JSP Malt Mill vs AHB Cereal Killer vs ...? Help!

[thadius856]

In the market for a grain mill. Looked at several options, but not sure I've decided yet. Could use help deciding what will fit my needs best.

Just getting into AG. Will be grinding a little of everything, except corn. Usage will be 12-15 gallons per month, plus a little bottled as gifts, averaging around 1.055. I'm handy. so barebones is just fine. Will probably drill-power it. Don't think I need three rollers. Please, no Coronas, pasta presses, coffee grinders, etc. And Barley Crushers are out for me because of some reviews I've seen.

I think that leaves me with:

JSP Malt Miller Model P @ $85
Crankandstein 2D? @ $124
Monster Mills MM2 @ $117
AHB Cereal Killer @ $109

I'd be willing to go up to $150 if there's something measurably better. I don't want to replace the mill for... gulp... 10 years.

Gear drive? Adjustable? Case hardened? No-rust alloys? I'm drowning in options. Help?

 

[eric19312]

I'll bite.


Loving my Barleycrusher, was in the price range you described. Not sure there is really a lot of difference between the roller mills for the level of usage you are describing. Do plan on getting a drill to run it. BC comes with a handle but that gets old fast. I have 2 other drills, thought one would be up to the task, but no...off to Harbor Freight to get the $40 high torque low speed half inch drill. Works great.

My mill came with a platform that fits a standard bucket (5 ga homer bucket from Home Depot is what I use) and a 7 pound hopper. That works fine. Regular beers take two loads, big beers need 3. No big deal.

There are bigger mills out there with larger rollers (fatter and longer) and bigger hoppers, but I am crushing malt bills up to 17 pounds of grain in less than 5 minutes. Works fine for me.

What I love most about having my own mill is I get to chose the crush and I can condition my malt before milling.

Don't agonize over the choice, just get one and start grinding!

 

[bob352]

I have an older model JSP malt mill, non-adjustable.
Works great. But now that I am conditioning my grain, I wish it was adjustable.

Manual crank works fine for 5 gal batch.
I might want it motorized if I did 10 gal batches.

 

[thadius856]

Don't agonize over the choice, just get one and start grinding!

I do this every time. I have to research the hell out of my purchases. I need to believe that I'm getting the absolutely best deal before I buy something. No idea why.

Just really don't want to re-upgrade again any time soon.

 

[thadius856]

I have an older model JSP malt mill, non-adjustable.
Works great. But now that I am conditioning my grain, I wish it was adjustable.

Manual crank works fine for 5 gal batch.
I might want it motorized if I did 10 gal batches.

This is what I wanted to hear.

If you had the choice, would you go adjustable on one side, adjustable on both sides, or adjustable on one side with the gearing option?

 

[bob352]

If you had the choice, would you go adjustable on one side, adjustable on both sides, or adjustable on one side with the gearing option?

My JSP mill does not have gearing. The non-drive roller is pulled
along by a large o-ring on the drive roller. It works great, never a problem.
So I think I would skip the gearing option.

I would probably want both sides adjustable.
Don't see the appeal of only being able to adjust one side.

 

[BigRedHopHead]

I was in the same boat a couple of months ago. Decided on the Monster Mill MM2 2.0 since the larger diameter rollers made logical sense to me in terms of crush quality. I use a big old 1/2 drill to power it. For $170 (twenty bucks more than your limit of $150 I would take a serious look at it) I thought it was the best value for long term use and consistency. I like having both sides adjustable, and it is a beast. Heavy! Knurls are quite aggressive and would take years to start wearing. I went with the standard alloy since my mill will stay in my basement away from the elements. I really wanted something that would last 10+ years and retain its value if I somehow decide to sell it. The crush quality is fantastic! I am getting high 70's to 80% with intact hulls and gap set to .040

 

[thadius856]

I was in the same boat a couple of months ago. Decided on the Monster Mill MM2 2.0 since the larger diameter rollers made logical sense to me in terms of crush quality. I use a big old 1/2 drill to power it. For $170 (twenty bucks more than your limit of $150 I would take a serious look at it) I thought it was the best value for long term use and consistency. I like having both sides adjustable, and it is a beast. Heavy! Knurls are quite aggressive and would take years to start wearing. I went with the standard alloy since my mill will stay in my basement away from the elements. I really wanted something that would last 10+ years and retain its value if I somehow decide to sell it. The crush quality is fantastic! I am getting high 70's to 80% with intact hulls and gap set to .040

Oh, trust me, I want that one. And I've been eyeing it. For $170, I feel like it should come with a hopper or base or... something!

 

[Grannyknot]

JSP Malt Miller Model P @ $85
Crankandstein 2D? @ $124
Monster Mills MM2 @ $117
AHB Cereal Killer @ $109

I have the AHB Cereal Killer. So far, its been a good mill. Takes me about 10 minutes to weigh and mill all of my grain. Only (small) complaints are that, the "7lb hopper" is really only about a 6lb hopper, and I can already see some wear on the rollers after running about 100lbs of grain through. I actually though about taking a picture of the rollers and posting it on HBT to see if anyone thought it was a worry.

If you've somehow found a complete MM2 for $117, I would go for it.

 

[uberg33k]

Not to hijack this completely, but I have been mulling over a mill for a while as well. Could someone describe the practical differences in roller diameter and # of rollers to the average homebrewer? I understand that basically the larger the diameter and the more rollers you have, the finer you can get your crush without destroying the husk. But when is 1" rollers enough, and when should you step up to 1.5 or 2" rollers? When is 3 rollers practically better than 2 rollers? The only thing that seems to make sense to me is if you want to wet mill or if you live where it's humid, you want to spring for 303 SS over a regular steel alloy. Other than that, I'm as lost as the OP.

 

[BigRedHopHead]

Check this thread out for diameter discussion.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/grain-mill-roller-diameter-effect-297850/

there are lots of other threads! If you call Fred at Monster Mill he will usually chat with you about your brewing habits and help you decide which mill is better. For me I wanted a mill that would last a long time as I brew around 35-40 five gallon batches per year. Sure I could have gone with 1.5" rollers and been just fine for years to come. But I am sure I will step up to ten gallon batches in the near future. I figure the MM2 2.0 will cover all my needs in the future and not have to worry about the hundreds of lbs of grain going through it. This subject is highly subjective, many other mill owners will tell you they have hundreds of lbs through their 1.5" mills without issue.

 

[uberg33k]

Check this thread out for diameter discussion.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/grain-mill-roller-diameter-effect-297850/

there are lots of other threads! If you call Fred at Monster Mill he will usually chat with you about your brewing habits and help you decide which mill is better. For me I wanted a mill that would last a long time as I brew around 35-40 five gallon batches per year. Sure I could have gone with 1.5" rollers and been just fine for years to come. But I am sure I will step up to ten gallon batches in the near future. I figure the MM2 2.0 will cover all my needs in the future and not have to worry about the hundreds of lbs of grain going through it. This subject is highly subjective, many other mill owners will tell you they have hundreds of lbs through their 1.5" mills without issue.

That thread basically says what I said in my previous post. It's also the mirrors most of what I've found in my searching. Bigger is better. The question is how much better? If you tell me that based on the quality of crush, I can only expect a maximum of 73% efficiency with a 1.5" roller vs. maximum 85% efficiency with a 2" roller vs. a 89% efficiency with a 3" roller, that's meaningful. I can do some cost to benefit calculations to figure out what's best for my situation. Or something like "with a 1.5" roller you can expect to crush 3500lbs of grain before the knurling will wear out. A 2" roller will last around 10000lbs.". That's also meaningful. If I only brew about (10) 5-gallon batches a year, the 1.5" roller would effectively last me a lifetime, so why pay for a 2"?

I can't find any objective measure to help steer people towards what best fits their needs.

 

[BigRedHopHead]

If I only brew about (10) 5-gallon batches a year, the 1.5" roller would effectively last me a lifetime, so why pay for a 2"?

I can't find any objective measure to help steer people towards what best fits their needs.

if that is all you are brewing I would get a corona mill. $30 and some tinkering and you will have a fine mill for your needs. No knurls to wear out, no bearings. I used a corona last year for 36 batches (5 gal), just had to be sure to use rice hulls as they tend to shred hulls when grinding.

In all my searching on mills I never found the objective data you were talking about. So many variables in crush quality and efficiency, and I have not seen experiments across brands with a control to measure against. IMO: Monster/Crankandstein/Rebel mills all are very similar at 1.5" rollers.

 

[thadius856]

I have the AHB Cereal Killer. So far, its been a good mill. Takes me about 10 minutes to weigh and mill all of my grain. Only (small) complaints are that, the "7lb hopper" is really only about a 6lb hopper, and I can already see some wear on the rollers after running about 100lbs of grain through. I actually though about taking a picture of the rollers and posting it on HBT to see if anyone thought it was a worry.

If you've somehow found a complete MM2 for $117, I would go for it.

Complete? Nope. $117 for just the barebones piece. Contacted Fred who makes them, and he recommend I upgrade to stainless rollers if i want to store outdoors, even in a bucket with dessicant material. So, looks like the MM2-2.0 is out of the question because the stainless upgrade is +$80.

So, now I'm at:

Monster MM2 Stainless $157, or
Crankandstein 2D Stainless $174

JSP Malt Mills doesn't seem to be selling stainless rollers. That's a shame because his 10" long rollers beat out both of the two above (6" and 5" long, respectively).

Right now the MM2 is in the lead. If I have the remote inkling that maybe, perhaps, who knows, some day I maybe just might motorize it, should I go with the 1/2" shank upgrade for pulley compatability?

 

[FightinIrish]

I'm curious where you're finding the JSP for $85.

 

[cabron99]

Bump

 

[revansCAAD8]

Complete? Nope. $117 for just the barebones piece. Contacted Fred who makes them, and he recommend I upgrade to stainless rollers if i want to store outdoors, even in a bucket with dessicant material. So, looks like the MM2-2.0 is out of the question because the stainless upgrade is +$80.

So, now I'm at:

Monster MM2 Stainless $157, or
Crankandstein 2D Stainless $174

JSP Malt Mills doesn't seem to be selling stainless rollers. That's a shame because his 10" long rollers beat out both of the two above (6" and 5" long, respectively).

Right now the MM2 is in the lead. If I have the remote inkling that maybe, perhaps, who knows, some day I maybe just might motorize it, should I go with the 1/2" shank upgrade for pulley compatability?

Very happy Monster MM2 owner here. Yes, definite get the 1/2" drive shaft/shank! The 1/2" shaft is better in that it's larger, and less likely to bend if the mill got knocked over (or drill weight pulls it over) or sheared off (maybe not likely) if you hit a rock in your grains. So, If your drill has a 1/2" chuck, I highly recommend it.

PS. the optional Base & Hopper is very nice! Well, specifically the hopper and it holds 11 lbs grains, extra extension ($) takes it up to 38 or so!

Hope this helps,
Robert
GypsyBrew

 

[TyTanium]

I think the trouble is most people only buy one mill, and of the options you've listed, they're all good. So almost everyone is happy with their purchase, and side-by-side comparisons are rare.

I'm in your same boat...I want a mill, but can't decide. Parting with that much cash for an optional piece of equipment is tough.

 

[eric19312]

i think the trouble is most people only buy one mill, and of the options you've listed, they're all good. So almost everyone is happy with their purchase, and side-by-side comparisons are rare.

+1

 

[Schreiner]

I have run about 200# of grain through my AIH Cereal Killer in the last year. I have it adjusted so I get 80% eff. and I couldn't be happier with it. I'm sure any of the mills you are looking at will be fine. It's more of a price point issue for most of us IMO.

 

[thadius856]

I'm curious where you're finding the JSP for $85.

http://schmidling.com/bbordpp.htm

 

[thadius856]

Very happy Monster MM2 owner here. Yes, definite get the 1/2" drive shaft/shank! The 1/2" shaft is better in that it's larger, and less likely to bend if the mill got knocked over (or drill weight pulls it over) or sheared off (maybe not likely) if you hit a rock in your grains. So, If your drill has a 1/2" chuck, I highly recommend it.

PS. the optional Base & Hopper is very nice! Well, specifically the hopper and it holds 11 lbs grains, extra extension ($) takes it up to 38 or so!

Hope this helps,
Robert
GypsyBrew

My cordless drill takes 1/2", but the two ****ty corded drills I've been unsuccessful trying to burn out for the last year (so I can replace them with better ones) only take 3/8". I'll probably just buy a set screw type 1/2-to-3/8 adapter.

 

[thadius856]

I have run about 200# of grain through my AIH Cereal Killer in the last year. I have it adjusted so I get 80% eff. and I couldn't be happier with it. I'm sure any of the mills you are looking at will be fine. It's more of a price point issue for most of us IMO.

The most expensive tool you'll ever buy is the one you keep replacing.

 

[doughaas]

I love the rebel mill I've had for the last year. 100% satisfied. I had a schmidling maltmill about 10 years ago that had a ridiculously tiny "hopper" made of particleboard. I think it held like 2#. Both crushed just fine but the rebel mill is much nicer to use.

 

[passedpawn]

I've got a JSP MaltMill, no gearing, adjustable on one side. I've used it for 3 years, never an issue. It's one of the few parts of my brewing system that I've never considered upgrading. I got mine used from my LHBS; it was their only mill for a while, so it got used a LOT. That should be a testament to its durability.

 

[thadius856]

I love the rebel mill I've had for the last year. 100% satisfied. I had a schmidling maltmill about 10 years ago that had a ridiculously tiny "hopper" made of particleboard. I think it held like 2#. Both crushed just fine but the rebel mill is much nicer to use.

I would be making the hopper on whatever model I choose. Thanks for the input on the JSP hopper though. I'll check out the Rebel Mill. Haven't given it much more than a passing glance up until now.

I've got a JSP MaltMill, no gearing, adjustable on one side. I've used it for 3 years, never an issue. It's one of the few parts of my brewing system that I've never considered upgrading. I got mine used from my LHBS; it was their only mill for a while, so it got used a LOT. That should be a testament to its durability.

Good to hear. I think the lack of a stainless option leaves it out in the cold, though. I need to be able to store outdoors, and I'd hate to pull it out to use it and find it rusty.

 

[passedpawn]

Good to hear. I think the lack of a stainless option leaves it out in the cold, though. I need to be able to store outdoors, and I'd hate to pull it out to use it and find it rusty.

Right, you do not want to store it outside. I did this once and the shaft that my drill goes onto started to rust.

 

[thadius856]

Looks like the Rebel Mill is not currently in production and stock is depleted.

 

[Schreiner]

The most expensive tool you'll ever buy is the one you keep replacing.

After running the four sacks of grain through it, I've already paid for this "cheap" mill versus buying it by the pound and milling it at the LHBS. I agree with your statement, but very few of us can justify buying high end right off the bat. I imagine I will "upgrade" at some point, but for now I'm still money ahead.

 

[DENBrewer]

I have a Monster Mill MM2 and it is great. The hopper and extension hold a lot of grain. I don't see replacing it for a long time. If I did need to, I would also take a look at Austin Homebrew's new DIY mill:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f41/what-deal-check-out-our-new-diy-malt-mill-373777/
Very similar to the MM2 but 1.25" rollers instead of 1.5". Comes with a hand crank so you can use it without a drill if something goes wrong mid grind.

$100 until the end of January is a great deal. At regular price of $130, I don't know. Shipping from Austin Homebrew is also cheaper than other places. Good luck with your decision.