55.

 

[brandonlovesbeer]

$55? Wow. I can buy a sack of 2-row for $42.

 

[RM-MN]

Have you tried running barley malt through that mill? If so, does it leave the husks intact? If it doesn't, then it is not suitable for use as a malt milling.

If you are looking to buy malt below retail LHBS prices, I would check with local micro breweries and ask if you can combine a grain order with them. Some of the smaller breweries are willing to add to their orders, and might even get a better price due to quantity discounts.

That mill looks similar to a Corona mill and people have been using those for years. Tightened up all the way, that mill should be excellent for BIAB as the finer milling will get full conversion and torn up husks don't matter as the bag forms the filter, not the husks.

 

[MajorJC]

I used to buy 50lb sacks of grain at the local feed mill to soak in a large garbage can and ferment slightly, that I used to feed my chickens.

Is this "feed grain" the same as the grain used for brewing? If I remember correctly they sold whole oats, rye, barley, and wheat.

 

[rompstar]

$55? Wow. I can buy a sack of 2-row for $42.

where do you guy 50ln for $42 ? I have no yet put anything through the mill, but the company who makes it is still in business, like since 1880 or something like that - http://www.csbellco.com/grist-mill-60.asp

I will try it, as soon as I put it together and get some grain :- )

Are there any micro breweries here that I can go in with on some grain ?

I just want to be efficient and lower the price point of my production.

 

[bleme]

I get 2-row from my local brewpub, 55lbs for $33. I see 6 breweries up around Snohomish and 1 down by Bothell
https://www.google.com/maps/search/...664fb2c9ecf7a1!4m2!1d-122.1222208!2d47.840555

 

[GPP33]

I used to buy 50lb sacks of grain at the local feed mill to soak in a large garbage can and ferment slightly, that I used to feed my chickens.

Is this "feed grain" the same as the grain used for brewing? If I remember correctly they sold whole oats, rye, barley, and wheat.

Depending on what you get it might work but since it's probably not marketed for or labeled for brewing you probably wont know what you actually get both from a quality and processing standpoint. The only one that really makes sense to buy in full sack quantities is your base grain which is the majority of your grist and not something you want to take chances with.

 

[bleme]

I used to buy 50lb sacks of grain at the local feed mill to soak in a large garbage can and ferment slightly, that I used to feed my chickens.

Is this "feed grain" the same as the grain used for brewing? If I remember correctly they sold whole oats, rye, barley, and wheat.

The grain used for brewing is usually malted. Feed grain usually isn't.

 

[Transamguy77]

$55? Wow. I can buy a sack of 2-row for $42.

I used to get my grains from a brewery for $40 a sack, most of the stores I’ve been to $50ish is the going rate.

 

[rompstar]

I used to get my grains from a brewery for $40 a sack, most of the stores I’ve been to $50ish is the going rate.

thanks! I will ask around, I will get some grain from brew store and see how the mill does it, start at the flour setting and dial out until I get nice cracked proportions and report back later :- )

btw: if you are a microbrewery, please let me know what base grains I can go in on.. thanks! and I don't sell beer, I am aware of the laws and penalties.

 

[bracconiere]

i too got my malt from the local brewpub...Until they hired a new brew master, that looked like a meth fiend, and had a problem with me making my own...

now i get 50lb sacks of whole barley from the feed store for 12.99, and malt my own...

 

[GPP33]

i too got my malt from the local brewpub...Until they hired a new brew master, that looked like a meth fiend, and had a problem with me making my own...

now i get 50lb sacks of whole barley from the feed store for 12.99, and malt my own...

That's really cool. Malting your own grain sounds like fun

 

[bracconiere]

it's not too hard to do, this is my 'special' equipment...and an oven on lowest for 12 hours...

 

[rompstar]

awesome, which grain do you get and from where ? and what temp. for 12 hours ?

do you also roast them ? how much malt is in that picture ?

just curious I guess / which brewery is this ? maybe I should avoid them in general, if they employ meth heads!

 

[bracconiere]

i get whole barley from the local feed store. if they don't carry it they will probably special order it. (and ask if your using it for brewing, lol)

unfortunately my oven only goes down to 170f, so i make something more like Munich malt. which won't make a light beer, but it still has enough enzymatic power to convert. i give it 24 hours with the box fan till the grains are 'firm', locks up the enzymes enough for kilning....

for making crystal, i dump it all in my brew pot wet that fits in my oven, set it to 170f, wait till the grain hits ~150f, turn off the oven let it sit for a while at that temp. dry it as for base malt, then roast at some temp...still working on that though...i always seem to get dark crystal, but it's pretty good, still an amateur i guess, but having fun with it

that is 20lb's of malt, 23lb's starting weight of whole barley...i get about 85% efficiency with a two step beta, alpha mash...so 10 gal's 8% beer (with gluco to ferment dry, for calorie counting)

 

[bracconiere]

i forgot to mention deculming...once it's bone dry from the oven mix it around in a storage tote a while with your hands. to break off the dry rootlets, then set up the same box fan in front of another storage tote and pass them back and forth to blow off the light rootlets form the malt...i'm still trying to figure out away to automate though....is a bit of work...

 

[okiedog]

Sure, malting and kilning your own grain really isn't that difficult. It is time consuming though, and for base grains you need to malt and kiln a lot . For the difference in price, it doesn't seem worth it to me, unless it is a pound or less of some hard to find malt. If I need say, C60 or C120, but only have C40, I may throw some C40 in the oven until the color approximates the darker malt. Mostly I just do toasted grains or adjuncts when my recipe calls for it.

 

[bracconiere]

time consuming yes, but so is brew day...i just made a batch of beer, 10g's, with homemalt it costs me 7-8 bucks, with store bought malt it cost me 25...

brewing in general is time consuming...just a lot of waiting around for stuff really...if you want to make easy alcohol, buy apple juice dump it in a bucket and add yeast...

 

[IslandLizard]

i'm still trying to figure out away to automate though...

IIRC, a few years back I either read an article or a thread here, where the OP used an adapted washing machine drum for malting, kilning, and deculming. I think he lined the inside with a relatively coarse stainless steel mesh, but tight enough to keep the kernels inside.

 

[brandonlovesbeer]

where do you guy 50lb for $42?

My local Homebrew store... which is also one of the top two largest craft breweries in the state. So I guess I'm just lucky.