For those of you who mill your own grains, what is your setting? I just picked up a Barley Crusher with the 15lb hopper but haven't used it yet. I need to go get some feelers to measure where it's at now, but what is your setting?
What is your mill set at?
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I just got mine for Christmas and 3 brews in with the factory settings (.39"), I'm getting between 78% and 80% efficiency.
I just eyeball it. At first I crushed a handfull of grain, tweak, repeat til I got it looking good. I keep an eye on the crush and every so often I make a tiny adjustment, but it pretty much stays where I initially set it.
Grannyknot
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Usually around 35 but it just depends on the type of malt I'm milling.
Cider123
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+1. If .039 wasn't a good setting they probably wouldn't set it there. But you know, guys like to tinker.
jaydog2314
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.037, I adjust it before each brew and consistently hit 80% efficiency on my system
I've been getting great efficiency with the factory .039" setting consistenly. By the way,it's coated with some kind of oil when they ship it. The instructions & even NB I bought it from said to run a half pound of grain through it to remove the oil. I cleaned the rollers with a brush & rubbing alcohol before running a half pound of grain through it I had left. Even the brush got some black staining on the ends of the bristles.
kombat
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Count me as another Barley Crusher owner who's never changed it from the factory setting.
KyGooglenerd
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Another barley crusher with factory settings. When I first got it, I did have some slow sparges but rice hulls have solved that issue. I generally run 70-80% depending on how patient I am while sparging and how well I get my sparge temps and volumes where they should be.
I have a MM 2.0 and it came set at 0.40
Which I promptly set to .038 ad have gotten 83-87% on 5 consecutive brews.
Which I promptly set to .038 ad have gotten 83-87% on 5 consecutive brews.
Heineken
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Just got my barley crusher yesterday but haven't used it. I'm planning to start with the factory setting and go from there.
Wrecked
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Factory setting for me also. Double crush for BIAB and rarely drop below 80% eff.
.45 - 80%+ efficiency on a RIMS system
BansheeRider
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How do you all check the gap? I have a BC coming Monday.
Stocktonbrew
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Check gap with a 5 dollar feeler guage set. I have a mm2 2.0 set at .39. 80% efficiency.
IvanTheTerribrew
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Can anyone post what one of these feeler gauges actually looks like? I bought one from an auto parts store and honestly I don't see how it can fit into the mill. Also, are you adjusting the rollers until the start squeezing the gauge or just until it can slip in and out from between the rollers without touching them much? I just want to be sure I know what size my rollers are at. Thanks.
This is the one I use
http://www.harborfreight.com/32-piece-sae-metric-feeler-gauge-32214.html
you probably have the one that looks like a quarter, which might not be so useful.
my mill is set to .029 but I do wet mill.
Black Island Brewer
An Ode to Beer
I think it was Yooper who suggested .032, so I tried it and have gotten 80+% conversion efficiency with a SS false bottom, with the only stuck sparge caused by pumping too fast.
I have a MM2 set at 0.035 and regularly hit 75%+ efficiency. Big change after I started milling my own instead of from LHBS. I set it so the feeler guage is tight but can slide in and out of the gap between the rollers.
tootal
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Most folks that I know that use the barley crusher or similar diameter roller mills are from .035" to .040". If I tried that on mine I'd stick in a heart beat. Mine has 5" diameter rollers and for some reason it makes a big difference. I'm set at .069" and have been 86% efficient lately. (taken in fermentor)
Both of my rollers are driven with one running slightly slower which rolls the grain through. It's really strange how much different it acts compared to the barley crusher and the MM.
Both of my rollers are driven with one running slightly slower which rolls the grain through. It's really strange how much different it acts compared to the barley crusher and the MM.
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