coffee grinder

[gruntre69]

Has anybody tried using a coffee grinder for grain?

I have a large commercial coffee grinder as in surplus at home as I have move to an auto coffee machine. I'm wondering if I set it on a very course setting if it would be good for crushing specialty grain for enhancing extract brews? Seems coffee and barley seeds aren't that much different and this grinder has infinitely variable grind settings.....

 

[JDW81]

There are a few guys on here who use coffee grinders for small batches. If it is commercial one then you'd probably be fine, it might take a bit longer than a standard mill, but should work fine.

JD

 

[gruntre69]

Yes I just set it for it's max setting using coffee beans and the result is particle sizes of around 1-2mm. I wouldn't want to be doing 3 Kgs with it but 500 Gms wouldn't be a hassle....

What is the particle size to aim for to steep for extract brew enhancement?

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Just go easy on the grounds. You a corse grind. You dont want to turn the gtains into fine powder

 

[seamad]

Depends on your brew system. I think nickjd used a coffee grinder and ground very fine for biab. wouldn't work for traditional systems though.

 

[RobW]

I recall Dave at Greensborough HB used to have a commercial coffee grinder before he got a mill, it seemed to work OK.

 

[wbosher]

I used to use something similar to a coffee grinder, basically pulverised it to a powder. Ok for BIAB, but as seamad said, not much good for anything else.

 

[fletcher]

coffee grinder is fine for BIAB. i crush mine into a powder and works fine (if you can get the dough balls out).

 

[wbosher]

I used to crush to powder until I read on PP's BIAB site where he recommends quite strongly against crushing to flour. I've taken his advise and now get the LHBS to crush it for me, and doughing in is so much easier (re dough balls), and efficiency hasn't been compromised.

 

[fletcher]

ah ok. i just found it worked well rather than guessing the crush using my grinder, and accidentally not crushing it enough; which affected my efficiency a LOT more. what were the reasons PP said for not using powder, incidentally?

(and who is PP?) h34r:

 

[wbosher]

PP is Pistol Patch, he a bit of a legend in all things BIAB. His site is here

 

[fletcher]

ah yeah i've seen that site. i'll have a look. i mean, taste-wise i'm happy with my beer, but if there was something else the powder crush did to impact the beer negatively i'd definitely consider changing up my methods; but as it stands it seems to be okay for me. do you know off-hand?

 

[wbosher]

Sorry mate, I can't remember. I don't think it was for any major reason that would have any noticeable effect on the beer.

 

[benno1973]

What sort of grinder is it? You might be better off selling it if it is a decent commercial grinder and getting something designed for crushing grain? Decent commercial conical burr grinders can go for big money, and grain mills can be had for cheap.

 

[wbosher]

Edit: Brief, but sums it up.

http://www.biabrewer.info/viewtopic.php?f=41&t=28

 

[gruntre69]

Edit: Brief, but sums it up.

http://www.biabrewer.info/viewtopic.php?f=41&t=28

Just tested it with some medium crystal I just bought. It removes the husk without damage to the husk and breaks the grain into about 4 to 7 bits. It's certainly nothing like flour. I'm thinking this would be perfect. I'd post a photo but the wankers at google have changed the whole photos thing..... I'll have to get photo bucket or something...

What sort of grinder is it? You might be better off selling it if it is a decent commercial grinder and getting something designed for crushing grain? Decent commercial conical burr grinders can go for big money, and grain mills can be had for cheap.

It's this model http://www.whereismycoffee.com.au/shop/iberital/iberital_challenge_manual_dose_grinder_305.html
There is some merit in what you say, but when we go camping I like to take a small espresso pot and I need to grind to use this, My new mega expensive auto doesn't have the facility to export the ground coffee... Looks like I'm keeping it....

 

[paulmclaren11]

coffee grinder is fine for BIAB. i crush mine into a powder and works fine (if you can get the dough balls out).

I also use a coffee grinder and take my grain to a flour. Would love a mill but for BIAB I find it works fine and I am happy with the beers this method produces. In terms of dough balls, yes, you do get a lot more.

I have found that doughing in a bit at a time, as opposed to dumping it all in at once and pouring the grain from a height and stirring really assists with dough balls. I did a batch on Sat and ended up with very few dough balls using this method. You do get a lot of dust around though pouring from a height which upsets the Mrs :lol:

 

[fletcher]

I also use a coffee grinder and take my grain to a flour. Would love a mill but for BIAB I find it works fine and I am happy with the beers this method produces. In terms of dough balls, yes, you do get a lot more.

I have found that doughing in a bit at a time, as opposed to dumping it all in at once and pouring the grain from a height and stirring really assists with dough balls. I did a batch on Sat and ended up with very few dough balls using this method. You do get a lot of dust around though pouring from a height which upsets the Mrs :lol:

oh definitely. if you have a mate or mrs or whomever on hand and they slowly pour it in while you use a mash paddle to disperse it, it's smooth sailing. that and if you mash in at a lower temperature (nick told me he used to mash in at 55, and then increase to whatever his mash temp was); i can confirm this works well.