Preferred grain mills around $200

[NewJersey]

https://www.beveragefactory.com/hom...mddHU9mBhm0Y8KJ3VVheGXz-H8qoQrygaAvacEALw_wcBI was looking at buying this specific one as it's stainless and 3 roller.
I envy the SS brewtech and blichmann, but I brew once or twice a month and strictly 6 gallon batches.
I've read on here that you have to use a corded drill and many others say cordless is fine. I have a dewalt 18v cordless li ion batteries. Will I be good?
Is it even difficult to hand crank 8-18lbs of grain?
What other mills should I consider keeping in mind that I don't want to spend much more?
I'll use it over a bucket at first, but would like to mount it to some kinda pre made cabinet. Is there any go to cabinet that people use?

 

[bracconiere]

Is it even difficult to hand crank 8-18lbs of grain?

LOL, i've always assumed it would be, which is why i've never tried!

 

[bracconiere]

I've read on here that you have to use a corded drill and many others say cordless is fine. I have a dewalt 18v cordless li ion batteries. Will I be good?

and as far as that goes it took me two batteries to do 25lb's for a 10 gallon batch. you might be ok with a 13lb 5 gallon batch grain bill. but i'd keep a second battery charged on stand by.

 

[NewJersey]

and as far as that goes it took me two batteries to do 25lb's for a 10 gallon batch. you might be ok with a 13lb 5 gallon batch grain bill. but i'd keep a second battery charged on stand by.

I do have 2, so I'll make sure to top them off the day before.
I do want to hand crank the first time tho!
Hey, do you have any recommendation for me? Opinions on this particular mill? What do you use?

 

[bracconiere]

I do want to hand crank the first time tho!

LOL, nothing like breakin em in huh?

Hey, do you have any recommendation for me? Opinions on this particular mill? What do you use?

i'd say considering free shipping is actually shipping included. looks like a decent deal? i have an old beat up JSP Malt Mill, the sides have all fallen off, i drilled a couple holes in a hax saw blade to keep the two roller plates aligned so the gap wouldn't mess up. i drilled a 3" hole in the bottom of a 5 gallon bucket, and just put that on top of the 2lb hopper it came with. it's really a work of art! lol but it's does the job still!

so all i can say is you'll probably love a mill that fancy!

edit: in hind sight i regret not getting the geared option for a bit more, i have to...hmmm, "finness" mine to get it to catch sometimes....but i'm not sure if that would be a problem with a 3 roller mill?

 

[NewJersey]

I haven't seen any reasonably priced geared mills.

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

Hand crank is no fun and gets quickly old (not to mention tiring)

 

[bracconiere]

I haven't seen any reasonably priced geared mills.

i don't know if you'd have a problem with getting it to catch with the first two set at .07...mines a two roller, so my gap is one pass at .028, and sometimes the barley doesn't want to go through the mill of death. so it would have been nice if the other roller wasn't free spining and had some drive to it.

 

[bracconiere]

Hand crank is no fun and gets quickly old (not to mention tiring)
View attachment 710841

LOL, and i see you too, found out having to hold a drill for 15 minutes, is only a step better!

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

I didn't welcome the unstability of the drill. Also, we are not born with enough arms/hands to press the drill to get the mill turning, grab a heavy bucket filled with malt and dump the malt into the hopper. For me the motor was an easy solution.

 

[bracconiere]

grab a heavy bucket filled with malt and dump the malt into the hopper.

i thought that was why you have a huge hopper?

 

[Beer Viking]

I just ordered a Cereal Killer mill. It should be enough for everything I want to do.

 

[NewJersey]

Ok, I think I'm gonna drop the hammer and just buy this before I start exploring more expensive options and convince myself I need them...

 

[bracconiere]

Ok, I think I'm gonna drop the hammer and just buy this before I start exploring more expensive options and convince myself I need them...

you got until monday before it even ships! don't let em rush you!

 

[bracconiere]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Kegco-Home...417621&hash=item1ea36c1f2e:g:d9oAAOSw6n5XuyiB
patience man, patience!

 

[NewJersey]

Too late!

 

[bracconiere]

Too late!

hey what's a batch of beer.....

 

[Bobby_M]

Doh, could have shopped local. Keg King Malt Muncher 3-roller Grain Mill, 3/8'' Drive with Hand Crank and Hopper

 

[bracconiere]

even better! but it says you're only open until noon on saturday? lol

edit: that looks different? is it stainless?

 

[Pappers_]

MaltMill, grain mill I used one of these, loved it, heavy duty. Didn't realize until just now when I went to get the link for this thread that their building burned down and they went out of business. Too bad, I liked that mill.

 

[NewJersey]

MaltMill, grain mill I used one of these, loved it, heavy duty. Didn't realize until just now when I went to get the link for this thread that their building burned down and they went out of business. Too bad, I liked that mill.

That is old school cool!
I actually wished I was brewing way back then before all this amazing new equipment ($$$ and complication) hit the scene.
Just look at that website, lol! Looks like some stuff my friends were making in high school (graduated in 99')

 

[bracconiere]

MaltMill, grain mill I used one of these, loved it, heavy duty. Didn't realize until just now when I went to get the link for this thread that their building burned down and they went out of business. Too bad, I liked that mill.

That is old school cool!

yep that's my mill....lol, but that one looks better then mine? and has the gear option i mentioned, i went for the double adjustable roller instead....

and my sides were just particle board that feel off many years ago....

 

[A1sportsdad]

https://www.northernbrewer.com/prod...MIjLSw_snc7QIVBLKGCh3EwA4aEAQYASABEgKYxPD_BwE
I use the Hullwrecker. It’s only a 2 roller mill but works great and I power it from my cordless drill with no issues. I did pick up a drill with a speed switch and a torque switch so I can more easily control the speed. I did have to file a flat on the roller rod as it did not have any. That was pretty easy. Love the mill.

 

[BQ&W]

Doh, could have shopped local. Keg King Malt Muncher 3-roller Grain Mill, 3/8'' Drive with Hand Crank and Hopper

Thanks Bobby_M, my Malt Muncher arrived 2 days ago. Solid unit! Can't wait to use it!

 

[DarrellQ]

I just ordered a Cereal Killer mill. It should be enough for everything I want to do.

I bought one and used it for the first time to grind 11 lbs. I set it to 0.035 (which is tedious to get even gap across the span), used the hand crank and it only took about 10 minutes to grind the 11 pounds. Unless I'm missing some fine nuances, I can't imagine any grain mill working any better.

 

[jwa120]

I wanted the geared Schmidling maltmill but he was already out of business before I decided to pull the trigger.

I have a $30 corona mill and it gets the job done. I'm sure some of the more expensive mills do a better job but it's not rocket science.

 

[dwightr8]

I'll use it over a bucket at first, but would like to mount it to some kinda pre made cabinet. Is there any go to cabinet that people use?

Here's what I did. It's really nice to be able to wheel it around.

 

[Bobby_M]

even better! but it says you're only open until noon on saturday? lol

edit: that looks different? is it stainless?

We're actually not open at all on the weekends during the Pandemic. We offer curbside and afterhours pickup all week long.

 

[bracconiere]

Here's what I did. It's really nice to be able to wheel it around.

that's a better piece of art then mine! love the fan speed controller! (i think?)

 

[dwightr8]

that's a better piece of art then mine! love the fan speed controller! (i think?)

Actually a router speed controller and it works very well as does the 60+ year old Dormeyer 1/2" drill.

 

[bracconiere]

Actually a router speed controller

yeah, they work good for hot plates too! way better then cycling on-off....

 

[NewJersey]

I can't wait to have experience here.
Where do you guys buy base malts from?
Do homebrew shops even charge to mill malt for you?
I wanted a brain mill mainly to control the crush, but am now also excited to save a few bucks.

 

[bracconiere]

I wanted a brain mill mainly to control the crush,

a mind is a terible thing to taste! j/k

i'm sure you'll love that mill! (except for your planed first hand cranked batch!)


i buy malt from morebeer, but malt my own occasionally. because i think it tastes better and is cheaper.....



LOL, sorry for being a spell checker bot

 

[Bobby_M]

I can't wait to have experience here.
Where do you guys buy base malts from?
Do homebrew shops even charge to mill malt for you?
I wanted a brain mill mainly to control the crush, but am now also excited to save a few bucks.

Be careful collecting more grain than you will use. I overdid it following my first mill purchase and discarded a lot when it expired.

 

[NewJersey]

Be careful collecting more grain than you will use. I overdid it following my first mill purchase and discarded a lot when it expired.

Yes, I'm thinking of only buying sacks of 2 row and german pilsner

 

[bracconiere]

Yes, I'm thinking of only buying sacks of 2 row and german pilsner

i'd honestly make the trip to the morebeer shop in pensylvania from new jersey....but 6-8 bags, with out shipping...if they have a store front there like in SF

 

[bwible]

LOL, nothing like breakin em in huh?




i'd say considering free shipping is actually shipping included. looks like a decent deal? i have an old beat up JSP Malt Mill, the sides have all fallen off, i drilled a couple holes in a hax saw blade to keep the two roller plates aligned so the gap wouldn't mess up. i drilled a 3" hole in the bottom of a 5 gallon bucket, and just put that on top of the 2lb hopper it came with. it's really a work of art! lol but it's does the job still!

so all i can say is you'll probably love a mill that fancy!

edit: in hind sight i regret not getting the geared option for a bit more, i have to...hmmm, "finness" mine to get it to catch sometimes....but i'm not sure if that would be a problem with a 3 roller mill?

Yep - thats what I have too. An old, non-adjustable JSP malt mill that I bought in 1998 or 1999. Pretty sure I don’t have the geared version either. Mine is not beat up though, still in remarkably good condition.

You’re right - that little hopper it comes with holds about 2 lbs. I measure all my grains into a plastic bucket first, then I keep filling the hopper and grinding away several times into a second bucket. I brew smaller batches, usually 3 gallons at a time. So most of my grain bills are about 7 - 8 pounds total. Thats not so bad. I use a corded drill. The chuck slips often, I have to re-tighten it after each 2 lb hopper full goes down.

On a side note, that hopper is only thin particle board, so I imagine sitting a bucket full of grain on top isn’t real good for it. Going to break the hopper apart eventually.

When I first started doing all grain, I started out with a Phil Mill, if anybody remembers those. It’s a tiny mill with a small hole. You were supposed to cut the bottom off a 2 liter or 3 liter plastic soda bottle and put it upside down in the hole and use that as your hopper. It had a little wood screw to hold it in. I still have my Phil Mill.

Back when I started brewing, there were basically 3 options: the Corona mill (never owned one), the Phil Mill, or the JSP. The JSP was the “cadillac” of these 3.

 

[bwible]

i don't know if you'd have a problem with getting it to catch with the first two set at .07...mines a two roller, so my gap is one pass at .028, and sometimes the barley doesn't want to go through the mill of death. so it would have been nice if the other roller wasn't free spining and had some drive to it.

Mine only seems to have this problem with straight cara-pils for some reason. I have to either mix in cara-pils really well with the rest of the grain or remember to put some base malt in first to get it started, then put the cara-pils on top if I’m measuring and grinding grains individually.

 

[bracconiere]

When I first started doing all grain, I started out with a Phil Mill, if anybody remembers those

LOL, i remember my phil mill! and yep it was Phil or Jack....(and if you ever wondered what the bolt holes on the side of the JSP were for, it's to bolt a board down on top of the tiny hopper and cut a 2" hole in a bucket to put on top....)


sorry for the blur, delirum tremens....

a 5 gallon bucket sits onto nicely, but i mill over 20lb's at a time!

 

[odie]

anyone buy one of these?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Electric-G...534274?hash=item5954aa4502:g:PzcAAOSwsaZfq3Ve
Appears to have gears on the roller shafts but I've seen similar listings with the same model number and sometimes the pictures show gears, sometimes not. On what appears the same grain mill. I really want gears since my mill with a free wheeling second roller often doesn't spin