Milling Grains - easy solution

[EricTheRed]

I don't have a grain mill, and for the price, i cannot justify spending the money on it. So i normally have it ground up by the supplier of the grain bill. However, not all of them offer a "grind my grain" service, so then you are sort of in the weeds.
I tried several different methods, (bashing, rolling pins, stick in a bucket, etc.) and then tried a good old blender.
4 cups of grain into the blender - max and let it rip - about 10 - 15 seconds and you have course flour.

6kg of grain takes less than 5 minutes to mill it up. I suspect that is a lot faster than a mill.
For reference, the blender we have is a Kenwood - part of the KMix lineup
Just thought i'd share

[Bushman]

I have a grain mill but when making gin the botanicals call for a grind but it is such a small amount of each that I use a coffee grinder and it also works great.

[Bee]

I've ground 50lb bags of whole corn in a blender. It works pretty well, took about 20 minutes roughly. But it dulls the blades. Luckily, the blender is a $10 thrift store pickup. You can buy a lot of used blenders for the cost of a grain mill!

[8Ball]

$30 corona knock off grain mill and a 1/2 inch corded drill makes short work of grain. Takes me longer to set up than to grind my 18 pound grain bills.

[Demy]

To use what you have available (with a bit of inventiveness) is something that I really appreciate but as soon as you can buy something acceptable ... there is no need to spend a fortune .. a "crown" mill (as mentioned From 8ball) I think it's the cheapest option and many use it even for beer. I built my mill with a washing machine engine, I couldn't spend money so I spent a lot time, I had to arrange with what I found but in the end it was a success. The electric blender will have a short life if you use it so often.

[Deplorable]

Nothing beats the gratification hand milling your corn in a 100-year-old mill you restored yourself.

37 pounds of corn takes me about half an hour milling it very course, then I run it again through the roller mill before I mill my small grains for the rest of the mash bill. a 50 pound mash bill takes me less than an hour total. It isn't fast, but it's a cool mill.

Before you wear out your blender, look for a Corona mill in the 2nd hand stores. If you get lucky you might come across an old mill like mine from a turn of the century general store.

[ThomasBrewer]

You may have issues if you intended to separate the grains from the wort before fermentation, but a very fine grind is going to give you better conversion. Different strokes for different folks. Have fun!

[Truckinbutch]

Nothing beats the gratification hand milling your corn in a 100-year-old mill you restored yourself.
image.png
37 pounds of corn takes me about half an hour milling it very course, then I run it again through the roller mill before I mill my small grains for the rest of the mash bill. a 50 pound mash bill takes me less than an hour total. It isn't fast, but it's a cool mill.

Before you wear out your blender, look for a Corona mill in the 2nd hand stores. If you get lucky you might come across an old mill like mine from a turn of the century general store.

I have my Grandfather's hand mill . The milling times you speak about tell me that you are much younger than me .
I'll stick with my Corona and power drill .

[Truckinbutch]

You may have issues if you intended to separate the grains from the wort before fermentation, but a very fine grind is going to give you better conversion. Different strokes for different folks. Have fun!

Agreed . Optimal conversion is the goal to get optimum product .

[cob]

Considering the replacement cost of that Kenwood KMx blender.

I would be looking far and wide for a dedicated grain mill.

[MihiT]

You can buy grain mill attachments for your k-beater. Bolt on to the lowspeed port at front. They're about $150 here so probably only $50 in the real world...

[EricTheRed]

You can buy grain mill attachments for your k-beater. Bolt on to the lowspeed port at front. They're about $150 here so probably only $50 in the real world...

not down here they aren't - if we can find them, which we can't, they cost the earth. We've tried to get several of the other attachments - not to be found.

the only grain mills i've seen, are cheap junk, or horrendously expensive (like as in more than the cost of my entire still setup) - importing not an option because of the weight.
and if you find a good one used, expect to pay through the nose - most of the used ones i've found are not worth their weight in scrap.
I can buy 10 decent blenders for the price of a half decent grain mill.!!

[Demy]

Nothing beats the gratification hand milling your corn in a 100-year-old mill you restored yourself.
image.png
37 pounds of corn takes me about half an hour milling it very course, then I run it again through the roller mill before I mill my small grains for the rest of the mash bill. a 50 pound mash bill takes me less than an hour total. It isn't fast, but it's a cool mill.

Before you wear out your blender, look for a Corona mill in the 2nd hand stores. If you get lucky you might come across an old mill like mine from a turn of the century general store.

It's spectacular! I understand you, something that recalls the craftsmanship.

[Deplorable]

Nothing beats the gratification hand milling your corn in a 100-year-old mill you restored yourself.
image.png
37 pounds of corn takes me about half an hour milling it very course, then I run it again through the roller mill before I mill my small grains for the rest of the mash bill. a 50 pound mash bill takes me less than an hour total. It isn't fast, but it's a cool mill.

Before you wear out your blender, look for a Corona mill in the 2nd hand stores. If you get lucky you might come across an old mill like mine from a turn of the century general store.

I have my Grandfather's hand mill . The milling times you speak about tell me that you are much younger than me .
I'll stick with my Corona and power drill .

LOL. Don't get me wrong, I feel it afterwards. That's why I just mill the corn course, and run again through my drill powered roller mill.
The first 100# of dent corn I milled with it I milled to a medium fine meal, that was a lot of work.

[Expat]

Bought the cheapest corona mill on Amazon and replaced the handle with a hex bolt. That with my corded drill and a homer bucket cut to shape... and I've gone through hundreds of pounds of grain.

50lb to medium fine in about 7 minutes. Cheap and effective

[Deplorable]

There more ways to grind grain than there are ways to skin a cat.

[GDGeorge]

My answer to this dilemma involved a cheap grain mill, a KitchenAid mixer, a bolt and two nuts, some scrap wood, and a 3d printer. Once the part was printed, I cut the head off of a bolt that fit the mill and screwed it in. I didn't have to tap the part. I added the nuts to keep the bolt snugged up to the part and the mill. Ignore the washers-they're there for storage for now. I thought I might need them but haven't so far.

Best,
Jerry

[Bradster68]

I don't have a grain mill, and for the price, i cannot justify spending the money on it. So i normally have it ground up by the supplier of the grain bill. However, not all of them offer a "grind my grain" service, so then you are sort of in the weeds.
I tried several different methods, (bashing, rolling pins, stick in a bucket, etc.) and then tried a good old blender.
4 cups of grain into the blender - max and let it rip - about 10 - 15 seconds and you have course flour.
Milled Grains.jpg
6kg of grain takes less than 5 minutes to mill it up. I suspect that is a lot faster than a mill.
For reference, the blender we have is a Kenwood - part of the KMix lineup
Just thought i'd share

I was also thinking of purchasing a mill. But read lots of folk using blender. Good to know it doesn't turn to powder. (wich ifigured it would). Thanks for the info.

[OnceAlive]

Nothing beats the gratification hand milling your corn in a 100-year-old mill you restored yourself.

Coming from the woodworking world I have a knack for old forged tools and a seeing this! Man! That's a beauty! I'd be really proud to own and use such a nice mill... Especially if I would have restored it myself. Good job!

[Tummydoc]

I have a grain mill but when making gin the botanicals call for a grind but it is such a small amount of each that I use a coffee grinder and it also works great.

A magic bullet works great for gin botanicals, or grinding spices for cooking. Coffee grinder was a pain to clean since not immersible.

[General47]

If anyone wants to know, a cheap meat mincer will NOT mill grains...

there, there is a thing you now know.

[NormandieStill]

If anyone wants to know, a cheap meat mincer will NOT mill grains...

there, there is a thing you now know.

Thanks. That saves me an experiment... although you specifiy "cheap" and mine is an attachment to a Kenwood so I may end up testing it anyway. It only ever gets used on chickpeas at the minute.

[jonnys_spirit]

I use a mortar and pestle for botanicals in the under 100 grams range and the agristore grinder for corn and malts where I'll be grinding 100# at a time. I've got a hand/drill mill that I jank'd into a 5g bucket contraption for backup but that's a little sketchy and requires babysitting so I don't use it unless absolutely needed.

Cheers!
-j

[morefog]

$30 corona knock off grain mill and a 1/2 inch corded drill makes short work of grain. Takes me longer to set up than to grind my 18 pound grain bills.

^ That

[SmokyMtn]

Nothing beats the gratification hand milling your corn in a 100-year-old mill you restored yourself.
image.png
37 pounds of corn takes me about half an hour milling

Not gonna lie. The first time I seen it restored. I thought a hit and miss engine would be nice to pair with it.

[Deplorable]

Nothing beats the gratification hand milling your corn in a 100-year-old mill you restored yourself.
image.png
37 pounds of corn takes me about half an hour milling

Not gonna lie. The first time I seen it restored. I thought a hit and miss engine would be nice to pair with it.

Don't think I haven't been looking for one. I got lots of things I could use a hit and miss for.

[Demy]

If anyone wants to know, a cheap meat mincer will NOT mill grains...

there, there is a thing you now know.

Something that I tried so many years ago when I started with the beer .... resembles the "crown" but of course the final part is very different.

[Demy]

The first absolute mill I had was the "roller pasta machine", I striped the rollers to grip on the malt and worked for many years but not suitable for non-malted grains (very hard)