jeepinjeepin
Well-Known Member
rkorn74 said:
Mine runs great. Get the side plates square and adjust the rollers even on both sides.
JSP Malt Mill vs AHB Cereal Killer vs ...? Help!
- Thread starter thadius856
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Mine runs great. Get the side plates square and adjust the rollers even on both sides.
I have a JSP Malt Mill - works great, no complaints
Awesome thread. I've going through this same "struggle" too. (First world problem, I know I know.). But thanks to all for posting. Please do let us know how you like your new purchases.
OP
OP
Assembled my Monster Mills MM2-2.0. Yeah, the name's fairly accurate.
I'm very impressed by the solid rollers. That seems like it'll make a difference in maintaining smooth forward momentum of the shafted roller. I think the stainless upgrade was probably worth it.
The hopper is thick and the base is sufficient. My only complaint is that the hopper is galvanized, not stainless. Haven't used it yet, but will post more impressions once I mill this coming weekend.
I'm very impressed by the solid rollers. That seems like it'll make a difference in maintaining smooth forward momentum of the shafted roller. I think the stainless upgrade was probably worth it.
The hopper is thick and the base is sufficient. My only complaint is that the hopper is galvanized, not stainless. Haven't used it yet, but will post more impressions once I mill this coming weekend.
gizmodog51
Well-Known Member
buying a mill is 90% want and 10% need. IMHO
like buying handtools. snap-on is pretty & sleek , mac, cornwell , S-K , even sears all will get the job done but snap-on and other big names make the speciality tools that help get the job done easier/faster.
it's all about preference and perception.
i had a corona mill and it would've served me well i'm sure from all reports i have read but i jumped and bought an $89.00 AIHB roller B.C. clone which was a little more than twice the cost of the corona. the AIHB mill has served me well but the point is the corona would have too.
i do BIAB and the crush isn't as critical as with fly sparge brewing.
match your mill to your brew style and save money or just say F....it and buy what you like/want/or supports your self-esteem....either way just enjoy making yer brew!
Gd
like buying handtools. snap-on is pretty & sleek , mac, cornwell , S-K , even sears all will get the job done but snap-on and other big names make the speciality tools that help get the job done easier/faster.
it's all about preference and perception.
i had a corona mill and it would've served me well i'm sure from all reports i have read but i jumped and bought an $89.00 AIHB roller B.C. clone which was a little more than twice the cost of the corona. the AIHB mill has served me well but the point is the corona would have too.
i do BIAB and the crush isn't as critical as with fly sparge brewing.
match your mill to your brew style and save money or just say F....it and buy what you like/want/or supports your self-esteem....either way just enjoy making yer brew!
Gd
![Craft A Brew - Safale S-04 Dry Yeast - Fermentis - English Ale Dry Yeast - For English and American Ales and Hard Apple Ciders - Ingredients for Home Brewing - Beer Making Supplies - [1 Pack]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41fVGNh6JfL._SL500_.jpg)
Not for me. Driving an hour to get my grains is not something I want to do for a brewday. If I had to order kits or drive somewhere to get the grains, I'd probably not be brewing anymore. Keeping all the grains here at my house, unmilled until I decide what I want to make, that's how I need it.
Same for me. Three batches crushing partial mash grains with a rolling pin, then hitting them with cast iron frying pan, finally throwing in towel and dumping into food processor...a functional mill was a need.
Could have gone Corona but even my LHBS that sells corona recommended roller mill if I planned to go all grain.
Almost pulled trigger on monster, am sure if I had I'd be happy to sing its praises...but in the end went with the mostly happy Barley crusher crowd. Liking it so far at about 100 lbs crushed. If it gets me to 1,000 lbs crushed I'll be more than satisfied.
I don't think you will regret getting a mill. Pick something that makes sense to your wallet and have fun.
Oh do make sure you have $ left to get a proper drill to run it. Man it is fun crushing a big beer in a few minutes, and not much fun having your drill fail and having to crush by hand.
Could have gone Corona but even my LHBS that sells corona recommended roller mill if I planned to go all grain.
Almost pulled trigger on monster, am sure if I had I'd be happy to sing its praises...but in the end went with the mostly happy Barley crusher crowd. Liking it so far at about 100 lbs crushed. If it gets me to 1,000 lbs crushed I'll be more than satisfied.
I don't think you will regret getting a mill. Pick something that makes sense to your wallet and have fun.
Oh do make sure you have $ left to get a proper drill to run it. Man it is fun crushing a big beer in a few minutes, and not much fun having your drill fail and having to crush by hand.
OP
OP
If my mill failed within the first 1000#, I'd be pissed.
I'm "amortizing" my mill on a 10 year flat-line schedule. I expect to use minimum 15# per month, up to 30# per month, and that gets me into the 1800-3600# range over its useful life.
I'm "amortizing" my mill on a 10 year flat-line schedule. I expect to use minimum 15# per month, up to 30# per month, and that gets me into the 1800-3600# range over its useful life.
All my "capital equipment" gets amortized over 30 batches. Right now that is hitting me for about $22/batch. But with luck I can wipe that stuff off the books in less than a year and add new gear. SWMBO is a CPA and approved this schedule
rajun50
Well-Known Member
I did the same after struggling with my cheap corona mill. My brewing hobby is supposed to be relaxing and fun, and I could see that the corona wasn't going to cut it in that regard. I threw that thing away after two uses and bought the exact same Monster Mill you did, except I went ahead and got the hopper extension, too. It was way more than I wanted to spend as well, but after it came in and I saw how ridiculously strong it was built I realized why they cost so much. This thing will definitely last a lifetime for me, and it mills grain like a Cadillac compared to the corona. If you can stomach the price, I'd recommend the MM2 2.0 to anyone. It's a beast.
(Also, I hate to keep slamming corona mills, because a lot of folks use them with great results. They can be great, but I just don't have the time right now to do all the DIY rigging up that a corona requires. Not having a LHBS puts me in a situation where I have to mill my own grain, and I just ran out of patience with my corona. Dropping 10+ lbs of grain all over the floor because of my crappy hopper job didn't help its image, either. It just wasn't my cup of tea. Chalk it up to another case of YMMV.)
Anyway everybody has a price point, and here are some very satisfying roller mills between the cost of the monster and the corona.
Komocabo
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I got a used JSP Malt mill for $80 on craigslist... works great and a decent price. Its not adjustable, but has 10" rollers. Very happy with the crush. 3rd batch done and no stuck sparges. Also have nailed down my efficiency. Probably not the best mill out there, but works great for me and I'm happy with the price... also my son gets a kick out of running the mill so I barely have to do any work
rajun50
Well-Known Member
I agree. I almost went with a Barley Crusher or Malt Mill, but got caught up in the "bigger rollers are better" hype. The MM is overkill for the average homebrewer (read: me), but I tend to go overboard on gear.
I just looked at Crankandstein's website. All their mills have gears on the end. I assume that means that both rollers are spinning at the same rate, thus you get a more even crush? Most, if not all the others have independent rollers, correct? (I don't really know what I'm talking about.)
Do other companies sell rollers with gears? Also any happy Crankandstein customers?
I see that Monster and Crankandstein are both from Atlanta. That seems odd. That's alotta competition.
Finally, Monster says all their stuff is manufactured in the US which makes me want to support them more. Does anyone know of other companies that only manufacture in the US?
Do other companies sell rollers with gears? Also any happy Crankandstein customers?
I see that Monster and Crankandstein are both from Atlanta. That seems odd. That's alotta competition.
Finally, Monster says all their stuff is manufactured in the US which makes me want to support them more. Does anyone know of other companies that only manufacture in the US?
Good question
Checked the barley crusher website and found weasel words suggesting probably not US made..."Hand made American product"...
Anyway I'm still liking the product but if that is important to you would look for something that can actually claim "made in USA".
Typing this on my iPhone made in...
Checked the barley crusher website and found weasel words suggesting probably not US made..."Hand made American product"...
Anyway I'm still liking the product but if that is important to you would look for something that can actually claim "made in USA".
Typing this on my iPhone made in...
OP
OP
The C&S gears are grain-driven. They rely on grains falling between them for one gear to drive the other. I don't understand why they're there, honestly. Grain falling between the rollers should have the same effect.
The JSP Malt Mill can be bought with gears. They're on the outside of the housing, on the shaft side. They do not need grain to drive them. The downside is that gears aren't meant to be adjustable - they have a single optimal meshing distance, so that model is not adjustable on that one side. Most people leave their mills at or very near the factory setting, so it's not really a big deal, unless you want to mill corn (why?).
They used to be one company, then split off to their own operations over a disagreement.
Didn't look at it as a purchase criteria, sorry. Can't answer this one.
JSP malt mills are also US made also been around the longest with great service and advice
I just emailed them to ask--less than 5 minutes ago. And it's 10 inches. I live in Chicago, so that's pretty local.
OP
OP
Some posts I've read indicate that he has good pre-purchase support, and terrible post-purchase support. He also seems to be reported as a generally surly individual.
Beautiful macaw, by the way. Is he an Illiger's? Hard to tell from such a small picture.
Severe (chestnut-faced) thanks, never had a problem with him he is curt and his answers are based in the fact that he has been asked these questions thousands of times and knows his machines inside out so gets a little short sometimes when he answers their question and they start with the "what if's" he has personally answered all of my questions within 24 hours. I enjoy the short and to the point answers. I had a concentric knob pin bend when I caught a rock in with my grain I started to explain and he said "I just need your address" part came next day red I like that kind of answer.
Yep, the malt mill and Jack Schmidling (JSP = Jack Schmidling Productions) go way back. Here's a post of his from '93 on Home Brew Digest. He was innovating homebrew gear back then.
His post isn't really remarkable, but if you look 3 posts above it, you'll see something that might surprise you.
http://hbd.org/hbd/archive/1192.html#1192-9
His post isn't really remarkable, but if you look 3 posts above it, you'll see something that might surprise you.
http://hbd.org/hbd/archive/1192.html#1192-9
TyTanium
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That is awesome.
OP
OP
Woah!
All 4 models: JSP maltmill, Barley Crusher, Crankandstein, and Monster Mill are made in the USA. JSP and Barley crusher explicity state a lifetime warranty.
I am leaning towards either the Barebones JSP with a Hopper Deck or the Barley Crusher through Beersmith (a little cheaper--$110 for the 7 lb hopper, $133 for the 15 lb). I think I'm leaning more toward the Barley Crusher as it is fully assembled.
My thoughts so far. (I need to stop thinking some much and just do it. I know, I know.)
I am leaning towards either the Barebones JSP with a Hopper Deck or the Barley Crusher through Beersmith (a little cheaper--$110 for the 7 lb hopper, $133 for the 15 lb). I think I'm leaning more toward the Barley Crusher as it is fully assembled.
My thoughts so far. (I need to stop thinking some much and just do it. I know, I know.)
OP
OP
I should probably post an update.
The my Monster MM2-2.0 arrived with the stainless upgrade. Indeed, the shaft was automatically upgraded to 1/2". Had to use my cordless drill this time on it because the two corded drills I'm trying to kill off both have 3/8" chucks. Also bought their hopper and base.
Base is nothing special. Didn't expect it to be. Just a well-routed piece of MDF. I can't really think of any way to improve on it. I may add feet underneath to lock it in one spot on the bucket, but it wasn't really an issue anyway. I understand that Monster can't do this for us because we all have different sized buckets.
The hopper went together easy enough. I had a hard time deciphering the instructions (wordless, like Ikea's) after a few beers, but they were easier to understand the next morning when I looked back at them. Indeed, it's very thick material. Very stiff. I'd feel comfortable flipping it over and standing on it as a 6'0" 180# man. Only downsize is that I sheered off a bolt assembling the hopper. Mid-grade Chinese bolts. In hindsight, I probably didn't need to be torquing them way down with a socket wrench just to join two pieces of sheet metal together. Thankfully extra nuts and bolts were included.
Hopper is a good size; holds about 6-7# if I remember. That's plenty for me. The 10.5 gal APA I was doing called for about 18#, so it took me three hoppers. My brew buddy just kept me topped up.
The description joking says "don't even think about asking for a hand crank" or somesuch. This is true. The rollers are massive and solid stainless, not hollow like some other models. They have quite a bit of inertia once they get going, so your drill needs to have a fair bit of torque. My 18v brushless Lithium Ion drill was up to the job, but I had to brace the drill between my knees to counteract the torque it was putting on my wrist. Once I figured that out, it was cake.
All 18# took less than 5 minutes for both passes. Factory gap (0.045") used. Milled the grain conditioned (~5 oz in 18#). Beautiful crush. Almost perfect intact hulls and germ was crushed to sand grain size. Very little flour made, mostly stuck to the underside of the base.
Very happy with the mill. Would be nice to have it motorized, or mounted on a large base, but I think I'll keep it portable for now that way it is. A two-handled corded drill is certainly recommended. Think I'll get a Harbor Freight version.
The my Monster MM2-2.0 arrived with the stainless upgrade. Indeed, the shaft was automatically upgraded to 1/2". Had to use my cordless drill this time on it because the two corded drills I'm trying to kill off both have 3/8" chucks. Also bought their hopper and base.
Base is nothing special. Didn't expect it to be. Just a well-routed piece of MDF. I can't really think of any way to improve on it. I may add feet underneath to lock it in one spot on the bucket, but it wasn't really an issue anyway. I understand that Monster can't do this for us because we all have different sized buckets.
The hopper went together easy enough. I had a hard time deciphering the instructions (wordless, like Ikea's) after a few beers, but they were easier to understand the next morning when I looked back at them. Indeed, it's very thick material. Very stiff. I'd feel comfortable flipping it over and standing on it as a 6'0" 180# man. Only downsize is that I sheered off a bolt assembling the hopper. Mid-grade Chinese bolts. In hindsight, I probably didn't need to be torquing them way down with a socket wrench just to join two pieces of sheet metal together. Thankfully extra nuts and bolts were included.
Hopper is a good size; holds about 6-7# if I remember. That's plenty for me. The 10.5 gal APA I was doing called for about 18#, so it took me three hoppers. My brew buddy just kept me topped up.
The description joking says "don't even think about asking for a hand crank" or somesuch. This is true. The rollers are massive and solid stainless, not hollow like some other models. They have quite a bit of inertia once they get going, so your drill needs to have a fair bit of torque. My 18v brushless Lithium Ion drill was up to the job, but I had to brace the drill between my knees to counteract the torque it was putting on my wrist. Once I figured that out, it was cake.
All 18# took less than 5 minutes for both passes. Factory gap (0.045") used. Milled the grain conditioned (~5 oz in 18#). Beautiful crush. Almost perfect intact hulls and germ was crushed to sand grain size. Very little flour made, mostly stuck to the underside of the base.
Very happy with the mill. Would be nice to have it motorized, or mounted on a large base, but I think I'll keep it portable for now that way it is. A two-handled corded drill is certainly recommended. Think I'll get a Harbor Freight version.
OP
OP
Yeah. Just Do It.(R)(TM)(C)
Lifetime warranties are great and all, but I rarely find myself using them. By the time you wear out a good quality mill, you'll probably be shopping for a version that can take a 5hp motor, has a belt-fed hopper and conveyor to your mash tun, and can process 8000# per hour.
Pull the trigger already!
thadius856 said:
How did your efficiency compare to your previous experience?
I cranked my barley crusher down to .025 last weekend using conditioned grain. Efficiency was 77%, almost exactly the same as the prior batch of the same recipe...76%' using same mill and a .030 setting(also conditioned).
Did get some gummy flour in my knurls this time so I probably didn't do as good of a job conditioning. I'm just sprinkling water (2% by weight) on grain while mixing. Probably need to work on the technique.
OP
OP
Hmmm. Was my first all-grain, so I can't comment on comparison of efficiency.
BeerSmith tells me my mash efficiency was 85.6% using a rectangular cooler, single sparge. The crush chouldn't have been too terrible.
thadius856 said:Yeah. Just Do It.(R)(TM)(C)
Lifetime warranties are great and all, but I rarely find myself using them. By the time you wear out a good quality mill, you'll probably be shopping for a version that can take a 5hp motor, has a belt-fed hopper and conveyor to your mash tun, and can process 8000# per hour.
Pull the trigger already!
Nice to have I bent a concentric knob (my fault) and it was shipped overnite so I could brew for the weekend I love my malt mill I ran 8 plus bags every year i wouldn't trade it for any other
