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"HomeBrewWest":21cl7xf5 wrote: Which crankenstein mill is it? They do 5 homebrew versions.[/quote:21cl7xf5]

There'd probably be demand for a few different types. Some people would probably want the entry model. I'd be tempted to go for the 2D or 3D as it's probably an item you only have to purchase once.

Coming at this slightly sideways but....

Does crushing your own malt really make a difference to taste or is it just that it lasts longer? I'm all bout taste (why i got into Homebrewing) and hate my beer to be messed about with (like pasteurising and adding sulphites etc)... but I've never seen the benefit to crushing my own grain, particularly with the outlay needed (whether is €100 or €250)... I crush my own pears (and make perry) that I get, coz I grew the raw materials... but it's the same grain right?

Can any of the beersmiths put the argument of homecrushing to me? I'm open to it but I'm scratching my head...

The 2A is the cheapest adjustable mill, the 2D is easier to adjust so I went for that. I wouldn't get hung up on that though, I haven't adjusted mine since I bought it a couple of years ago, mainly due to the fact I've never bought uncrushed wheat. If you're switching between wheat and barley a lot you may find it the quicker adjustment to be beneficial. Likewise if you want to play around with different settings to see how it affects the crush and whether it makes a difference to your efficiency. I find the factory setting works fine for me.

"Felini":2t9k53h2 wrote: Coming at this slightly sideways but....

Does crushing your own malt really make a difference to taste or is it just that it lasts longer? I'm all bout taste (why i got into Homebrewing) and hate my beer to be messed about with (like pasteurising and adding sulphites etc)... but I've never seen the benefit to crushing my own grain, particularly with the outlay needed (whether is €100 or €250)... I crush my own pears (and make perry) that I get, coz I grew the raw materials... but it's the same grain right?

Can any of the beersmiths put the argument of homecrushing to me? I'm open to it but I'm scratching my head...[/quote:2t9k53h2]

The differences are 1) uncrushed grain is cheaper to buy and 2) you're using fresher ingredients in your brew as you're only crushing the grain as it is needed.

"Felini":g8fsoq1p wrote: Coming at this slightly sideways but....

Does crushing your own malt really make a difference to taste or is it just that it lasts longer? I'm all bout taste (why i got into Homebrewing) and hate my beer to be messed about with (like pasteurising and adding sulphites etc)... but I've never seen the benefit to crushing my own grain, particularly with the outlay needed (whether is €100 or €250)... I crush my own pears (and make perry) that I get, coz I grew the raw materials... but it's the same grain right?

Can any of the beersmiths put the argument of homecrushing to me? I'm open to it but I'm scratching my head...[/quote:g8fsoq1p]
I think the benefits can be overstated. Many forums (particularly in the US) lead you to believe that crushed grain has a very short shelf life but in my experience it's exaggerated. The darker grains in particular seem to have quite a long shelf life.

The main benefit from my perspective is if you buy your grain in larger amounts like the 25kg sacks, as opposed to ordering small amounts regularly. By only crushing what you need when you're brewing the uncrushed malt lasts a very long time. If you're ordering crushed grain regularly from a good supplier with a decent turnover then I wouldn't worry about it. On the other hand some of the grain you buy from the shops that specialise primarily in kits doesn't look the best to me. Specifically I'm talking about the Youngs brand grains.

The price differential from homebrew shops is minimal. Most charge the same for crushed/uncrushed grain. However having a mill means you're equipped to take advantage of opportunities to order from the maltsters direct. You'll see a few 'bulk buying' threads on the forum relating to group buys of grain.

I think this thread is wandering a bit !!

The original post from homebrewwest was to offer uncrushed graind AND also supply the mills to those who needed them.

Some of us already have the mills and would welcome some extra choice when it comes to bulk unmilled grains.

Sureley HBW can offer both?

Happy Milling

Will