Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Mill right on the floor next to the MT

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Mill right on the floor next to the MT

    My understanding that an enclosed mill room to keep dust away from everything else is important - yet I've been to a few well-respected breweries where the mill is out on the floor right next to the MT.

    Is this OK? To be avoided? What say y'all?

  • #2
    My understanding, from talking with the QC director at Karl Strauss is that the number 1 cause of lacto in the brewhouse is mill dust. He absolutely recommends isolating it, although many don't.
    Mike Hess
    Proprietor/CBO
    Mike Hess Brewing Co., LLC
    Back to Back World Beer Cup Gold Award winners
    (Rye and Kolsch)
    est 2010

    Comment


    • #3
      I agree.
      Put in a different room. Too big of a bacterial risk! It doesn't matter if other breweries don't do it. They may have other reasons why. Don't do it!

      Prost!
      Dave
      Glacier Brewing Company
      406-883-2595
      info@glacierbrewing.com

      "who said what now?"

      Comment


      • #4
        I'd say the biggest reason why a brewery might not do it is due to money and space restrictions.

        If I could afford to do it, I would. If I couldn't afford the enclosed room, then I'd at least try to keep mill dust under control. If I couldn't keep it under control, I'd at least try to keep it away from the brewhouse and the cellar...

        Comment


        • #5
          Isn't keeping it away from the cellar the main consideration? I don't think the dust getting on the brewhouse (other than maybe the heat exchanger) would be that much of an issue?

          Originally posted by kai
          I'd say the biggest reason why a brewery might not do it is due to money and space restrictions.

          If I could afford to do it, I would. If I couldn't afford the enclosed room, then I'd at least try to keep mill dust under control. If I couldn't keep it under control, I'd at least try to keep it away from the brewhouse and the cellar...

          Comment


          • #6
            Well, yeah. I nearly edited to say that

            dust in the mash tun - no biggie
            dust in the kettle - also probably no biggie
            in the whirlpool or the hopback - I'd avoid
            in the fermenter - probably not a good idea
            in the filler - sour ale, yes please?

            I guess what I was trying to say that if you want to play the odds, then containing the dust is probably a good idea. We don't have a contained room for our mill, but we do for our fermenters.

            Comment


            • #7
              We have a mill in the brewhouse area and have never had an issue. We send a sample from every batch produced to a third party lab and have never had any funky results (knock on wood). Of course, objects shift during flight and one size never fits all.

              Beaux Bowman
              Black Raven Brewing

              Comment


              • #8
                Thanks gents. I too think it's best to play it safe and keep the mill contained.

                Is there a link or can anyone outline what the specs should be for a proper mill room (apparently it should adhere to some sort of explosion code?) I did a search and didn't find any info...

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by fastricky
                  Thanks gents. I too think it's best to play it safe and keep the mill contained.

                  Is there a link or can anyone outline what the specs should be for a proper mill room (apparently it should adhere to some sort of explosion code?) I did a search and didn't find any info...
                  I built a small (7'x12) room with 2x10 walls and ceiling. It has an "explosion proof" light fixture with the switch on the exterior of the room. The switch turns on the light and turns on the make-up air fan. We have an industrial fan that pulls air out of the room and fresh air is sucked in passively through another vent thereby venting the grain dust out. These were all requirements from the State of Montana for controlling grain dust. At least they were when we got started.

                  Prost!
                  Dave
                  Glacier Brewing Company
                  406-883-2595
                  info@glacierbrewing.com

                  "who said what now?"

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Thanks Dave! - Rich

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Different Strokes

                      We use bagged grain and we built an enclosed mill room for our little brewpub (5 barrel system), then ran our grain auger through one of the walls and up to the mash tun. We had powered ventilation, etc. For our environment, it was a total wast of space and money.... unless the person feeding the mill just likes to create dust by overzealous handling, you simply don't need all that jazz. All you need to do is place the open end of the bag into the mill hopper and slip the bag off the grain, letting it flow right into the hopper. This eliminates 98% of the dust and adds no time to the process.

                      Handling bulk grain would be very different, and I would think having a mill room would be more appropriate.

                      I just wanted to save folks from having to spend time and money solving a problem that may not need to be solved if they are using bagged grain. It's a matter of solving the problem by establishing a process and training employees, or spending money so you can hire monkeys ;-)

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        We have our grain mounted to a workbench with casters. We roll in outside and close the garage door.



                        After milling, I take an air compressor to it and blow everything down and wipe it off before it comes back in. That kind of dust in a damp brewery would be a nightmare.
                        Chris Enegren
                        www.enegrenbrewing.com

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Chris,

                          How quickly can this Roppi 250 mill a 50 lb bag?

                          Brian

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Roppi 250 is about 4 minutes a bag. Depending on how close your rollers are, natch.

                            Comment

                            Working...
                            X