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.