104 replies to this topic

[Poptop]

With the exception of tightening the gap on my BC, it has gone through about 65 batches with only a good blow I'm happy to know that at least one other person uses a leaf blower to clean the BC

Having admitted all of this; I hope I didn't encourage a future "Oh Crap" scenario.

[Big Nake]

With the exception of tightening the gap on my BC, it has gone through about 65 batches with only a good blow I'm happy to know that at least one other person uses a leaf blower to clean the BC

Having admitted all of this; I hope I didn't encourage a future "Oh Crap" scenario.

The problem is that I'm not the type of person who thinks, "Let's take this shizz apart!!". I'm just not. So the idea of using a leaf-blower to clean it is probably an admission of laziness. I realize now that it's not hard to take it apart, clean it and give it a lube job. My process lately has been to get my strike water heating, add my brewing salts, brewtan, acid, etc. and then go condition the malt and mill it before the water gets to temp. It's plenty of time unless the mill is not cooperating. I was frustrated because my window to brew was mildly tight and of all the things that could happen on brewday, this was not one I envisioned. The other issue is that if you're standing there with 10 pounds of uncrushed grain and your mill is not working... you're pretty much hosed. Yes I could have gone to my LHBS and used their mill which would have been an hour round-trip. So I may mill the grain the day before to make sure I have time in case the mill decides to check out again. Cheers Brother PopTop.

[Poptop]

With wife, son and honey do's at home, I begin my mis-en-place on Monday for a Saturday or Sunday brew session, milling sometime between Wednesday and Friday. I don't think of any issues milling 48 hours out. Setting up during the course of a week makes the actual day easier (to me).

I'm not the take a part guy either, that's why I give my mill a really good blow!

[positiveContact]

I just use compressed air to clean mine every once in a while.  I actually had some minor feeding problems early on (a few batches in) but now it's all good.

[ChicagoWaterGuy]

I just use compressed air to clean mine every once in a while.  I actually had some minor feeding problems early on (a few batches in) but now it's all good.

 

 I don't have a compressor but I might have a can of keyboard cleaner in my desk.

[positiveContact]

 I don't have a compressor but I might have a can of keyboard cleaner in my desk.

 

might help clean it off.  shop vac might help too.

[Big Nake]

With wife, son and honey do's at home, I begin my mis-en-place on Monday for a Saturday or Sunday brew session, milling sometime between Wednesday and Friday. I don't think of any issues milling 48 hours out. Setting up during the course of a week makes the actual day easier (to me).

I'm not the take a part guy either, that's why I give my mill a really good blow!

I do the same thing... filter water and weight out grains a day or 2 before. I just don't mill it until brewday but I might change that because I don't want to be heating strike water and battling with my mill at the same time.

[Big Nake]

Okay, so I brewed last Saturday and I forgot to update this thread. I got everything ready, water filtered and heating, grains measured out and conditioned. I got my mill out, filled the hopper with all expectations pointed towards hassle-free milling. It didn't work. I tried a few things and it was simply not going to mill. So I adjusted the gap. I do not have any feeler gauges so I just barely nudged the rollers a little further apart with a flat head screwdriver. I tightened everything back up and I milled the grain with no trouble. As the grain was falling into the bucket, I thought it looked like there might be some intact kernels so when I was done, I ran it through the mill again and it looked very good. I see that the Barley Crusher comes with a factory gap setting of .39. I'm going to get some feeler gauges (I think my FIL has some) and adjust it properly to .40 or .41 or whatever setting I can use without issue but still get a good crush. Also, my guess is that the grain is simply expanding due to the conditioning and the old .39 gap is just not going to cut it with the kernels being slightly bloated.

[neddles]

I can't say I have noticed the grains expanding at all but it could be very slight I suppose. I have conditioned twice now and I do notice a decrease in the amount of dust on the mill afterward. Huge difference in the integrity of the husk. Maris Otter is always noticeably more intact than other grains I mill so I'll be curious to see how it looks after conditioning and milling.

[denny]

Okay, so I brewed last Saturday and I forgot to update this thread. I got everything ready, water filtered and heating, grains measured out and conditioned. I got my mill out, filled the hopper with all expectations pointed towards hassle-free milling. It didn't work. I tried a few things and it was simply not going to mill. So I adjusted the gap. I do not have any feeler gauges so I just barely nudged the rollers a little further apart with a flat head screwdriver. I tightened everything back up and I milled the grain with no trouble. As the grain was falling into the bucket, I thought it looked like there might be some intact kernels so when I was done, I ran it through the mill again and it looked very good. I see that the Barley Crusher comes with a factory gap setting of .39. I'm going to get some feeler gauges (I think my FIL has some) and adjust it properly to .40 or .41 or whatever setting I can use without issue but still get a good crush. Also, my guess is that the grain is simply expanding due to the conditioning and the old .39 gap is just not going to cut it with the kernels being slightly bloated.

 

Ken, why not just stop conditioning if it causes problems?

[neddles]

Ken, why not just stop conditioning if it causes problems?

Which do you think is more likey the problem.... malt conditioning or a heavily used Barley Crusher? My money is on the latter.

[denny]

Which do you think is more likey the problem.... malt conditioning or a heavily used Barley Crusher? My money is on the latter.

 

I'd bet on both.  If that Barley Crusher is worn out already, it seems like it must be a piece of crap.  I've been using my mill since before Ken began brewing and it still works great.

[positiveContact]

I'd guess I've made about 800 gallons of beer with my BC.  still going strong for now.

[HVB]

I'd bet on both.  If that Barley Crusher is worn out already, it seems like it must be a piece of crap.  I've been using my mill since before Ken began brewing and it still works great.

I have read a lot of people having issues with BC in the past.  I am not sure if they were all around the same tired period or what.  I have had my JSP for a long time and it still keeps on going.

[Big Nake]

Ken, why not just stop conditioning if it causes problems?

My strategy is to adjust the mill to take the conditioning into account. That way I can condition the malt (which I like the idea of... is it making a big difference in the beer? Not sure but I do like the reduced dust) and also have a working mill. The very small adjustment I made to the mill was all it took to get it to work beautifully and my conclusion was that the grain either expanded slightly or just the small amount of moisture made it so that the factory-set gap was too small. This way I get everything. My FIL also told me to come over to get his feeler gauges so I plan to set the mill to .40 or .41 (whatever it takes ) and then run my next conditioned grain bill through there and see how it goes... I'll adjust it to the lowest gap that will still mill the grain smoothly.

[positiveContact]

I thought one of the alleged benefits of malt conditioning was you could close the gap up and not pulverize the husks.

[neddles]

I thought one of the alleged benefits of malt conditioning was you could close the gap up and not pulverize the husks.

Its legit. Ill post up a pic next time I brew.

Edited by neddles, 28 September 2016 - 10:35 AM.

[positiveContact]

Its legit. Ill post up a pic next time I brew.

 

so why would ken have had to open up the gap is what I'm saying.  I would have also imagined that the moisture would help the rollers grab onto the kernel more effectively.

[neddles]

so why would ken have had to open up the gap is what I'm saying.  I would have also imagined that the moisture would help the rollers grab onto the kernel more effectively.

Based on what I have read over and over about barley crushers I would bet the knurl on Ken's rollers is not so good anymore. I mean, does anyone want to make the claim that Ken underuses his mill?

 

Also, not sure why a wet kernel would be more grippy with the rollers.

[positiveContact]

Based on what I have read over and over about barley crushers I would bet the knurl on Ken's rollers is not so good anymore. I mean, does anyone want to make the claim that Ken underuses his mill?

 

Also, not sure why a wet kernel would be more grippy with the rollers.

 

just a suspicion that it would have a better coefficient of friction so it would grab more readily.