What grain mill to buy

[Aus.Morgo]

Hi all, so is the general opinion that MaltMill is the best mill but you pay for it? Which model of the MaltMill is better, the compact or classic?

 

[Jack of all biers]

Hi all, so is the general opinion that MaltMill is the best mill but you pay for it? Which model of the MaltMill is better, the compact or classic?

I assume you mean the Mattmill? (Matt is for Matthias Hossfeld, the guy who makes them). If you do, I don't think that is the general consensus, no. It is a very good malt mill, I can vouch for that, but I couldn't compare to the grist of the Monster mill or the Mash master for instance as I have never used one.

For the difference in models go to the linked German grain mill thread here and in it you'll find that I have described the difference between the two versions of the compact model, as well as the student model. You'll find links to the manufacturers website that shows the classic Mattmill. It is basically a 35 mm roller mill, very similar to the older knurled version of the Mash master mill (not the newer fluted model).

 

[Chris79]

So, I think my budget is up to $200. If so, which one of the following would you buy:

• Keg King Maltmuncher. - 3 roller. Most home brew shops don't stock the 3 roller mill anyway. I can get this at wholesale prices. The gap seems it can be made variable
• Then I could get this MattMill Student. I brew in an BIAB electric setup. I'm wondering if the fixed roller diameter of 1.3mm would be fine? My last brew had my grains crushed on 1.2mm gap from Brewman's mill and I had a mash eff of about 70%.

Otherwise, I see the next tier option up $300-$400 is either the:

• MashMaster Millmaster Mini (wish I could have got on board with the bulk buy!).
• Or the Maltmill Compact Maltmill that, just a few on here have.

So which mill would you buy in both of these tier? One factor, as mentioned above is BIAB is how I brew. As far as I can see, I plan on brewing like that for at least the next 3-4 years while my kids are young.

Cheers
Chris

 

[Lionman]

I wouldn't overthink it to much. They all crush grain and end up resulting in beer.

BIAB is pretty forgiving with the quality of the grist.

The keg king 2 roller is 140 new, selling for around 80 second hand. That leaves some savings for sacks of malt and bulk hops.

 

[Jack of all biers]

So, I think my budget is up to $200. If so, which one of the following would you buy:

• Keg King Maltmuncher. - 3 roller. Most home brew shops don't stock the 3 roller mill anyway. I can get this at wholesale prices. The gap seems it can be made variable
• Then I could get this MattMill Student. I brew in an BIAB electric setup. I'm wondering if the fixed roller diameter of 1.3mm would be fine? My last brew had my grains crushed on 1.2mm gap from Brewman's mill and I had a mash eff of about 70%.

Otherwise, I see the next tier option up $300-$400 is either the:

• MashMaster Millmaster Mini (wish I could have got on board with the bulk buy!).
• Or the Maltmill Compact Maltmill that, just a few on here have.

So which mill would you buy in both of these tier? One factor, as mentioned above is BIAB is how I brew. As far as I can see, I plan on brewing like that for at least the next 3-4 years while my kids are young.

Cheers
Chris

My answer is obviously biased so I won't give it as it's obvious. Can't speak on the KK MM 3 roller, but if you have a $200 budget, a wholesale price for an adjustable 3 roller mill that sells for $210 retail (so I'm guessing your paying around $150-180) and you want to dip your toes for 3-4 years, I think you know the answer.

In the next bracket, I will only say that you know you can get the next model up from the Mattmill Compact, delivered from overseas for less than the $350 Braufox are asking. Then add the $50 freight they put on top. You know what I'm saying. If you want to support an Aussie retailer or have the protection of Aus.Consumer Law, then go for it though. Same goes for the student model.

Probably though, for an extra $60-90 depending on the retailer, on top of your $200 budget, you can get the Mashmaster. I think you know what most on this forum would recommend. Look at the 60 odd that are upgrading cheaper mills for the MM.

'nough said.

 

[HaveFun]

My answer is obviously biased so I won't give it as it's obvious. Can't speak on the KK MM 3 roller, but if you have a $200 budget, a wholesale price for an adjustable 3 roller mill that sells for $210 retail (so I'm guessing your paying around $150-180) and you want to dip your toes for 3-4 years, I think you know the answer.

In the next bracket, I will only say that you know you can get the next model up from the Mattmill Compact, delivered from overseas for less than the $350 Braufox are asking. Then add the $50 freight they put on top. You know what I'm saying. If you want to support an Aussie retailer or have the protection of Aus.Consumer Law, then go for it though. Same goes for the student model.

Probably though, for an extra $60-90 depending on the retailer, on top of your $200 budget, you can get the Mashmaster. I think you know what most on this forum would recommend. Look at the 60 odd that are upgrading cheaper mills for the MM.

'nough said.

where can i get the KK MM3 for the $150-180 ?

cheers
Stefan

 

[Chris79]

My answer is obviously biased so I won't give it as it's obvious. Can't speak on the KK MM 3 roller, but if you have a $200 budget, a wholesale price for an adjustable 3 roller mill that sells for $210 retail (so I'm guessing your paying around $150-180) and you want to dip your toes for 3-4 years, I think you know the answer.

In the next bracket, I will only say that you know you can get the next model up from the Mattmill Compact, delivered from overseas for less than the $350 Braufox are asking. Then add the $50 freight they put on top. You know what I'm saying. If you want to support an Aussie retailer or have the protection of Aus.Consumer Law, then go for it though. Same goes for the student model.

Probably though, for an extra $60-90 depending on the retailer, on top of your $200 budget, you can get the Mashmaster. I think you know what most on this forum would recommend. Look at the 60 odd that are upgrading cheaper mills for the MM.

'nough said.

Thanks @Jack of all biers . Looks like I'm able to get a combo birthday/Christmas gift from my parents.

I'll check in with them today, I'll see if I can go ahead with the Mashmaster with them. Would love to buy just this and see it last a long time!

I get Braufox, like all businesses, need to make it a profitable exercise, but do they realise, people are buying Mattmill's O/S for much cheaper? Did you ever contact them and let them know of the extra business they could be making?

Cheers

 

[Jack of all biers]

where can i get the KK MM3 for the $150-180 ?

Go back and look at Chris79's post. He can get them at wholesale price through his works account with KK. The $150-180 is my guess that that would be the wholesale price, but it could be less, or more.

Thanks @Jack of all biers
I get Braufox, like all businesses, need to make it a profitable exercise, but do they realise, people are buying Mattmill's O/S for much cheaper? Did you ever contact them and let them know of the extra business they could be making?

No, because I never expected they would drop their price (delivered) by over $120 and I was flying to Germany anyways (plus the unit I got was the next model up, which Braufox don't sell, so a mute point really). I think they must have some idea, as they were charging $399 back late last year for the same unit (plus $50 freight to Adelaide). That has dropped to $350 now (plus freight). The Aussie dollar has not really changed with the Euro, so they must have twigged on somewhat or they have bought more units, so their price could be lowered as it became more profitable per unit. Either way, I don't think if I wasn't travelling to Germany anyway I would have bought the Mattmill and would have gone with the Mashmaster. It was WEAL that figured out you could get them tax free sent to Aus for not much more than I paid O/S, so yeah, market realities for all businesses in a world market I guess. Not my place to tell them how to run their business and what profit margins to make.

 

[Quokka42]

I don't understand the obsession (or even the point) of the 3 roller mill. Once set up right the 2 roller KK Malt Muncher produces pretty perfectly cracked grain - the husks pretty much intact, but still open enough to work well with BIAB.

What actually is the supposed advantage of the 3 roller mill? (Except speed, but after using a Corona mill for ages, 3-4 minutes to crack a grist seems pretty good to me.)

 

[Batz]

I don't understand the obsession (or even the point) of the 3 roller mill. Once set up right the 2 roller KK Malt Muncher produces pretty perfectly cracked grain - the husks pretty much intact, but still open enough to work well with BIAB.

What actually is the supposed advantage of the 3 roller mill? (Except speed, but after using a Corona mill for ages, 3-4 minutes to crack a grist seems pretty good to me.)

I agree with you, 3 roller mills are there to extract a few more $$$ out of the brewer IMHO. I can't see a real advantage at all, I have seen more than one 3 roller mill in action and I can't see any improvement over a 2 roller.
If you have a 3 roller you probably won't agree.

I still use my Valley mill bought early 2004, it must have do tonnes of grain and still going strong....like me??

 

[wide eyed and legless]

As Jack suggested I bought my mill from the same shop as Jack and as he says it is a global market, I don't worry about warranties being covered by buying from overseas, at the end of the day it is the manufacturer that honours them, not the retailer. When I bought my Braumeister I bought it direct from Germany and it was among the ones which had a dodgy pump, couldn't have asked for any better service from Speidel than if I had bought it here.

Quokka there are lots of gimmicky things in brewing and many other hobbies (fishing is the worst) keeps retail sales moving.