LHS banned double milling

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readmypilot

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I used to double mill, but my LHS put a sign on their (self-serve) mill that says "NO DOUBLE MILLING, NO EXCEPTIONS."

I have no idea why. Perhaps the owner just despises BIAB. In my experience, LHS owners are a crotchety breed ;)

Or maybe there a reasonable explanation. Any idea?
 
That's interesting. We have two mills in our Concord location and don't mind letting people double mill on either of them. Do you happen to remember what type of mill it is? Perhaps they're worried about dust buildup, but that shouldn't be the case unless they're using a somewhat cheap mill...

Sorry they're detracting from the LHBS experience though readmypilot! Hopefully they get enough complaints to let you mill your grain how you'd like soon...

Cheers!
 
I don't know much about mills, so I don't know what kind it is. It's nothing fancy, just a cabinet with a hole in it. But it seems sturdy enough to handle whatever you throw at it.
 
Weird, my lhbs charges per pound to mill and some doubled it for double milling, which I was fine with. Weird they would outright ban it.
 
Maybe they had problems with people waiting in line to use the mill while someone was double-milling. Next time you're there, ask them the reasoning behind the rule. I agree with jbay--take your dollars somewhere else if you have that option.
 
Ramitt said:
Weird, my lhbs charges per pound to mill and some doubled it for double milling, which I was fine with. Weird they would outright ban it.
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Seriously? They charge extra to mill and double it for a decent crush? That's complete ****. I wouldn't go to a lhbs that charged for milling or one that banned a decent crush.
 
Setesh said:
Maybe that's the whole point? Maybe they make a tidy profit selling mills?
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I'm speculating, but I doubt mills have a high enough profit margin for this to be the case. I have a buddy that owns a surfshop, and he makes single digit profits on boards, some items are just expensive..even wholesale.
 
i have to double crush mine at the LHBS to get reasonable efficiency. what a pain in the ass for you, blech.
 
I shop at a couple different places in Los Angeles and I recently broke down and bought my own mill because of issues like this. When I crushed my grain at Shop #1, I would get kind of poor efficiency (~67%) - no double milling allowed. I used to get ~73% at Shop #2, but they recently had their rollers re-sharpened and spaced wider and my efficiency dropped to 65% - also, no double milling allowed.

I like shopping at both places because each carries different grains than the other, but dealing with the crazy efficiency swings was too much. I bought a Barley Crusher to improve my consistency as much as my efficiency. Now I'm hitting ~75% each time with the default spacing and life is better.
 
No double milling!
Haha what a bunch of BS...if they only bought a $25 corona mill and a$35 drill, one pass thru is all you need!

Upcharge for double milling? OMG I realize a small business has to make it somewhere, but really?
 
The only thing I can think of is that the mill might get jammed when double milling. Had that happen a couple times at my LHBS. Took them a few to clear the jam. Even then they never said no.

Can't imagine paying to crush. That charge is factored into paying more per lb for your grain (or should be). Their per lb rate for grain had best be low if they are hitting you with a milling charge.
 
Lots of small business people with no sense of their customer.. (lots of big ones too but not ranting on that right now) they will struggle forever and wonder why they have a dwindling customer base. This is not special to LHBSs. If you think from the view of the customer this makes no sense. Any reason to ban a widely used practice is just wrong thinking. If they have a problem with too long of lines they should be thankful they have a lot of business and buy another mill... if their mill is too crappy to handle it then they aren't really invested in providing the service they are selling. Any other reason for banning it doesn't even make sense so if that's the case they are just jerks.

I personally would try to avoid doing business with them if I were you. With that unfriendly of an attitude I cannot imagine that they would be much good for anything else either.

Remember this is a hobby and people do it because they love it and have fun doing it. If you are selling to a community like this you MUST remember that your services are something that any of your customers can live without. You however, as the business, cannot 'live' without that customer. So treat them right or lose.

We no longer live in a world where your little local shop has a monopoly on the customers.. EVERYTHING is available to EVERYONE in the USA online and at competitive prices. The difference in buying local is getting it right now and a more personal experience. Lose that and lose your business.

Sorry for ranting. I just get so upset at small business people that do not understand their business.
 
theonetrueruss said:
Lots of small business people with no sense of their customer.. (lots of big ones too but not ranting on that right now) they will struggle forever and wonder why they have a dwindling customer base. This is not special to LHBSs. If you think from the view of the customer this makes no sense. Any reason to ban a widely used practice is just wrong thinking. If they have a problem with too long of lines they should be thankful they have a lot of business and buy another mill... if their mill is too crappy to handle it then they aren't really invested in providing the service they are selling. Any other reason for banning it doesn't even make sense so if that's the case they are just jerks.

I personally would try to avoid doing business with them if I were you. With that unfriendly of an attitude I cannot imagine that they would be much good for anything else either.

Remember this is a hobby and people do it because they love it and have fun doing it. If you are selling to a community like this you MUST remember that your services are something that any of your customers can live without. You however, as the business, cannot 'live' without that customer. So treat them right or lose.

We no longer live in a world where your little local shop has a monopoly on the customers.. EVERYTHING is available to EVERYONE in the USA online and at competitive prices. The difference in buying local is getting it right now and a more personal experience. Lose that and lose your business.

Sorry for ranting. I just get so upset at small business people that do not understand their business.
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This.

Some kinds of businesses (LHBS included) have to offer certain value-added services to get/retain customers. It's part of the cost of doing business, even if it's a PITA. You just do it for your customers and if you do, it is appreciated. Without the value-added services, they're just a vendor and, well, we can choose from any number of those online.
 
first thing comes to my mind is,,,who is the LHBS? Drop a name and maybe I can make a phone call, seeing you were to scared to ask why there is no double drilling.
 
PackerfaninSanDiego said:
first thing comes to my mind is,,,who is the LHBS? Drop a name and maybe I can make a phone call, seeing you were to scared to ask why there is no double drilling.
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Do you have to work hard to come up with jerk comments like this or do they come naturally?
 
jwalker1140 said:
Do you have to work hard to come up with jerk comments like this or do they come naturally?
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It may not have been worded the way you wanted, but the point remains. We are all wondering the rationale, and he is offering to call and ask.
 
geoffm33 said:
It may not have been worded the way you wanted, but the point remains. We are all wondering the rationale, and he is offering to call and ask.
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Seriously? Maybe the OP would be more inclined take it as a genuine offer if it wasn't wrapped in an insult.
 
beernutz said:
Thank you. I was about to write something really offensive but your well crafted reply conveyed the same idea.
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Thanks. I may not have commented otherwise, but I've read several insulting and/or snide posts from this person. The attitude gets old and it drags the whole forum down....
 
jwalker1140 said:
Thanks. I may not have commented otherwise, but I've read several insulting and/or snide posts from this person. The attitude gets old and it drags the whole forum down....
Click to expand...

I agree. The forum is supposed to be a place where we can get solid advice and support, rather than a negative atmosphere where people leary of asking questions. I have read several posts from the person, and more often than not they are pretty snide. However, people like that tend to isolate themselves. Maybe he should consider changing his signature.

As for the double milling, I would ask. If you have frequented the LHBS enough, and they know you, then maybe you could bring it up in conversation as a general question about the sign. I don't see that being offensive, as the owner used to allow it and abruptly stopped.
 
I work at a LHBS and i have no problem double crushing if you desire. If we're busy, I might not be able to do it right that second but if you have a few more minutes, I'll get it done for you. I was shocked to read above that any shop charges at all for milling. That sucks. We crush even if you didn't buy the grain from us - which I thought was industry standard! People shop where the service is good, and the staff is cool. I do care and wouldn't shop where I wasn't comfortable.

Cheers!
Tominator
www.ubottleit.com
 
Any shop that charges for milling is telling you their time to precious to spend wasting it on you, unless you pay for it.
I wouldn't even consider turning into the parking lot of a place like that.
 
My LHBS (Midwest) has a DIY grain room. You scoop and weigh, mill it (you're free to double-mill all you want), and enter a ticket to take up front. The people there will help if you ask, so it's a pretty good system.

Not sure how Northern and Brew & Grow do theirs, haven't bought grain from them yet.
 
What about asking them to tighten the gap if they're only going to allow a single pass?
 
On a crowded day, if somebody milled their grain with a line forming, and then started to mill the same grain again, I would be perturbed.
 
cheezydemon3 said:
On a crowded day, if somebody milled their grain with a line forming, and then started to mill the same grain again, I would be perturbed.
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This might be the case but I would assume then the sign would read:

"No double milling if others are waiting to use the mill."

I have 2 LHBS, both mill for you, neither charges to mill. I have not seen them do any adjustments or double milling. I mill at home on a corona style so I cannot say how there grinds come out.
 
Wow. This is just weird. My LHBS (South Shore Homebrew Emporium) has not only recommended a double crush, but they give me their personal tips on increasing efficiency. There are closer shops, but I make the hour and a half round trip because it's a great store with friendly employees. I would like to give your store the benefit of the doubt; maybe there was some problem that they attributed to double milling. I would imagine repeat customers are far more valuable to a small business than a couple extra dollars on grain.
 
My LHBS has 2 DIY mills and don't give a flip what you do with them, but then again, it is seldom too busy.
 
cheezydemon3 said:
My LHBS has 2 DIY mills and don't give a flip what you do with them, but then again, it is seldom too busy.
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Do you use My Old Kentucky Homebrew there in Louisville cheezy? I was there last year when I was in town for Forecastle. The owner mentioned he was looking to move to a bigger store. Has that happened yet?
 

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