National Homebrew Club Ireland

Brewing Discussions => Equipment & Chemicals => Topic started by: barkar on February 25, 2013, 12:53:50 PM

Title: Grain Mill help
Post by: barkar on February 25, 2013, 12:53:50 PM
Hi i am considering getting a grain mill in order to have fresher grain etc.. I missed out on the crankenstein buy , I noticed a grain mill in beer and wine that seems relatively reasonable , would you think it would be robust enough for crushing large quantities of grain ( 5kg plus). They mention not connecting to a drill , wouldnt imagine this would cause a problem . Has anyone used these ?[ur]http://www.mybeerandwine.ie/grain-mill-p-306.html[/url]
There are more robusts ones there but this might be ok , dont ye think ?
Title: Re: Grain Mill help
Post by: Hop Bomb on February 25, 2013, 01:27:29 PM
(http://i.imgur.com/Fe1cLNel.jpg)

I missed out on the grain mill group buy too. Here is what I use. 30 euro corona mill. With a whey protein container for a hopper & a bolt & attachment for my drill. Works fine.
Title: Re: Grain Mill help
Post by: Ciderhead on February 25, 2013, 02:20:45 PM
Hop Bomp you and me are gonna form the Corona club ;)!

(http://i1270.photobucket.com/albums/jj605/joctcl/image_zpsc6c53f51.jpg)

Title: Re: Grain Mill help
Post by: Hop Bomb on February 25, 2013, 02:30:27 PM
Haha. The bucket is a great idea. Ive been using cardboard to stop it shooting out the sides when going warp speed.
Title: Re: Grain Mill help
Post by: Ciderhead on February 25, 2013, 02:33:34 PM
My Taipei 101 tower (timber hoppers indeed)has a little pail that my halloween monkey nuts came in, I unscrewed all the plates, cut a whole slid it over, bit of duck tape and mary was my aunt.
Title: Re: Grain Mill help
Post by: barkar on February 25, 2013, 02:35:13 PM
 @tube -  what was the group rate you were getting them at

@ciderhead and hopbomb , they look ok there, reckon i could bodge something together like that , Do ye have any bother with the crush etc, Do you have to feed it slowly or can you just let it run , any problems with it ? , will be crushing 5- 8 kg most of the time
Title: Re: Grain Mill help
Post by: Jacob on February 25, 2013, 02:53:19 PM
Not using corona but similiar one. No problems for over 2 years, even when crushing over 12kg.
Title: Re: Grain Mill help
Post by: Ciderhead on February 25, 2013, 02:54:42 PM
there are mods like 4 washers between plates etc, my beer and wine selling them for 30 odd now  :(
http://www.instructables.com/id/Corona-Mill-Mods-for-All-Grain-Brewing/
I don't make enough beer to justify the roller mills, plus I made and modded it, its like one of the family and never let me down, perhaps when I grow up I might buy a 3 roller mill :o
Title: Re: Grain Mill help
Post by: barkar on February 25, 2013, 03:40:33 PM
Hi thanks for the input might go with this from my beer and wine and try and mod it, the 3rd mod looks a bit difficult , i wonder if i could get a way without having to do it ?
Title: Re: Grain Mill help
Post by: JimmyM on February 25, 2013, 05:13:41 PM
I use something similar to a corona mill - it takes about 40 minutes to mill 5kg of grain.
Its a novelty once or twice - possibly even theraputic - but modify it to take the drill - its little more than taking the handle off.
Title: Re: Grain Mill help
Post by: barkar on February 25, 2013, 05:47:08 PM
QuoteI use something similar to a corona mill - it takes about 40 minutes to mill 5kg of grain.
Its a novelty once or twice - possibly even theraputic - but modify it to take the drill - its little more than taking the handle off.
40 minutes to hand crush or with a drill , hmmm  :-/, not as sold now on it , brewing time/family time tradeoffs mean streamlining the process for me , may stick to precrushed , although fathers day shouldn't be too far away - might  stretch to the more heavy duty one :)
Title: Re: Grain Mill help
Post by: Hop Bomb on February 25, 2013, 06:52:36 PM
Its 40 mins by hand. I never bother timing it with the drill but its super fast.
Title: Re: Grain Mill help
Post by: Ciderhead on February 25, 2013, 08:30:46 PM
5-7 mins for a smooth mill with drill at consistent 150rpm speed rather than one of tubes 60 second shags and ripping the sh.t out of the grain.
Title: Re: Grain Mill help
Post by: DEMPSEY on February 25, 2013, 08:54:36 PM
Quote@tube -  what was the group rate you were getting them at
They priced at €88 each (box of 3) this includes VAT which did not not get paid the first time. I know a G man working in the place and met him on Saturday night ( socially),asked him how they got through with no VAT,not enough G men and the americans might have not ID'd the contents value right. ;)
Title: Re: Grain Mill help
Post by: JimmyM on February 25, 2013, 11:02:22 PM
@barkar - Yeah 40 mins is by hand. I havent got round to attaching my drill.
..

GMan - i think i got one of them for christmas when i was a kid.
Title: Re: Grain Mill help
Post by: barkar on February 25, 2013, 11:37:41 PM
Thanks lads, all very helpful, if its only a handful of minutes can live with it, although probably more in my line to insulate the brewshed or get a heater, twas Baltic out there the last few nights ....