Grain Milling and Mash Efficiency

[matthewfas]

Here's a question to all of who all-grain brewers who mill your own grain:

I brewed an all-grain Belgian Tripel recently. It was the first time I tried milling my own grain with "the Barley Crusher" from Northern Brewer:

http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/brewing/brewing-equipment/all-grain-
equipment/grain-mills

I was thoroughly disappointed that it didn't come with some preset and easily selectable settings to adjust the gap between the rollers. It has 2 rollers-1 of which is stationary. The other's movement adjusts the gap between and hence how much the grain is milled. It seemed I was either too tight and then I'd adjust it and the grain would just fall threw. I never seemed to find a good setting. Then when I tested the specific gravity of my brew just before pitching the yeast.. I found my OG was WELL below what it should have, especially for a Tripel. I had to augment with pure cane sugar to bring it up to acceptable levels. However, the taste of the beer definitely is suffering compared to the Tripels I know and love.

Has anyone had a similar problem? Do you have any recommendations to solve the issue or to find a good setting for specific grains to be milled?

Any help pointing me in the right direction would be appreciated.

-Matt

 

[sandyeggoxj]

Use feeler gauges to set a known distance between the rollers. You can also use the gauges to make sure it is even across the crush. I keep my MM2-2.0 set at .034". Works great for my setup.

Another thing to keep in mind is that most brewhouse efficiencies will drop as the OG increase. It is apparently an inverse relationship.

What total efficiency do you base your recipes off? How wide was the gap of your mill? Were you just "eye-balling" the gap? Always use precise tools. This is science after all!

 

[seagondollar]

Yeah adjust your mill as stated. Im consistently in the 65-68 percent eff range because of my LHBS mill, which drives me crazy. I know when i get my own mill it will go up probably 7 points at least.

 

[jtratcliff]

Tighten until you're scared ... Then tighten some more!

Of course, I use an ugly-junk corona mill in a homer bucket to do BIAB.

 

[Rev2010]

I have the same mill. Take an old expired credit card and set the roller so that the credit card is relatively snug and rolls the roller when you push it down and up. Do this with the flat non-raised number side of the card. This will give you, if I recall correctly, a 032 gap. Works perfect for me with barley. I get a consistent 81% efficiency. For wheat, since the grains are even smaller I adjust it tighter visually to to something like 025 gap (I once used feeler gauges to get an idea of the gap setting).

You have a new product and just didn't know how to adjust it properly. I know it's disappointing but you learn and move on. Once you get it set right you will be way happier having your own mill, trust me!

Rev.

 

[sandyeggoxj]

Something else to consider is the speed that your grain mill turns. Keep it slow. That will help keep the husks intact even at a tighter crush.

 

[ABVIBUSRM]

I used a credit card when i first got my mill..now i just eyeball it