Reviews on Millar's Barley Mill?

[funnycreature]

Isn't the MM3 (or is that the 2.0 portion) the 2" model anyway? Those came standard with 1/2" shafts when I got mine. I have the stainless model but it's probably overkill. I am still seriously considering going back and getting the hardened roller model as they'll last virtually forever. I think that particular upgrade option was pretty cheap at the time ($30 maybe?). But again, I got the 2 roller model, not the 3.

It might be that the MM3 2.0 comes with 1/2" standard but that's another $83 over the MM3 (1.5" rollers). The upgrade to 1/2" is $15 so no deal breaker!

 

[funnycreature]

Just placed my order for the MM2 with 2" standard steel rollers. Fred even recommended going 1.5" but I wanted that extra diameter if I don't get the 3-roller model

EDIT: also got the base & hopper since it looks awesome and I don't feel like making one myself

 

[funnycreature]

Just got a very nice voicemail from Todd. He apologized for the inconvenience and was really surprised about the defect so he will look into it some more. I'll get the refund soon so all is good. Very professionally handled in my opinion. :fro:

 

[ViperMan]

Just got a very nice voicemail from Todd. He apologized for the inconvenience and was really surprised about the defect so he will look into it some more. I'll get the refund soon so all is good. Very professionally handled in my opinion. :fro:

Hmm, I wonder if I should mention to him the fact that mine does it too.

 

[funnycreature]

Hmm, I wonder if I should mention to him the fact that mine does it too.

I actually would encourage you to do that. Maybe there was a problem in production? It's clear that Todd is trying hard but also that he is not the engineer behind all this. However, I was within the 30-day window so my return was probably no problem either way. Call him and ask!

 

[ViperMan]

Here's what I'm going to say...

I sent Todd an email mentioning the traveling roller and asking his opinion. Todd called me within 20 minutes (my default email signature has my cell phone number.)

Todd is a very knowledgeable man. He went on in length about the engineering that went into the mill, the family of brothers who operate the local machine shop that builds the mills, and the tests that him and his small staff have performed using their mill, as well as the Barley Crusher and Monster Mills. In short, the "wobble" is intentional - it virtually eliminates the possibility of the grain getting stuck (a frequent issue with the BC as I've read elsewhere on this forum.)

I decided to keep the mill, and on it's second use today, obtained 84% efficiency using boil in a bag. That's impressive - I don't care who you are...

I also noticed that the non-driven roller has freed itself - it no-longer sticks.

I'm very pleased with this mill. Todd again apologized for the missing mounting hole - he said he gave the machine shop grief on that, and offered to send me even more free coffee. (By the way, his dark-roast coffee is spectacular - easily on par with Starbucks darker roasts.)

In his own words, Todd wants to design the best homebrewer's mill out there. Is he there yet? I can't say - I don't know as much as he does, I'll say that much for sure. But considering the price, the performance and the customer service, I have nothing to complain about.

Cheers folks.

 

[funnycreature]

That is awesome that you are happy with your mill. I wanted to like it too but the changing gain worried me. Why didn't he mention to me that this is on purpose? I agree that the price is unbeatable and I loved the overall design. I'll see what the monster mill does.

 

[one-L]

Sounds like another changed story since he said you were "the only pronlem he had heard of" and suggested it was your fault for milling wet. If it was intentional, why would he not have said that to begin with? Is he refunding the shipping now too?

 

[funnycreature]

Sounds like another changed story since he said you were "the only pronlem he had heard of" and suggested it was your fault for milling wet. If it was intentional, why would he not have said that to begin with? Is he refunding the shipping now too?

Complete refund and personal phone call apologizing. Todd was still saying it was a defect though.

 

[HeavyKettleBrewing]

Sounds like another changed story since he said you were "the only pronlem he had heard of" and suggested it was your fault for milling wet. If it was intentional, why would he not have said that to begin with? Is he refunding the shipping now too?

Customer service is a mother@&$!. It is very seldom that a customer calls or emails me with a problem in which I understand what the issue is or how to solve it. I usually have to see the physical part to make a correct assessment. Not something the customer wants to hear. In the end, unhappy customers talk more than the happy ones.

 

[one-L]

Glad to hear he is making it right. Sounds like he could use some more people and pr skills, but bottom line is he stepped up, bs or not. Keep us posted when you get your monster. I am leaning in that direction myself now.

 

[funnycreature]

Glad to hear he is making it right. Sounds like he could use some more people and pr skills, but bottom line is he stepped up, bs or not. Keep us posted when you get your monster. I am leaning in that direction myself now.

Will do! I expect delivery in Monday but no brewing scheduled for another couple of weeks at least

Edit: I also sent an email to Fred at Monster Brewing Hardware asking his opinion on the roller geometry. Will be interesting to see what he has to say!

 

[Kuhndog]

Here's what I'm going to say...

I sent Todd an email mentioning the traveling roller and asking his opinion. Todd called me within 20 minutes (my default email signature has my cell phone number.)

Todd is a very knowledgeable man. He went on in length about the engineering that went into the mill, the family of brothers who operate the local machine shop that builds the mills, and the tests that him and his small staff have performed using their mill, as well as the Barley Crusher and Monster Mills. In short, the "wobble" is intentional - it virtually eliminates the possibility of the grain getting stuck (a frequent issue with the BC as I've read elsewhere on this forum.)

I decided to keep the mill, and on it's second use today, obtained 84% efficiency using boil in a bag. That's impressive - I don't care who you are...

I also noticed that the non-driven roller has freed itself - it no-longer sticks.

I'm very pleased with this mill. Todd again apologized for the missing mounting hole - he said he gave the machine shop grief on that, and offered to send me even more free coffee. (By the way, his dark-roast coffee is spectacular - easily on par with Starbucks darker roasts.)

In his own words, Todd wants to design the best homebrewer's mill out there. Is he there yet? I can't say - I don't know as much as he does, I'll say that much for sure. But considering the price, the performance and the customer service, I have nothing to complain about.

Cheers folks.

While I applaud the fix, he's attitude about things doesn't exactly make me feel at ease for his products. "Do whatever you feel is necessary". What kind of talk is that? If the product is so good...where is the warranty?

If the goal is to have the best mill out there....then put your backing behind it and don't come across as a salesman. I'm being serious about this. The others have a lifetime warranty....why doesn't this one if it's "superior" in almost every aspect?

I personally have no vested interest other than owning a mill that will last my lifetime if properly taken care of. That's all. If you can't assure me on that, why should I go with your mill?

As for the free coffee, I would rather get something towards my brewing and not of coffee. Personally I don't drink coffee so sending me premium beans is going to do nothing for me. It's fine if he wants to further develop his model...etc. but there comes a point where it either has to be proven better or something because price alone will not win over people if the thing breaks in 12 months or less....or even 15 months but there is no warranty. ALL mills come down to efficiency and reliability. Plain and simple.

As to the efficiency, most of those things are case by case anyhow. You might fly sparge, you might have a braid, you might be stirring the mash, temps, it might be a real fine grain...might be coarse...etc. TOO many variables to just come out and say - I get great efficiency. Compared to the local homebrew store mill? Almost any properly set up mill at home can do that.

 

[IslandLizard]

Or for some reason they end up with a whole batch of bearings that are out of true. Now what? Let's say this: "The wobble is intentional...prevents stuck grains."

Sounds like an argument trying to talk a crooked nail straight.
Why would grains get stuck? They should get milled (crushed) and only a few are small, narrow, or very pliable and slide by.

 

[AnOldUR]

Todd is a very knowledgeable man. He went on in length about the engineering that went into the mill, the family of brothers who operate the local machine shop that builds the mills, and the tests that him and his small staff have performed using their mill, as well as the Barley Crusher and Monster Mills. In short, the "wobble" is intentional - it virtually eliminates the possibility of the grain getting stuck (a frequent issue with the BC as I've read elsewhere on this forum.)

OMG! He's at it again. Lame explanations and excuses. The 2 versions were machined in China and assembled in the US. Don't know about the 3's, but that's probably what he means by "builds the mills". They put together out of round crap made in China and then come up with some hair brain reason why it should be that way.

Think about it this way. You have a round wheel and and oval wheel. Which one will roll further before getting "stuck?"

The slave roller on a Barley Crushers get stuck for one reason. Grain dust builds up in the bushing. Using sealed roller bearings instead of bushings should fix this problem.

Todd is NOT knowledgeable. He's a clever salesman.

 

[girbob75]

I am really interested in this conversation. Regardless of other peoples experiences with this particular company I have ordered the Millar's B3 Mill. I look forward to testing the initial performance, and continued performance. I know another individual who has just ordered the same mill and maybe he will be able to shed some light on his experience with the mill on his own setup. As far as looking at the spectrum of options I found this to suit my needs best for the money. I would like to bring this back to the tested performance of the mill and the opinions of the consumers. Could be great, or could not be. We will see. I will post back with my data.

 

[funnycreature]

I am really interested in this conversation. Regardless of other peoples experiences with this particular company I have ordered the Millar's B3 Mill. I look forward to testing the initial performance, and continued performance. I know another individual who has just ordered the same mill and maybe he will be able to shed some light on his experience with the mill on his own setup. As far as looking at the spectrum of options I found this to suit my needs best for the money. I would like to bring this back to the tested performance of the mill and the opinions of the consumers. Could be great, or could not be. We will see. I will post back with my data.

There's actually a few things that I really liked a bout this mill:

1. It comes fully assembled; only the hopper needs assembly. The MM2 2.0 that I have now was held together by only a rubber band
2. The screws that hold the gap adjustment in place are tight and don't move; my MM seems to move all so slightly during the crushing
3. all is included; nothing will beat the price with all the accessories that come with the mill.

You'll be just fine if you don't get one that's out of round!

 

[ViperMan]

You'll be just fine if you don't get one that's out of round!

Mine is still slightly out-of-round and it has performed beautifully - I've been more consistent and had higher efficiency from the grain crushed by this milll than I ever have before. It's never gotten stuck, it was a total breeze to clean with a used toothbrush, and in short, I'm very, very pleased with it.

 

[funnycreature]

Mine is still slightly out-of-round and it has performed beautifully - I've been more consistent and had higher efficiency from the grain crushed by this milll than I ever have before. It's never gotten stuck, it was a total breeze to clean with a used toothbrush, and in short, I'm very, very pleased with it.

Congratulations! I had the problem of uncrushed grains slipping through and others got pulverized. Maybe mine had a bad case of "out-of-roundies"

 

[one-L]

I am really interested in this conversation. Regardless of other peoples experiences with this particular company I have ordered the Millar's B3 Mill. I look forward to testing the initial performance, and continued performance. I know another individual who has just ordered the same mill and maybe he will be able to shed some light on his experience with the mill on his own setup. As far as looking at the spectrum of options I found this to suit my needs best for the money. I would like to bring this back to the tested performance of the mill and the opinions of the consumers. Could be great, or could not be. We will see. I will post back with my data.

Looking forward to getting some more real word trials of these things. Funny, how's the monster doing for you?

 

[funnycreature]

Looking forward to getting some more real word trials of these things. Funny, how's the monster doing for you?

Having some issues with the rollers not staying in place during milling but some other screws should do the trick. The millars comes with nice screws BTW. My first crush resulted in my best efficiency yet so I'm sure I'll have a tuned - in system soon.

 

[Accidic]

Mine is still slightly out-of-round and it has performed beautifully - I've been more consistent and had higher efficiency from the grain crushed by this milll than I ever have before. It's never gotten stuck, it was a total breeze to clean with a used toothbrush, and in short, I'm very, very pleased with it.

We got my Uncle the one over at AiH for $99 shipped (Cereal Killer? was their special a while back) as they didn't want to spring for the little bit more it'd take to do it right. But for the most part he's gotten these same results though for the most part. I can still edge him out but I spent far more on mine than he spent on his too so it's not that fair of a comparison. Nevertheless, it came with hopper, base, and crank handle in case your drill bites the dust and the bearings they've changed to are far better than the ones I've seen in the past. Just fwiw.

 

[jimbonnet]

I decided to pick this mill up and give it a try. Rollers seem to be true, not all greasy and sticky with gunk on it. Will give it a shot later.

Cheers!
Jim

 

[dhuggett]

I ordered a B3 last week, and it was delivered today. It did require a bit of assembly and I found no instructions included. I was, however, able to assemble it in about 15 minutes. It appears to be well constructed and it was packed fairly well. I found none of the "gunk" that others have found. I will be putting it to use for the first time this Saturday.

 

[jimbonnet]

As a follow up to the post I made on 6/28/2013. I've used this mill a few times in the past month. It does work well and I have no complaints with it. I re-read my post and wanted to clarify. I did not have oil or other crud on my rollers. My initial post might make it sound that way. Overall I am pleased with the purchase and have no problems yet. It did come with a bag meant for soaking grain I think. That was useless. The organic brewery cleaner worked but I'll stick with PBW.

Cheers, Jim

 

[ViperMan]

I used my Millars again yesterday and hit 95%. I have no complaints on this mill.

 

[jimyson]

Great news. I want to order the B3 here as my next purchase.

 

[noremorse1]

You guys are going over the top with this CSI analysis into the seller/manufacturer. When is the last time you were able to ring a manufacturer of your equipment and have a call returned within 30 minutes from the owner? The only level of service I have had like that was from Austin Hombrew and their reputation speaks for itself.

So maybe a few of the products have had issues in the manufacturing process. Has he made every effort to make it right? It seems so.

For the dude ripping the guys offer on free coffee because you dont like coffee or whatever. Come on man. Dude offered to fix the problem and give you free coffee. Coffee is what he does... it was a peace offering. Lay off.

On to the product. I purchased one and received it very recently. It was packaged very well. I have used all of the other mill manufacturers and can say that the B3 is tits. I was able to dial my crush in perfectly. I worked on a pound of some old Victory I had laying around. After a few refinements it was to my liking. What is more, I can crush 3x the grain in half the time as with some of the other mills. Granted its not a huge issue as I am crushing, at most, 35-40 pounds at a time. Still... 95% efficiency is insane.

I didn't have any issues with the mill. I enjoyed putting it together and also liked the color booklet they put together for the coffee. I am a huge fan of artisan, American, made products and also a HUGE fan of good coffee. I plan to check out this guys coffee. I am going to pay for it though.

A+ product.

 

[Accidic]

You guys are going over the top with this CSI analysis into the seller/manufacturer. When is the last time you were able to ring a manufacturer of your equipment and have a call returned within 30 minutes from the owner? The only level of service I have had like that was from Austin Hombrew and their reputation speaks for itself.

So maybe a few of the products have had issues in the manufacturing process. Has he made every effort to make it right? It seems so.

For the dude ripping the guys offer on free coffee because you dont like coffee or whatever. Come on man. Dude offered to fix the problem and give you free coffee. Coffee is what he does... it was a peace offering. Lay off.

On to the product. I purchased one and received it very recently. It was packaged very well. I have used all of the other mill manufacturers and can say that the B3 is tits. I was able to dial my crush in perfectly. I worked on a pound of some old Victory I had laying around. After a few refinements it was to my liking. What is more, I can crush 3x the grain in half the time as with some of the other mills. Granted its not a huge issue as I am crushing, at most, 35-40 pounds at a time. Still... 95% efficiency is insane.

I didn't have any issues with the mill. I enjoyed putting it together and also liked the color booklet they put together for the coffee. I am a huge fan of artisan, American, made products and also a HUGE fan of good coffee. I plan to check out this guys coffee. I am going to pay for it though.

A+ product.

I don't usually phone unless it's absolutely catastrophic but the guy who runs Monster Mill has responded to several of my emails in less than 30m in the past.

 

[noremorse1]

I don't usually phone unless it's absolutely catastrophic but the guy who runs Monster Mill has responded to several of my emails in less than 30m in the past.

Right on. I have never had one... but used one. Another great product.