Opinion on grain crush…

Nails111

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I just got a Monster Mill 3 roller grain mill for Christmas. I set the roller gap to .040 using a feeler gauge. What is your opinion on the crush? The reason I am asking is because it looks a lot finer than the grain crush from my LHBS. If this is about right, then maybe my low efficiency (64%) is due to a coarse crush that I have been using. Thanks for you thoughts and opinions. (If it helps, my mash-tun is a 10 gal cooler with a false bottom. )

I’m brewing tomorrow, so I’ll see what happens with my efficiency…should be interesting.
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I just got a Monster Mill 3 roller grain mill for Christmas. I set the roller gap to .040 using a feeler gauge. What is your opinion on the crush? The reason I am asking is because it looks a lot finer than the grain crush from my LHBS. If this is about right, then maybe my low efficiency (64%) is due to a course crush that I have been using. Thanks for you thoughts and opinions. (If it helps, my mash-tun is a 10 gal cooler with a false bottom. )

I’m brewing tomorrow, so I’ll see what happens with my efficiency…should be interesting.
View attachment 18771
No whole kernels. Tick
Husks not shredded to pieces. Tick

I've mashed much finer than that but I BIAB.

I think you'll get a lovely lauter with that crush
And yes I think you'll get better efficiency if it's finer.
Beauty about your own mill is brew when you want and ability to buy grain in bulk unmilled = better storage for longer
 
No whole kernels. Tick
Husks not shredded to pieces. Tick

I've mashed much finer than that but I BIAB.

I think you'll get a lovely lauter with that crush
And yes I think you'll get better efficiency if it's finer.
Beauty about your own mill is brew when you want and ability to buy grain in bulk unmilled = better storage for longer
Great, thanks for your help. I just bought a 55 pound sack of Thomas Fawcett Maris Otter for my first bulk purchase.
 
That crush looks good to me, though I am a BIAB brewer and my crush is usually finer than that. The lhbs does the crush for me, and I let them know it is for BIAB process. I average about 80% efficiency, for what that is worth.
Good for you on getting and using your own mill. Brew on!
 
That is about what mine usual looks like and I get in the middle 80s most times.

I have found that a little trial and error helps too. See what this does and decide if you want to change it. Efficiency goes up with a finer crush, but one stuck sparge is enough to make you go bigger lol
 
Thanks for all the replies. So, the results are in. Using that grain crush, I brewed a MO SMaSH beer today. Before today, my normal batch sparge efficiency was about 64%. For this brew, my efficiency shot way up to 80%.(The highest I have ever gotten was 75% one time while fly sparging.) Pretty crazy stuff. Also, no stuck sparge, either. So, I’ll leave the roller gap where it is, for now. Now to see if my efficiency is consistent. Thanks again.
 
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Thanks for all the replies. So, the results are in. Using that grain crush, I brewed a MO SMaSH beer today. Before today, my normal batch sparge efficiency was about 64%. For this brew, my efficiency shot way up to 80%.(The highest I have ever gotten was 75% one time while fly sparging.) Pretty crazy stuff. Also, no stuck sparge, either. So, I’ll leave the roller gab where it is, for now. Now to see if my efficiency is consistent. Thanks again.
Good on you! An Imperial Smash! ;) Good luck with it.

Curious, what hops did you use?
 
I did a split batch. I wanted to see what the difference was between Fuggles and EKG.

The ESB I brewed yesterday had 10 minute Fuggles and Whirlpool EKG. I was toying with using the same hop for both. So I am definitely interested in your results.
 
Thanks for all the replies. So, the results are in. Using that grain crush, I brewed a MO SMaSH beer today. Before today, my normal batch sparge efficiency was about 64%. For this brew, my efficiency shot way up to 80%.(The highest I have ever gotten was 75% one time while fly sparging.) Pretty crazy stuff. Also, no stuck sparge, either. So, I’ll leave the roller gap where it is, for now. Now to see if my efficiency is consistent. Thanks again.
Nice!
 
I did a split batch. I wanted to see what the difference was between Fuggles and EKG.

Fuggles....love me that "dirt" ester! Let's hear what your tasters say...EKG has it too...just more understated to me! And the crush looks good to me too!
 
Your crush looks great! Just went from a 2 roll mill to a 3 roll monster mill, what an amazing mill!!
 

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