Will LHBS mill outside barley?

[highpockets]

Currently I don't have a mill as I usually just have my barley milled when I purchase it. Unfortunately some of the specialty malts that I ordered online weren't crushed. Not a problem as I had to pick up some hops from my LHBS anyways and figured they would run it through their mill. I was surprised when they said that they couldn't due to some USDA regulation. Just curious if this USDA thing is for real or if its my LHBS's way of forcing me to buy directly from them?

 

[MotorcycleMatt]

buy a 20 dollar corona mill. problem solved

 

[swackattack]

Sounds like a bs reason.

However I doubt you could convince ford to do warranty work on your gm car. Asking them to fix an issue from another company is poor form.

 

[IslandLizard]

I think you could use a coffee grinder (spinner type) or a food processor to "grind" your grains. Or put your grains in a sturdy ziplock bag and use a bottle for a roller. Or a mallet.

The FDA/USDA argument may be a valid one. Say someone came in right before you with a bag of tainted grain...could you please...? How'd you feel now?

 

[highpockets]

I think you could use a coffee grinder (spinner type) or a food processor to "grind" your grains. Or put your grains in a sturdy ziplock bag and use a bottle for a roller. Or a mallet.

The FDA/USDA argument may be a valid one. Say someone came in right before you with a bag of tainted grain...could you please...? How'd you feel now?

You make a good point about the tainted grain. Been thinking about getting a Millars B3 recently....sounds like this would be a good excuse to pull the trigger

 

[elpenoso]

As long as you buy something from them at the time (like some base malt) there should be no issues.

Clearly they were butt hurt about you not buying from them. F them, buy bulk and get a mill and order hops online, see how they like that ****.

 

[IslandLizard]

I tried to grind coffee beans in a blender once. That trick caused the bearing to overheat and melt almost out of the plastic bottom piece. The blender never worked right since. Sure it was a cheapish blender, but that is not what blenders are designed for. Lesson learned.

Once you own a mill, you want to do all-grain brewing. It pleads for that. Buy your grains by the 50# sac in group bulk buys, and never look back.

Do your homework before buying a mill. There are many threads and opinions on this forum.

 

[glockspeed31]

Clearly they were butt hurt about you not buying from them. F them, buy bulk and get a mill and order hops online, see how they like that ****.

Yeah, keep buying all your stuff online and see how they like it. Like when they go out of business because no one wants to support locally owned shops. Then what happens when you need to buy something in an emergency? Oh, you have to order online and wait a couple days for it to come in the mail. It's a big issue for some small local shops trying to stay open when more and more people have this mentality.

 

[IslandLizard]

If there was no FDA/USDA concern, the LHBS could earn lots of goodwill points by grinding outside grain brought in by customers, even for a modest milling charge. Yes, they would prefer you buy your grain there, sure, but you're more likely to return to a shop were customer service is wonderful than where you left disgruntled.

 

[E_Marquez]

Sounds like a bs reason.

However I doubt you could convince ford to do warranty work on your gm car. Asking them to fix an issue from another company is poor form.

Not bad form to ASK,,, perhaps it might be to expect, demand, or get butt hurt if they choose not to.. But nothing wrong with asking.

 

[E_Marquez]

The FDA/USDA argument may be a valid one. Say someone came in right before you with a bag of tainted grain...could you please...? How'd you feel now?

1st: to the OP.. why not ask someone that can answer the question... like from the shop you got that statement from..... If it's a real answer a manager will be able to say for sure.. and a full explanation of why they can not mill outside grains might go a long way to restoring your faith in that shop. (vs listening to HBF user guesses and conspiracy theories.. See mine below )

2nd: the point quoted above... makes sense, and whether is USDA regs, OSHA, State food handling regs or some other.. I bet there is something that states their mills can only be used to mil food grade grains... what's to say what someone brings in meets that standard? Or as pointed out above, tainted, moldy, whatever grains? Leaving the store the liability risk when others after get sick..

or the regulatory body inspects or otherwise finds out that shop is milling "unknown" products in that food grade only certified mill...then shuts down, fines, requires them to clean, sanitize, have the grain room tested, inspected and certified again for food grade milling operations.

My very local HBS MIGHT mill some grains I brought in personally...very small one man shop, and a personal relationship kind of deal...

I would not expect Austin Brew supply to do the same.. that is a business first.. a few vocal employees have made that clear..Good enough supplier, and mostly good folks working the floor.. but I doubt my brought in grains are getting into their milling room.

 

[Phunhog]

Yes they should mill them for you!!.....just not for free! If I were the owner I would charge a buck a pound to mill grains that weren't bought there. Enough that it eliminates any online savings. If you don't like it....well buy your own mill.
As far as blaming the FDA/USDA regulations....that's a BS line. They don't regulate homebrew shops.

 

[E_Marquez]

They don't regulate homebrew shops.

Go open a food producing, manufacturing or handling business in your state, and tell us what you find out about the standards and inspection the business location, equipment and employees must meet BEFORE the store is opened, and while in use.

Think you will be surprised, or you live in a state that has no regulations governing food handling ( is there one of those?)

BTW, not trying to argue the point.. just know some of the inside crap friends have gone through to open a food (non sealed package type) handling business in Oregon and Texas..

 

[R2D2]

I'd just been practical and bought the specialty grains I needed there and had them milled. It can't have been much grain. Goodwill on both parts.

 

[highpockets]

First off I would have been glad to pay a buck a lb to have the grains milled. Secondly, I would love to support my LHBS but their selection is very limited to say the least. I understand that having every ingredient on hand is not feasible however I don't think it warrants hassling the customer because they want to use a specific malt/hop. The person that I spoke with at the LHBS was the owner and let's just say their customer service skills are lacking. Thanks for all the posts....my new mill is on its way problem solved.

 

[E_Marquez]

First off I would have been glad to pay a buck a lb to have the grains milled. Secondly, I would love to support my LHBS but their selection is very limited to say the least. I understand that having every ingredient on hand is not feasible however I don't think it warrants hassling the customer because they want to use a specific malt/hop. The person that I spoke with at the LHBS was the owner and let's just say their customer service skills are lacking. Thanks for all the posts....my new mill is on its way problem solved.

Sounds like a great choice

Which mil did you get?

 

[Clonefan94]

I personally don't see the big deal. Local shops are in the business of making money. Allowing anyone to mill their outside grain at their shop doesn't seem like a good business practice for making money. Good will and all aside, I really don't blame them, FDA or not, for not allowing you to mill the grain. It seems to me it would just open the door to not buying at their shop if you allow people to come in off the street and mill any grain.

Next time I'd start up a dialog with them and tell them why you don't buy directly from them. Price/selection, these are all things that should be able to be fixed, if the shop is even halfway decent. Their goal should be able to attract you to buy grains from them, no force you to do it.

 

[R2D2]

First off I would have been glad to pay a buck a lb to have the grains milled. Secondly, I would love to support my LHBS but their selection is very limited to say the least. I understand that having every ingredient on hand is not feasible however I don't think it warrants hassling the customer because they want to use a specific malt/hop. The person that I spoke with at the LHBS was the owner and let's just say their customer service skills are lacking. Thanks for all the posts....my new mill is on its way problem solved.

There you go. Problem solved.
Not knowing what grains were involved or where you live it was hard to determine what was available.
Luckily where I live we have a excellent active club, so someone usually has a mill to help out.

 

[IslandLizard]

I know what I said here before, about the FDA/USDA...probably from watching Criminal Minds too much.

If I were the LHBS owner, I would have taken a good look at you first, and then looked around me. At the same time I would have been reaching for those grains and mill them for you. No charge. That's how you create customers for life. I also would have wondered and tried to find out why you bought them online and not from me. Stocking a wider line of specialty malts may be the key to selling more of it, attracting customers to my store, etc., etc.

Oh, I speak from experience, I've had my own small business, not retail or beer related.

 

[theother1]

I work at my lhbs and we don't have any problems milling outside grains. Then again, we do have a VERY loyal customer base and the grains that people do ask us to crush for them (I've had 2 people ask in the entire time I've worked there) get them from breweries that they work at. So there's no real concern with sanitation air contamination. But again, very loyal customer base that does, typically, buy everything from our store so...... YMMV.....