Whole vs Precrushed Malts

[Saisonator]

!
Dont know about every day but apparently "yes"
https://www.breadexperience.com/home-milling/

That's a web site selling milling equipment.

I would bet you would struggle to find a local bakers with it's own milling equipment.

 

[Cwrw666]

I bought a grain mill after I accidently ordered a 25K bag of whole instead of crushed.
I'll never go back to buying crushed - the jump in efficiency was huge. Also with 25K of pre-crushed I noticed a big difference in efficiency between the first brew and the last brew.
I've never calculated my efficiency but with pre-crushed I used to get 5 brews from a bag of pale malt. With whole grain I get 6 and sometimes even 7.

 

[simon12]

Do commercial breweries crush their own grain?

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I don't remember seeing one in any brewery I have visited but was never looking out for one, i'm going to pig & porter brewery in Tunbridge Wells in a few hours will let you know if they do.

 

[Sadfield]

Me neither.

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[Covrich]

Bakers and breweries are making every day though with a consistent method. A Home brewer may use a different method and may brwe once a month (some more some less)

 

[Sadfield]

Bakers and breweries are making every day though with a consistent method. A Home brewer may use a different method and may brwe once a month (some more some less)

True. However, a sack of grain used over a 6-8 month period would still be within the manufacturers Best Before recommendation and good to use, providing it is stored correctly.

I seriously doubt anyones ability to detect the difference in one brew from fresh grain and one from year old crush, when seasonal differences and all brewing variables are considered.

The only real need for a Grain Mill is if you want to tailor your crush to your own equipment. Then it comes down to an efficiency saving versus time spent crushing grain and cost of a grain mill.



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[Covrich]

Maybe maybe not, there are many factors and yes it is hard to quantify, tailored crush is a factor I take into consideration but also storage.. can I for sure store crushed grain for 6 months without knowing for sure some form of oxidation has not taken place?? some of my specialty malts I won't use again for many many months..

I don't get to brew often so when I do I want to put every effort to ensure I get the best results and whilst I do find it a little chore a fresh fine crush is key to that for me..

I think it is one of them things do what works for you..

 

[simon12]

I can now confirm Pig & porter brewery don't have a grain mill. I can also say from experience if you get 25Kg sacks of crisp malt from Charles Faram it will have been milled in the last 2 weeks so I imagine if you order from crisp its milled a day or 2 before delivery. Interestingly Pig and Porter are switching from Warminster Maris Otter to Simpsons malt despite they think Warminster is the best they find its inconsistent in efficiency though they think its the barley not the crush. Personally I never found older crushed grain to drop efficiency but the no of people who say they have a massive gain after getting a grain mill there must be something in it, most likely they get a better crush.