Milling about and about Mills

[Michael]

As mentioned in another thread, I am thinking pretty hard about buying a mill for myself. As such, I am hoping you more experienced brewers can answer the following:

1) What of mill would you buy if you had to do it all over again. (Assuming you bought yours)

2) Do three roller vs. two roller mills make any difference? If so, is the difference worth the additional cost?

3) Do you know of any mills made locally, or is it best to go ahead and order one from the US?

4) Who makes the best mill for the home brewer on a budget?

Thanks in advance!

[denimglen]

1) Barley crusher - it's what I have and I'm really happy with it, but I've never heard anything bad about the 'big three', crankandstein, monstermills and barley crusher.

2) Mines only got two and seems to do the job fine, can't comment personally on the three rollers but seems like a little overkill to me.

3) Don't know of any, but I think a couple people on here DIY'd them.

4) Which ever of the three main manufacturers I mentioned above gives you the best deal.

[jt]

I'm surprised only one reply after 5 hours - everyone on holiday ?

Stu swears by the mill he used - schmindling or something

Check out Toot's pasta roller mill and also the marga mills that craft brewer modify & resell.

But final word, as DG says above 4) Which ever of the three main manufacturers I mentioned above gives you the best deal., they're made for the job and you want it to last

[Horace]

If you can afford too and it is an option stainless rollers would be a good idea. Unless of course you are extremely dilligent about you storage conditions. I found that mine went rusty after a period of disuse. Monster and Crankandstien are (I think) essentially the same.

[jt]

Monster and Crankandstien

Didn't Fred Francis leave Cranks and start Monster ?

[martin w]

crankenstein seem to be cheaper to me, there rollers are also geared so both turn at the same time wheras monsters rely on the grain to spin the second roller-how much difference it makes i can't say but its one of the few differences i can spot.

i've almost finished the hopper for my budget mill-a $29 trade me pasta roller! i roughed up the rollers a bit, the rollers are small and they crush only on the 2 widest settings but it seems to be enough with the couple of trial crushes i've done.

video to follow hopefully!

[Reviled]

Monster mill IMO, good price if you get two of them (go halves with someone?), big 2" rollers and its never failed me once...

Other than that ive used the barley crusher which was really good, but priced them up when I was looking at getting my monster and it was gonna cost me more?? Go figure...