Crushing Grain Without A Mill?

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ODDBALL

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I need to crack/crush some grain this weekend and do not have a mill as yet. I (read the missus) do own a wooden rolling pin and am considering using it, would you guys have any input before I go ahead?

BTW it is only a couple of hundred grams of Crystal so it should be no big deal.

:super:
 
Before I got my mill, I bought grain precracked. So have never done the home cracking option.

Put the grain in a plastic bag before attacking with the rolling pin.

Some other options. Try using a food processor or a coffee grinder.
 
The bag is best placed on top of the grain on a large bench, slowly roll with a rolling pin or Pick Axe style heavy coopers bottle. I found if I left the grain in the plastic bag, it would burst sending little chattering grains alll over the place. The 750ml heavy bottle worked better than the standard rolling pin, due to greater contact area I guess.
 
Oddball,
This may or may not help but I have been toying with the idea of converting a Pasta Machine to crack small amounts of grain, if you have one of those you might want to give it a try.
Has anyone else tried this before? Ours is just sitting in the cupboard collecting dust, this might be a way of returning it to the workforce.
Brad B)
 
I reckon you (or I) could make a mill with the rollers out of a metal mop bucket, some angle iron or pipe, and a dirty big crank handle.
 
There is no such thing as a stuck sparge with a few hundred grams of crystal, so whack it in the food processor and blitz it. Just use something fine to strain it.
 
I use a nice big bit of calico and a rolling pin. The fabric is dense enough that all the dust and grit stays in and doesnt pollute your kitchen, while still letting air escape so there is no bursting.

I find this is a bit haphazard, and gives a wide ranges of sizes, from totally pulverised to almost fully intact. While this isnt great for efficiency, it really helps the sparge, so I dont mind.
 
Crushing a few hundred grams of crystal/cara-aroma/chocolate with a rolling pin can be a very spiritual experience.
As for the grains flying everywhere, it's a very subdued crush... just a nice big board, pour a few dozen grams out at a time. Too easy. Coopers tallie might work well, with the rocking motion, but rolling pins are nice because they have a big of give.
 
Another thing to use is a piece of galv pipe. Nice and solid and you will not upset SWMBO by leaving dents in her rolling pin (except where she hits you over the head with it for thinking of use it :) )

I used the pipe when I was doing partials with a thin layer of the grain in a plastic bag or 2.

Cheers
Pedro
 
Dunkel_Boy said:
Crushing a few hundred grams of crystal/cara-aroma/chocolate with a rolling pin can be a very spiritual experience.
[post="59619"][/post]​
Yeah, if you call splinters and blisters spiritual:
torrWheat.jpg
 
I've used a pasta machine for small amounts but it's pretty slow. The grain tends to sit on the rollers & you have to press it down with your fingers to make it feed. I found the rolling pin/bottle/pipe option was quicker & did a similiar job. Also heard of people using mallets & mashie hammers but haven't tried it myself.
 
Maybe a coffee grinder would do the trick if you have one....
 
Some good ideas there, we have a mortar and pestle so I might give that a bash, failing that the stuff is going to get cracked one way or another.

All part of the learning curve. :beerbang:
 
My first ever AG was crushed several times through a food processor and gave me a crappy efficiency.
Bite the bullet and buy a mill, you know it makes sense.
 
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