in the market for a grain mill

[Islandboy85]

AHS didn't have anyone rate this model, but it looks awesome. Anyone ever use it?
http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?cPath=178_33_82_91&products_id=10125

 

[SpottedDogBrewing]

I have the Model P it works awesome!!

Sent from my iPhone using HB Talk

 

[ArcaneXor]

I'd definitely get an adjustable mill. Fixed-gap mills will drive you nuts with certain types of grain, and they won't allow you to dial in your system toward optimum efficiency without getting stuck sparges.

 

[Golddiggie]

I went with the Barley Crusher mill... Loving it so far... The only thing you need to add is a bucket to catch the grain. I haven't even used the hand crank that comes with it, thanks to my DeWalt cordless drill (500rpm is the max speed on the slowest speed range, which is what I use)... Goes through grain really fast, and is set to a factory gap of .039", which works really well... Easily adjustable too. Not to mention less expensive than the one you linked to.

Just making sure you know you DO have other options. You don't need to spend ~$150 on a mill, when you can get a great one at ~$120... Via a group grain buy, the difference is about what I spent on a sack of base malt.

 

[onthekeg]

I have a 3 roller Monster mill and I love it. Go with an adjustable mill would be my advice.

 

[Islandboy85]

I have a 3 roller Monster mill and I love it. Go with an adjustable mill would be my advice.

How much better is a 3 roller mill vs a 2 roller mill?

 

[Catt22]

Generally speaking, mills is mills. I would definitely get an adjustable model and I would avoid the corona type corn grinders, but any of the available roller type home brew malt mills can produce top notch grist if used properly. The differences between them, regardless of the number or size of the rollers, is trivial.

 

[kpr121]

Generally speaking, mills is mills. I would definitely get an adjustable model and I would avoid the corona type corn grinders, but any of the available roller type home brew malt mills can produce top notch grist if used properly. The differences between them, regardless of the number or size of the rollers, is trivial.

Why would you avoid the corona mills? Doesnt John Palmer use one? Must be decent (plus its 100$ less than ony of these).

 

[Pappers_]

I have the Model P it works awesome!!

Me, too, I like the mill very much. Non-adjustable means there's less to go wrong. Sometimes simple is better.

 

[Golddiggie]

Why would you avoid the corona mills? Doesnt John Palmer use one? Must be decent (plus its 100$ less than ony of these).

Off the top of my head...

1. Ease of use. With the corona mill, you need to rig something up to catch the grain from the out, or make a special bucket to hold the crushed grain while you're milling it.
2. Mess. Unless you cover the end of the corona mill, chances are, you'll be finding grain parts in places you didn't think to look.
3. Gap setting. Have you seen what some people have needed to do to their corona mill in order to get a good gap set, and to hold it?

Sure, it's a cheaper mill, and can do a decent job, if you compensate for it's shortcomings... BUT, an actual grain mill (such as a Barley Crusher, Monster Mill, etc.) is designed to do a much better job, with much less work on your end, for a looooooong time...

I WAS thinking about getting a corona mill initially. After researching what I'd need to do in order to use it, and such, I opted to get the BC instead. Easy to connect my cordless drill to it, just needed a bucket (not using the bucket primary from my first hardware kit, so there we are) and I was off to the races... Easily crushes 6# in a minute (think it actually goes a bit faster than that at the default gap of .039") with the drill... Knowing myself, I knew that I'd probably get fed up with the corona mill after a couple of uses and be getting a roller grain mill. So, it would have ended up costing me ~$50 more than just getting the BC from the start. Even IF I could sell the corona mill to someone else, I'd kind of feel bad doing it... Especially knowing how it didn't perform up to my expectations.

Get what you can afford, but I see the cost difference as minor... I know there are enough people here with the corona type mill, and most will probably say it does a great job. Which I'm sure it does, for them... Just like you'll have plenty of people using roller mills that love the one they have... I have yet to see anyone post up how they regret getting a roller mill and wish they had picked up a corona mill.

 

[Pappers_]

Why would you avoid the corona mills? Doesnt John Palmer use one? Must be decent (plus its 100$ less than ony of these).

I think its Charlie Pappazian who uses one.

 

[Islandboy85]

My knock-off Corona mill is now a coffee grinder. It was a PITA. I was only getting 60 percent efficiency, and that's with a keg system with a 15 inch FB fly sparging. For now I'm just using AHS's kits that are premilled, but I need to get a mill to make it easier for me to start making my own recipes. I get a couple double time days here and there at work, so that's why I want to upgrade.

 

[RM-MN]

My knock off Corona style mill gets me a steady 78% efficiency without going to a fly sparge but I'm using the "brew in a bag" system so I can deal with a fine grind without worrying about a stuck sparge. If you only get 60% efficiency, I blame it on "user error".

 

[RM-MN]

Off the top of my head...

1. Ease of use. With the corona mill, you need to rig something up to catch the grain from the out, or make a special bucket to hold the crushed grain while you're milling it.
2. Mess. Unless you cover the end of the corona mill, chances are, you'll be finding grain parts in places you didn't think to look.
3. Gap setting. Have you seen what some people have needed to do to their corona mill in order to get a good gap set, and to hold it?

Sure, it's a cheaper mill, and can do a decent job, if you compensate for it's shortcomings... BUT, an actual grain mill (such as a Barley Crusher, Monster Mill, etc.) is designed to do a much better job, with much less work on your end, for a looooooong time...

I WAS thinking about getting a corona mill initially. After researching what I'd need to do in order to use it, and such, I opted to get the BC instead. Easy to connect my cordless drill to it, just needed a bucket (not using the bucket primary from my first hardware kit, so there we are) and I was off to the races... Easily crushes 6# in a minute (think it actually goes a bit faster than that at the default gap of .039") with the drill... Knowing myself, I knew that I'd probably get fed up with the corona mill after a couple of uses and be getting a roller grain mill. So, it would have ended up costing me ~$50 more than just getting the BC from the start. Even IF I could sell the corona mill to someone else, I'd kind of feel bad doing it... Especially knowing how it didn't perform up to my expectations.

Get what you can afford, but I see the cost difference as minor... I know there are enough people here with the corona type mill, and most will probably say it does a great job. Which I'm sure it does, for them... Just like you'll have plenty of people using roller mills that love the one they have... I have yet to see anyone post up how they regret getting a roller mill and wish they had picked up a corona mill.

1. Something to catch the milled grain is called a Ziploc bag.
2. Controlling the mess is called a Ziploc bag over the end of the mill.
3. Problems with setting the gap are attributable to the user. Mine was easy to set and it stays there.
4. The Corona style mill I have is slower than the barley crushers. I make that up by mashing for less time because I have smaller grain particles for the sugars to be extracted out. My mash is showing good conversion in about 15 minutes. I do have to have something different than a false bottom or a piece of braid to vorlauf or I will have a stuck sparge. It's called a paint strainer bag.

 

[devilishprune]

I'll attest to the fact that a corona mill works great! I got a 2x4 and screwed it into a bucket, clamped the corona mill to it and was ready to go. I don't have a drill that can push it, so I hand crank it, but that's not a manufacturer thing. I would recommend it to anyone on a budget!

I get steady 76% efficiency and no astringency problems using a batch sparge cooler/braid setup.

 

[Golddiggie]

1. Something to catch the milled grain is called a Ziploc bag.
2. Controlling the mess is called a Ziploc bag over the end of the mill.
3. Problems with setting the gap are attributable to the user. Mine was easy to set and it stays there.
4. The Corona style mill I have is slower than the barley crushers. I make that up by mashing for less time because I have smaller grain particles for the sugars to be extracted out. My mash is showing good conversion in about 15 minutes. I do have to have something different than a false bottom or a piece of braid to vorlauf or I will have a stuck sparge. It's called a paint strainer bag.

When you're crushing more than 10# of grain at a time, ziplock bags will get old rather fast... I was able to fill a fermenting bucket (6.5-7 gallons) really fast with the BC... Since it sits on top, I didn't need to worry about the mill taking up any of the space for the grain.

I didn't say the 'ugly mill' wasn't an option, just after reviewing all the things I'd need to offset, compensate for, or work around, it wasn't worth it FOR ME...

I did BIAB for my initial all grain batches. I've since stepped up to a converted cooler mash tun... Now, I can mash up to about 45# of grain at a single time. Before, it was pushing it mashing more than about 11# in my 32 quart pot. I had to mash with a good amount of water, otherwise my 20 quart pot wouldn't hold the grain and sparge water... I did get sick of moving the heavy grain bag between the pots too.

Ask a dozen home brewers how they make a batch, and chances are you'll have at least half as many different methods in use. Look at their gear/hardware and chances are no two will be the same. You might find common elements, but configurations are as unique as we are...

 

[RedHouse]

Used my Cranksandstein 2s for the first time today. I left it at the factory setting and got 80% efficiency. I'm pretty happy about that....and it wasn't all that expensive either.