Mill-free Grain Cracking Techniques

[Shed101]

For my second brew I've been bullied 'encouraged' to attempt some extract jiggerypokery (hurrah!)

I managed to get all my ingredients, but the LBHS said that its mill was broken (boo!)

But I'm willing to persevere (hurrah!)

...although i'm not entirely sure how (boo!)

I presume that it doesn't need to be an amazing job for an extract, but will I get away with bagging it up and hitting it with a rolling pin, using a big pestle and mortar, or is there a more ingenious approach? :blink:

 

[felten]

coffee/spice grinder, or a blender

 

[Goofinder]

A mortar and pestle worked for me back when I was doing up to around 200g of grain.

 

[iScarlet]

+1 on the mortar & pestle if you can wrangle it.

I still haven't gotten off my arse and bought a mill yet and I still use it to crack up to 5kg at a time. Takes a few hours though. <_<

 

[Shed101]

Thanks for the suggestions.

Patience is a virtue...

but i'm not that virtuous, so the blender won

 

[jiesu]

Shit man If it takes a few hours go to Kmart and buy a cofee grinder they are only like 40 bucks for the cheap one.

 

[iScarlet]

I'd never taken the blender path as I'd heard from others that it tends to shred the grain, which can lead to tannin bitterness creeping into your brew.

I don't know if smaller amounts of spec grains would really contribute much to any tannins coming through to the finished product though. Should be right.

 

[felten]

I guess that depends how it's mashed, if you're just steeping it at ~60-70c then you won't extract tannins. It probably wouldn't be best in a trad 3v system though.

 

[manticle]

@iscarlet - why don't you get yours pre-milled if you're doing 5 kg grists?

 

[iScarlet]

Simple answer to that is just because I'm a stubborn *******.

 

[WarmBeer]

Have you got any fellow AHB'ers in your neighbourhood? Might be worth a shout out to see if you could pop around some time and use somebody else's mill.

We're a reasonably sociable bunch, us homebrewers. I would have no problems having somebody like-minded come around, drink beer, and talk beer, while grinding up a couple of kilos of grain on my mill.

Give it a go, you might meet a new drinking buddy.

 

[manticle]

Welcome to come and use mine from time to time if it's not too far to travel.

 

[Shed101]

Nice idea Warmbeer - thanks.

Managed for now with the blender, but i could come out of my hole in the future.

Thanks Manticle, too ... a bit of a trek from the Sunshine Coast though

 

[manticle]

Sorry I meant iscarlet as he's vaguely local.

Obviously I'd extend the invitation if it were practical.

Mortar and pestle, rolling pin and coffee grinder are all ok for steeping grains. Once you move up to 1kg + I find all those methods (and I did try them all) to be more of a pain than a help. I know Nick JD often crushes 3+ kg for stovetop BIAB in a coffee grinder though - he reckons it's pretty quick. Wouldn't suit a regular tun manifold or false bottom but that's probably not relevant to you at this point.

 

[Shed101]

Sorry I meant iscarlet as he's vaguely local.

Obviously I'd extend the invitation if it were practical.

Whoops. I've booked flights and I'll be at your place on Thursday night about 11pm with a couple of bushels - in for a oz, in for a bushel I say :icon_drunk:

 

[manticle]

Once you hit Melbourne Airport we are 345 leagues east as the crow flies.

Sky bus costs 8 guineas.