Just bought the 15lb Barley Crusher

[The Drizzle]

*sexydance*

 

[Bearcat Brewmeister]

She has arrived! Awww yeeeaaah...

Got mine yesterday too. Also, I just had 2 of my 3 kegs drain on me Saturday night and I only have one beer fermenting. Coincidence? I think not!!!

 

[Soulive]

Yesterday I hit 81% with the factory setting. I love blowing through several pounds of grain in less than a minute. I <3 Barley Crushers...

 

[HarvInSTL]

Seems like the BC is getting all the luv lately. Paying members of HBT should get a 10% discount (too late for me, got mine already).

Any more info about this?

 

[strohs]

Just brewed my fist 2 all grains today, and I am in love with my BC
It was probably the most fun part of entire process
I think I could sit there and grind grain all day long

 

[DUCCCC]

Just brewed my fist 2 all grains today, and I am in love with my BC
It was probably the most fun part of entire process
I think I could sit there and grind grain all day long

I ordered by BC on this last Thursday. I'm stupidly checking the UPS tracking about every hour....

How was your efficiency?
Did you leave the factory setting on the BC?
What'd you brew?

 

[BierMuncher]

I ordered by BC on this last Thursday. I'm stupidly checking the UPS tracking about every hour....

How was your efficiency?
Did you leave the factory setting on the BC?
What'd you brew?

I'm consistently at 72-75% using a round tun. I think a larger, rectangular tun would help my effeiciency.

I adjusted my knobs to not quite 1:00 (and not quite 11:00 on the other side...they're mirrored settings) and that was good. Anything past that, and I've had sticky sparges.

 

[mgable]

I am in the process of building my own crusher . It will have 8 in. long rollers and be fully adjustable from 0.00 to .100 inch I havent decided what to use for a hopper yet I am thinking of using a cheep waist basket I picked up at the dollar store.

 

[Kevin Dean]

I'm bummed, I had my first stuck sparge last week and I couldn't get it going again. I ended up siphoning it out of the tun through a pair of brewer's filters (read those nylons that come in the little plastic ball you can buy at Wal-Mart for $0.33) and using the wort for starters.

There's a few things that it COULD have been but I'm suspecting too good of a crush (with the BC's facoryt settings) with too little specialty grain (read: none, was working on a SMaSH)

 

[DUCCCC]

I'm bummed, I had my first stuck sparge last week and I couldn't get it going again. I ended up siphoning it out of the tun through a pair of brewer's filters (read those nylons that come in the little plastic ball you can buy at Wal-Mart for $0.33) and using the wort for starters.

There's a few things that it COULD have been but I'm suspecting too good of a crush (with the BC's facoryt settings) with too little specialty grain (read: none, was working on a SMaSH)

Between your post and BM's, and seeing Ed's earlier, I think I'll back off the factory setting slightly right from the get go. I've set my brewing software for a 70% eff. target for my first batch of AG. I hope using the same gauges that I use to set the valve clearances on my old Volvo will be satisfactory for the BC.

 

[strohs]

I ordered by BC on this last Thursday. I'm stupidly checking the UPS tracking about every hour....

How was your efficiency?
Did you leave the factory setting on the BC?
What'd you brew?

Mid 70's on both brews, not bad for my first 2 all grains
With some improvments to my processes, I think I can get that up to the upper 70's with no problems

 

[DUCCCC]

WooHoo! Just busted through 13 lbs of malt in a couple minutes. I hand cranked about a pounds worth first, just to see how it was, but I quickly mounted the 3/8" drill up and absolutely tore through the rest!

The last batch of grains I got at the LHBS I crushed with their Corona type mill. It wasn't quick, and even though it was just a couple pounds it took forever. This BC just rocked through this grain.

My only concern at this point is that I left it at the factory .039" setting, so I hope it wasn't too fine. The husks look good, but it seems a little flour-y on the kernels.

 

[Spyk'd]

Mine is perfect with the factory setting. Maybe a picture of your crush?



Plenty of people mess with theirs, so maybe there's an inconsistency...

 

[DUCCCC]

Sorry about the red tone of this shot, but my camera is doing funny things on the macro setting right now.

 

[Spyk'd]

I'd question the freshness of your grain. The crush doesn't look far off, but the 'torn' husks, make me question how old they are...





Plus, I couldn't find my RED shaded glasses to truly decipher your image...

 

[DUCCCC]

I'd question the freshness of your grain. The crush doesn't look far off, but the 'torn' husks, make me question how old they are...





Plus, I couldn't find my RED shaded glasses to truly decipher your image...

I don't think they're that old. My LHBS recently got new stock in, and he was pretty low before, so the turnover seems good. Anyway, if I had the drill running too fast, would that create torn husks? My drill had a hard time running too low, so I believe I was running about medium speed on the plug-in Black & Decker.

I set my software for 70% eff. I hope I'm in that range tomorrow (today I guess, looking at the clock. I better get to sleep.)

 

[Spyk'd]

As long as you see alot of whole kernals and I actually see alot of good husks, I think you'll be fine. You'll always have flour, that's just an end product, but after a couple times, you'll know what to expect.



I say, brew on!

:rockin:

 

[ColoradoXJ13]

Just gotta add that I am loving my BC. I got the 7# hopper to save some coin, no problem though, I just run the drill with one hand, and lean the bucket with grains on my knee and dump with the other hand. Takes all of 3-4 mins to get through 20+ # of grains and full speed on my drill. I haven't bothered measuring efficiency, but I am hitting OG's perfectly (don't use software, just recipes).

 

[jimba009]

anyone have pictures of "ideal" crushes? me thinks i am getting a BC for xmas.

 

[Skins_Brew]

I am really hoping I get one of this for Xmas. I told SWMBO i wanted one, left the northern brewer site up with the BC on it and I said I want the 7# model. I might send her an email just to make sure.

 

[thedude123]

You get a good crush with the factory setting. You should be able to get atleast high 70's with that setting.

 

[ScubaSteve]

I've been getting around 84%, and I just batch sparge in a cooler. The BC rocks!

 

[zman]

I just made the leap myself and bought a Barley Crusher from the new HBS on the Block (Brewmasters Warehouse) I settled on the 7#. Like someone else said you can always make a bigger hopper if need be. I am so excited to try it out. #50 sacks are not too pricey in the Denver Metro area.:rockin:

 

[ScubaSteve]

I went with the 7# originally too. For me, it is a PITA to keep refilling the hopper though, because I dont have the drill built into anything so I either support it on something or disconnect with each refill. I may just jam an old BB neck down into the original hopper and cut the bottom off.

 

[zman]

They shipped it tonight!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:rockin:

 

[BrewBeemer]

I love mine. Seems that the setting on each end need to be turned in opposite directions. I have mine set at 1:00 on the right side and 11:00 on the left side.

I’m reaching for 75% efficiency but the crush is great. I’m thinking it’s doing large 20+ pound grain bills in my round Rubbermaid. I think I need to switch to a larger rectangular unit to thin the bed out a bit.

Now you need to break out the high tech automated grinding unit to save your palms from blistering with that crank handle. (I’m sure you’d prefer to blister you palms doing your second favorite pastime.)

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BM; it looks like your next project is to replace that cord feeding your trusty old drill motor. Looks like an old Skil or Black & Decker early 60's era?
The grain mills out this x-mas because of the 20 corny purchases, the War Department said I must hide Mr.Visa for a while. The I got them on sale like she always said didn't pass this time. Wait until I spring for a conical fermenter.

 

[ScubaSteve]

Sorry about the red tone of this shot, but my camera is doing funny things on the macro setting right now.

It looks like something from Apocalypse Now...

The horror......the horror.........

 

[BrewBeemer]

It looks like a giant pile of cooked crab or lobster from a distance, or some new cherry beer recipe?

 

[climateboy]

Hey, all. I too love my BC mill, but I'm thinking of adjusting my crush. No matter how much I recirculate, and how clear the first runnings are, bits of grain always come out of the mash tun. I run it through a sieve to catch this stuff, but I'd rather the grain bed and the false bottom do this work.

Any suggestions on what I might set it to (or maybe I'm doing something else wrong)? I bought a feeler gauge yesterday for the purpose.

Thanks,

CB

 

[Orangevango]

Perhaps you shoulc just add rice hulls? Or get a stanless braid instead of a false bottom?