Sparging, Cracking Grain

[Gout]

http://www.barleycrusher.com/Ordering.htm

is this the beast you talk of Ken?

My home made roller idea would have almost smooth rollers, as they have roller's with a pattern to pull the grain through hence better


i'll still look into making somthing, i wonder if SS exhaust pipe is strong enough with plates welded to the end to mount the barring and a frame...

 

[Doc]

I've got the Valley Mill.
The camps seem to be split between guys with a Valley Mill or a Barley Crusher.
Doesn't matter which camp you sit in, both sides are very very happy.
When I started AG brewing I had the same problem getting cracked grain etc, but those are all distant memories.
Money well spent on the Valley Mill.

Beers,
Doc

 

[Gout]

I will try to rig somthing up with the pipe i have at home (as its all at my fingertips, and might work while i save for a mill.)

I was thinking of making a grain shoot similar to these 2 mill's (i have Al sheet at home)

some exhaust pipe 2" dia (big big but its laying around) scuf it up with rough paper for the grip to pull it through...

weld end plates onto the pipe, making 2 hollow closed tubes, then "mount" these into a frame with a gap. I will weld a bolt to the end plate to run through the barrings and attatch a handle to one of them....

This although ruff may work? as long as the tube is strong enough and it does not cave in, but i cant imagin it doing that, it would require heaps of force to do that!!!


I'll post pics as i go if it works as this might help others or save other wasting there time if it does not work...

(idea stolen from the solid SS rollers on Aust craft brewers web site)

 

[Jazman]

ben mail order your grain if you aint got time i reckon g ang wo deliver it to you cheap a solid ss roller would be better it would needed to be knurled though i will make my own soon or wait and see how much the b crusher wiullbe when it is imported here

 

[Gout]

exctra $5.95 + 2-3 days for you to get it... so its not worth ordering it cracked each time. thats once a week or every fortnight and i never know what i will brew next or when, i just do it on the fly!

 

[GMK]

Ben,

For your home made grain mill - try the following:
Fill the pipe up with wet cement. This will add strength and stability.
Use cloth backed sandpaper stuck to the driving/cranking roller to pull the malt through.

Yes - that is the web site for the Barley Crusher.

Hope this helps.

 

[crackers]

hey guys,

how does this stack up for price.
it doesnt sound like it powders the grain up too much.

cheers

 

[crackers]

sorry forgot the link

http://www.grainmills.com.au/category17_1.htm

cheers

 

[GMK]

Hi ,

I looked at the Corona Mill.
The rolers/grinding mechanism isnt that long or wide.
The hopper doesnt hold much.
Dont think/know if you can use a portable drill on it.

I think the Barley crusher at 185.00aus landed in country is a better option.

 

[crackers]

thanks GMK
sounds like your happy with yours.

i'll just keep saving for it.

cheers

 

[Gout]

Is anyone interested in a group buy for a crusher/mill? Let me know and maybe we can save some leg work and money

 

[famousguy]

Is anyone interested in a group buy for a crusher/mill? Let me know and maybe we can save some leg work and money

I'd be interested!

 

[big d]

yep
im keen on one

 

[Gout]

I am keen if my "experimentie" does not work, and if it does work you guys may also be interested. should be super cheap but just depends if it works as expected!

I think there is 3 or more other guys talking about it so once we have a idea of number (give it a week) we can then talk about what one we want and then look around for where to place an order

 

[GMK]

Ben,

I can send you th e-mails etc.
Eg buy 3 = 5% saving.
buy 5 = 10 % saving.

Note
will have to go by parcel post/sea and kepp the cost Aus down to below 1000.00 to save gst/duty etc.

 

[Jethro]

better idea get the hbs to crack it for you wehn you order ther grain

I live in west Australia The local HBS will sell me a grain mill for $80 but will not crack the grain for me. ( MY wife would go crazy if I blew that kind of cash)

 

[Rod]

Maybe not much help but ,

I have read on one of the brew forums that you can use a pasta machines to crack your grain .

The machines are basically a set of adjustable stainless rollers with a handle

How do you feed it ----- ?

If you have one or can get a loan might be worth a try.

 

[brettprevans]

useful ideas in this thread. unfortunately after deciding to try a few (rolling pin, metal meat tenderiser, coffee grinder), would you beleive that all of the above have been borrowed from my kitchen. god damn. so i improvised....ss baseball bat. worked a treat however im not continuing to do this, and its certainly no way to do a couple of kilo. putting a mill on my x-mas list. only way to go.

 

[Steve]

useful ideas in this thread. unfortunately after deciding to try a few (rolling pin, metal meat tenderiser, coffee grinder), would you beleive that all of the above have been borrowed from my kitchen. god damn. so i improvised....ss baseball bat. worked a treat however im not continuing to do this, and its certainly no way to do a couple of kilo. putting a mill on my x-mas list. only way to go.

grab yoursel a marga mill from craftbrewer.....best thing ive bought for my brewery :beer:
Cheers
Seve

 

[brettprevans]

grab yoursel a marga mill from craftbrewer.....best thing ive bought for my brewery :beer:
Cheers
Seve

already been there and printed out the page for the missus. left it in a nice obvious spot and will drop a few comments. bit of *hint hint nudge nudge*.

steeping the specialty grains I cracked/smashed this morning. god they smell good. i am tempted to trying eating the grain sludge its looks and smell so good.