Effect on efficiency when adjusting grain mill settings?

[Redhawk96]

I just got my brand new Monster Mill MM2-Pro in the mail today, and I will be making 4 10-gallon batches on Saturday, grinding my own grain for the first time. I buy in bulk from my LHBS and have always ground the grain there. They have told me they use the factory setting on their monster mill, which is .045".

My main reason for going to grinding my own grain is the time savings, it usually took me nearly 2 hours to grind all of the grain at the LHBS. I am also looking forward to experimanting with the crush size and its' effect on efficiency.

From what I have read on here, most people will grind a bit finer than .045, usually like .040 or .038. Does anyone have any data on how your efficiency improves with a finer grind? I know it can be system dependant, I am just looking for rough estimates.

How fine is too fine? Has anyone had experience with stuck sparges from going to fine on the grind.

Also, does anyone use a coarser grind on wheat, because of the chance of stuck sparges?

Any input is greatly appreciated, I am psyched to try out my new mill!

 

[billl]

I don't think you are going to get any reasonable averages. A finer grind will only improve efficiency if you weren't getting 100% conversion in your mash. So, if your overall efficiency is already good, you won't go up much/any. If your overall efficiency was poor-mediocre, then you could see a big jump. It's entirely dependent on where you are starting from.

For my system (braid and 10 gallon igloo) anything under 0.028 is probably going to stick without rice hulls.

For wheat, you can grind as fine as you want and then just add some rice hulls. Wheat is smaller actually, so you generally want to tighten up the gap to get the same quality of crush.

 

[maffewl]

Congrats on the new mill. I usually leave my settings where you mentioned around .38 - .40 and I hit around 75% - 80% each time, and extremely rarely ever have a stuck sparge. But, as you mentioned, it's highly system (and user) dependent. It's going to take you a few batches to get it all dialed in the way you want, but enjoy the journey, hopefully that's why you are doing it in the first place. Cheers!

 

[Redhawk96]

I am hanging around 70% now, and it gets a bit worse on bigger beers. I am hopeful I can hit my target OG when it gets up over 1.070 w/o nearly overflowing the mash tun, which happens now. Thanks for the info.

 

[LandoLincoln]

I have my MM2-Pro set at .035" and my Blichmann false bottom can handle it without giving me stuck sparges, but sometimes I worry. I'd recommend .040" as a starting point. When people quote you their efficiencies, they're probably talking about their brewhouse efficiency, which is really not that useful at all when discussing mash efficiency.

I get about a 94% mash efficiency, btw. My brewhouse efficiency is around 80% and I'm fine with that.

I can grind a 30# grist in about...oh...five minutes? That includes swapping out buckets. The Monster Mill 2 Pro is a freaking beast of a mill. I love it.

 

[billl]

If you haven't seen this other places, another "trick" is to double-mill your grain. A second pass will break up most of the larger remaining pieces without ripping up the hulls or creating a lot of flour.

Also, if you are planning on experimenting with your crush, keep a big bag of rice hulls on hand. That is an easy way to avoid headaches as you dial in your system.

 

[Redhawk96]

Great tip on the rice hulls. I have used them for Hefe's before, but it probably is a good idea to keep some around for all batches now. This is one of the fun parts of homebrewing, you can always find another part of your process to tinker with and improve!

 

[RM-MN]

If you dampen the grains a bit before you mill them it will toughen the husks so they don't tear apart as easily. I don't think it takes much water or much time to help.

 

[ontum]

I have this Monster mill and I had a hard time getting 75% mash efficiency without narrowing the gap to around .37 or .35 and running it through twice. Currently I use the orange round cooler and bazooka tube filter, and have to use rice hulls in bigger beers.

I brewed my first 10 gallon batch last night and got 76.7% mash efficiency with my newer BCS EHERMS system that I am still getting used to. Even with a half pound of rice hulls in 27 lbs of grain, I did have to use the mash paddle to clear grain from the bazooka tube several times. I purchased another keg this week to make into an MLT and will have a 15" false bottom by my next brew day. Hopefully this setup will allow my keep the fine grind without getting stuck or slow re-circulation and sparge.

I think the only way to figure out what works for you is trial and error.

 

[LandoLincoln]

I have this Monster mill and I had a hard time getting 75% mash efficiency without narrowing the gap to around .37 or .35 and running it through twice. Currently I use the orange round cooler and bazooka tube filter, and have to use rice hulls in bigger beers.

I brewed my first 10 gallon batch last night and got 76.7% mash efficiency with my newer BCS EHERMS system that I am still getting used to. Even with a half pound of rice hulls in 27 lbs of grain, I did have to use the mash paddle to clear grain from the bazooka tube several times. I purchased another keg this week to make into an MLT and will have a 15" false bottom by my next brew day. Hopefully this setup will allow my keep the fine grind without getting stuck or slow re-circulation and sparge.

I think the only way to figure out what works for you is trial and error.

I think it's your bazooka tube. I'd be willing to bet if you had a full false bottom you'd get more sugars out of the grain.

 

[blizz81]

If you dampen the grains a bit before you mill them it will toughen the husks so they don't tear apart as easily. I don't think it takes much water or much time to help.

Conditioning the grain rules - leaves the husks nice and fluffy for some lautering help, and really cuts down on the grain dust while milling.

 

[Redhawk96]

I'd like to hear more on this grain conditioning. I am not at all familiar with the practice, but it seems to make sense. Anyone have advice on the best way to do this?

Maybe put the unmilled grains in a bucket, add a little bit of water, and stir? Or soak them fully submerged for a period of time?

 

[maffewl]

Add the grain to the bucket, use a water bottle sprayer and spritz the grain a couple times, mix it up, and spritz a couple more, mix it up. Donezo.

Note: It doesn't take much, as with most things brewing, a little goes a long way.

 

[Redhawk96]

Here is a pic of my first test grind at .037. Their is definitely more flour than I am used to seeing.

Anyone have any comments on how this looks?

 

[bbrim]

That looks good. I go a little finer on my crush and like it. I use a copper manifold. You will have to see how things work out in your system but I'll bet you get a bump in efficiency.

 

[Gnomebrewer]

I was using a corn-mill, but now use a cheap 2-roller mill. My mash efficiency went from about 85% to about 92% with the change. A brew-mate (who shares the mills with me) got about the same change in efficiency. The corn-mill also gave a lot more stuck sparges (lots of flour).

I use a bazooka screen in a keggle (but am about to change to a false bottom) with batch sparging. He uses a false bottom and fly sparges.

I don't know what the setting is on the mill, I just grind so that the crush looks good.

 

[cease]

Went from 65% to 80% when I bought my MM 2. I just set it to the thickness of my credit card.

 

[LandoLincoln]

Here is a pic of my first test grind at .037. Their is definitely more flour than I am used to seeing.

Anyone have any comments on how this looks?

Looks pretty good to me. I'd go with that setting.