Any Unique (cheap) Ways To Mill Grain?

[wabster]

Barramundi, Of course that is good advice but I just paid about $51 to put down 22 litres using cracked malt from the HBS and thought theres got to be a cheaper way. Just have to buy a mill I suppose.
Maltdog

Maltdog that seem quite a costly brew. What price per kg did you pay for the malt and what did it cost to get it cracked? Or are you buying the pre-packed lots off the shelf?

I got half a bag, 12.5 kg of JW malt from ESB near where I live, think it was about $33, and they cracked it for me. I don't recall they charged me for that either.

If you put your location in your details panel, I'm sure you will find others near you helping out regarding buying at better prices with better service Cheerz Wab

 

[Barramundi]

Barramundi, Of course that is good advice but I just paid about $51 to put down 22 litres using cracked malt from the HBS and thought theres got to be a cheaper way. Just have to buy a mill I suppose.
Maltdog

what quantity of grain did you get for your $51 ??? that seems a lot to pay for a single batch
where are you located ??

 

[blackbock]

Hey Maltdog,

I would suggest using any means to crush your malt (food processor worked well for my early batches). Better than paying at least double prices from a HB shop (some even charge to crush). Continue to buy your malt in bulk and crush it yourself and you will always be in front.

cheers

Darren

EDIT: Dont buy a Marga mill as you will soon realise it wasn't meant for the job and you could have paid a little more for a dedicated, purpose designed malt mill

The Marga mill might not be in the same league as a Millmaster or Crankandstein, but don't discount it totally as an option, especially if you get a second hand one in good nick. They work fine for the occasional brewer.

 

[Guest Lurker]

Don't buy a mill. Put your location in your profile, and some brewer that lives near you will offer to let you use their mill for free. Its such a waste of resources to have a mill sitting in a shed being used every few weeks, when several brewers could be catching up for a beer and using a common one. I dont even do the catch up for a beer thing, I just leave the shed unlocked so people can mill their grain when I am not here.

 

[reviled]

Don't buy a mill. Put your location in your profile, and some brewer that lives near you will offer to let you use their mill for free. Its such a waste of resources to have a mill sitting in a shed being used every few weeks, when several brewers could be catching up for a beer and using a common one. I dont even do the catch up for a beer thing, I just leave the shed unlocked so people can mill their grain when I am not here.

Thats awesome! What a good dude! Wish I lived near by

 

[sponge]

About the pasta roller, I read somewhere that you cant use them because theres no umm.... teeth (?) on the rollers so not much of the grain goes through.

 

[RobW]

About the pasta roller, I read somewhere that you cant use them because theres no umm.... teeth (?) on the rollers so not much of the grain goes through.

That's correct. The rollers have no knurling so the grain just jumps up and down on them.
You can push it through with your fingers but it's really slow and a total PITA.

 

[Fatgodzilla]

The Marga mill might not be in the same league as a Millmaster or Crankandstein, but don't discount it totally as an option, especially if you get a second hand one in good nick. They work fine for the occasional brewer.

Agree. For a $100 new you get the full unit - hopper and catcher. The only fault with the marga was time and the gap settings - but I could crush a 5kg grain bill in a little over an hour (hand cranking). Couldn't be bothered with a drill but seen it in action and it works fine. If time isn't an issue, its a good little thing. That said I just bought a barley crusher when the Oz dollar reached parity with the US dollar, so for $170 it was a good buy. The marga mill I will continue to use for finer crushes, so I have the best of both milling systems.

 

[drsmurto]

I bought my marga 2nd hand from Rhenton who was upgrading to something shinier.

40 AGs done in less than 12 months and i have no intention of upgrading the mill. All hand cranked. HTFU!

Dont diss the marga comrade! B)

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Log on to www.aussiehomebrewer.com and see if anyone lives near you with a grain mill

Pretty expensive....might cost a few beers...but you might get to drink a few when it is being one.. :icon_cheers: