Mill Setting for Barley, Wheat Malts

[brechbräu]

I just got my hands on a grain mill and will be brewing shortly. I was searching the forums about where to set them for barley and wheat malts, but didn’t find too much. My setup is an igloo water cooler with a false bottom. My sparging is a kind of a weird combination of fly and batch sparging.

I know that getting grain crush right for your system helps efficiency and in general. Any thoughts you have would are appreciated!

Thanks!

 

[day_trippr]

Gap setting vs crush quality is highly dependent on the knurling which can vary from one make to another, so my gaps may not correlate well to yours - or between any of my own mills, for that matter.

With that caveat, on my primary, two roller mill ("MRbrew") I use an 0.032" gap for malted barley; on a different two roller mill (an old "Cereal Killer") I use an 0.020 gap for malted wheat; and on a third two roller mill (an even older "Barley Crusher") I use an 0.016" gap for malted oats.

Cheers!

 

[brechbräu]

Gap setting vs crush quality is highly dependent on the knurling which can vary from one make to another, so my gaps may not correlate well to yours - or between any of my own mills, for that matter.

With that caveat, on my primary, two roller mill ("MRbrew") I use an 0.032" gap for malted barley; on a different two roller mill (an old "Cereal Killer") I use an 0.020 gap for malted wheat; and on a third two roller mill (an even older "Barley Crusher") I use an 0.016" gap for malted oats.

Cheers!

How do you set it so specifically? My dial only has three different specified distances—.025, .05, and .10 (I think).

 

[Halfakneecap]

Some mills can be adjusted manually to whatever gap you want.

Post a picture ?

 

[brechbräu]

Some mills can be adjusted manually to whatever gap you want.

Post a picture ?

Pretty sure this is the one (I’m not home right now). I know it’s adjustable, but how do you figure out .032 from .035 or .04 or whatever?

 

[Halfakneecap]

OK, it looks like mine ( kegland ? ). If its the same, those eyebolts are there to lock the adjustment so it cant move. You loosen the locknut at the bottom of the eyebolt, wind the eyebolt out, then turn the dials on both sides until the gap is what you want ( feelers guages help, but you can just go by the numbers on the dial ). Then wind the eyebolts back in and re tighten the lock nut.

 

[day_trippr]

All of my mills have the same very commonly used adjustment mechanism that can be "locked down" at any point in their rotational range - just like the mill pictured. The respective settings I use were determined empirically, and rely on an automotive feeler gauge to set. The markings on the mill are just reference points...

Cheers!

 

[brechbräu]

OK, it looks like mine ( kegland ? ). If its the same, those eyebolts are there to lock the adjustment so it cant move. You loosen the locknut at the bottom of the eyebolt, wind the eyebolt out, then turn the dials on both sides until the gap is what you want ( feelers guages help, but you can just go by the numbers on the dial ). Then wind the eyebolts back in and re tighten the lock nut.

Right, but how do you dial it in so specifically?

 

[Halfakneecap]

Right, but how do you dial it in so specifically?

Feeler gauges

 

[day_trippr]

One can use the same couple of pounds of base malt needed to clean the metal bits out of a new mill to set the desired gap and test the setting...

Cheers!

 

[SFC Rudy]

There is no “right” answer. What works on my system won’t necessarily be the best for your system.

Crush your grain and brew some beer. Do the math and see what your mash efficiency is. If you’re ok with it, that’s your setting, if not, change the gap and brew again until you’re ok with the efficiency.

 

[Bassman2003]

It is a simple and maybe complex process. You want to set your crush size based upon avoiding a stuck mash with YOUR system. It is very system specific. So the best way is to get some grain, run 1/2 pound through and inspect. Look for how much the kernels are in tact or shredded or broken into bits etc... As well as how much "flour" you get.

Basically, the more flour you get, the more efficiency you will get along with more risk of a stuck mash. So you find a balance.

Here are two videos I made with a deep dive!

Part 1

Part 2

 

[JohnDBrewer]

I only have one mill and its set to .05 - .055 (3 roller.) Yes, its fat, but it works for me and my RIMS. I used to try and adjust it for different grains, but it was a hassle. For wheat, rye, oats and BIAB, when club brew days are on the road, I just run them through twice.

 

[gifty74]

So what i'm seeing in that mill gap comparison video, is the tighter gap that produced a lot of flour, had a 8.9 (1.036) OG, and the larger gap actually had better at 10.1 (1.041). He stated that it was 'close' in gravity, but I'd say 5pts of gravity is pretty significant, and maybe part of the source of my recent efficiency issues. So maybe not just mill til you're scared? Maybe as fine as you can get it isn't ideal? Wonder why that wasn't stated as a significant factor?

But ok, I see now the 10.9 plato one he stirred. I missed that earlier...

 

[Bassman2003]

Yes, the stirring added 2 plato. What I found was all of the non-stirred mill gaps were very close in performance. So the end determinate is your lautering capability. I went wider so I could brew hefeweizen without rice hulls. A closer mill gap would result in a stuck mash.

I also think not pulverizing the barley hulls limits chances of tannin or "other unwanted flavors" which might be totally off base

 

[day_trippr]

If pulverizing barley hulls invited tannins the Brew In A Bag folks would have run into it by now.
Tannin extraction is a high mash (and/or sparging) pH problem easily avoided...

Cheers!

 

[Jim Williamson]

I use a credit card (30 mil/.03) as my feeler gauge and crush all my malts at that setting on my Hullwrecker®.