No Mill, now what?

[stu4stew]

Hi everyone
I have the fortune of receiving Small packages if unmilled grain from time to time. I am a newly all grain brewer so this is not the problem, the problem is I have my grain milled at my LHBS when I buy it. My question is, does anyone know if a good way to get comparable crush without buying a mill? Maybe a blender, rolling pin or something of the like?
Just trying to use what I have without investing in a mill. Thanks

 

[Thedutchtouch]

Most good lhbs will mill your grains, even if they don't sell them. Just buy your hops and yeast there.

 

[opiate82]

Yup, just take them to your LHBS and get them milled. If you are worried about offending the shop owner just tell him you got some gift certificates from out-of-town family or something. So long as you make a purchase there the owner should be cool with it.

You can search the forums for using a rolling pin to crush your grain but I think your results won't be as good compared to a milled grain.

 

[BadWolfBrewing]

Are you doing extract with some specialty grain? If so, a rolling pin might work. If you are all grain, that would be a crazy amount of work and would make for an unpredictable mash

 

[BadWolfBrewing]

Oops, saw that you are ag in the OP.

 

[levtbeas]

Don't put them in a blender. The blades will "chop" the grains rather than "crush" them. You definitely want them crushed. Rolling pin is a good idea, but may take a long time. I've heard of people backing over them in their cars...sounds crazy, but it might work haha.

Agree with above posters: LHBS will likely crush for you even if you didn't buy it there.

Edit: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/wiki/index.php/Evaluating_the_Crush
This link ^^ will help...also mentions not to use a blender or food processor!

 

[RM-MN]

For around $30 you can get a mill like this one from Discount Tommy. http://www.discounttommy.com/p-189-...er-for-wheat-grains-or-use-as-a-nut-mill.aspx I use one for all my grain when doing BIAB. If you are regularly getting grains it might pay for itself fairly soon and the milling will be much better than a rolling pin will give you.

 

[CooperBrew]

For around $30 you can get a mill like this one from Discount Tommy. http://www.discounttommy.com/p-189-...er-for-wheat-grains-or-use-as-a-nut-mill.aspx I use one for all my grain when doing BIAB. If you are regularly getting grains it might pay for itself fairly soon and the milling will be much better than a rolling pin will give you.

What he said....I just bought a Corona Mill for about $26.00 with free shipping. It's not worth the time to try to figure out a way around it for this small of an investment IMO.

 

[wilserbrewer]

I used a blender once when I had a mill malfunction due to user error, only a pound or 10% of the grains.

Add a bit at a time and pulse the blender. It gets floury quick so Go easy.


Wilserbrewer
Http://biabbags.webs.com/

 

[JohnSand]

I use a blender every time, no problem. I BIAB, so no worry about a stuck sparge.

 

[opiate82]

I use a blender every time, no problem. I BIAB, so no worry about a stuck sparge.

I would think excess tannins would also be an issue with that method (?)

 

[Owly055]

I use a hammer...........one grain at a time......... It's sweaty work! It takes a month or so of spare time to crush enough grain for a batch, and a batch of beer to wet my whistle while I'm doing it. Kind of like heating with firewood....... the only fuel that warms you twice. Once while you are chopping it, and once while you are burning it. It's amazing how you can get a rhythm going.......With two hammers and a wood block, I'm getting good enough that I'm thinking about joining a local rock and roll band!!


H.W.

 

[JohnSand]

I would think excess tannins would also be an issue with that method (?)

No, no tannins. If you google "crushing grain in a blender" you'll find threads on Northern Brewer, Aussie Homebrew, and HBT. A few brewers are using this method successfully. You can also search this site and find many who say that tannins result from high temps or improper ph rather than your crush. I think that one of the major corporate brewers crushes grain to flour to increase extraction, then uses filters.
Of course, you could use a hammer, but it would be faster to just hit yourself in the head with it!

 

[Devilsnight]

I used a blender once when I had a mill malfunction due to user error
Http://biabbags.webs.com/

I had a few too many homebrews once also

 

[wilserbrewer]

I had a few too many homebrews once also

Too many homebrews did not cause the mill malfunction, just laziness. I was tired of holding the drill so I temporarily supported it ghetto fashion with some bungee cords etc and the drive bolt b/w the mill and the drill sheared off inside the mill

So, I ran the last couple pounds of the grain through my blender a cup at a time and boy did it give a nice thorough crush, like a coarse meal. Seemed to work fine, but I also had the bulk of the grain bill to aid lautering.

If I were put in the situation again with no mill and no beer, I would try and use a blender for the entire grain bill. Likely, I would try and BIAB it, rather than use my cooler MLT with a braid.

 

[Riot]

I've used a blender as well with no issues. I do BIAB so excess flour is.t that big of a problem. I dont think you could have run those mashes through a conventional tun without serious headaches, and dough balls were insane in the beginning.

 

[JohnSand]

I find that I get fewer dough balls by spooning the grain into the pot in a circular motion. The grain spreads over the surface, then soaks up evenly.

 

[Dynachrome]

For around $30 you can get a mill like this one from Discount Tommy. http://www.discounttommy.com/p-189-...er-for-wheat-grains-or-use-as-a-nut-mill.aspx I use one for all my grain when doing BIAB. If you are regularly getting grains it might pay for itself fairly soon and the milling will be much better than a rolling pin will give you.

If you have a couple days to read a short thread - here: My ugly junk thread

 

[RM-MN]

I find that I get fewer dough balls by spooning the grain into the pot in a circular motion. The grain spreads over the surface, then soaks up evenly.

That's how I used to do it too until one day I thought about the stiff wire whisk we have. The spoon stays in the drawer from then on. With the thin mash of BIAB, the wire whisk stirs in the grains and breaks up any dough balls very quickly.:rockin:

 

[Owly055]

That's how I used to do it too until one day I thought about the stiff wire whisk we have. The spoon stays in the drawer from then on. With the thin mash of BIAB, the wire whisk stirs in the grains and breaks up any dough balls very quickly.:rockin:

Excellent idea!.............. I've been intending to get one for a long time and never getting around to it. The handles on whisks tend to be a bit short though.

I'm told that North of the Equator, you should stir counter clockwise, and south of the equator stir clockwise so you are stirring against the natural rotation also the proper twist on your whisk is based on your hemisphere. ;-)


H.W.