Mill Gap Setting

[juliobrewer]

What type of mill are you using?

Dave Woodward
Tofino Brewing Co.

[Bainbridge]

No doubt. I mean, we adjust the mill, toss a few handfuls in, adjust, more grain, adjust, etc. then compare the grind of all of them separately looking for uncracked kernels, exploded husks, lots of flour, etc. Use of the sorting screens is new to me, so we've got them on order. I know all about the recommendations from the brewing institutes, just wondering if people actually follow them... I'm just looking for tips and tricks, and seeing what everyone else is up to. And I read the forums. Doesn't mean that's the End of All Available Knowledge. Maybe someone who didn't post four years ago has something to contribute?

[gitchegumee]

Lots of information already posted on this subject. Many different opinions and great ideas. Usually the brewing basics--like mill adjustment--have been covered over and over. Seek and you shall find....

[porter]

Solder through

We check our mill gap setting every quarter by running 2" long pieces of solder through it and measuring it with digital calipers.

My ideal gap measured this way is at 1.6mm. We get brewhouse efficiency of around 88% for most beers.

[kai]

I'm the only one who regularly (OK, occasionally) runs screens in our brewery, but to be honest, my ideal crush size is simply the point half a step before lautering goes to hell.

[lhall]

It's tough to use feeler gauges, since there is play in the bearings. One way to check is to run a soft piece of metal, like solder, through the mill and measure its thickness with calipers.

But the best way is to buy or borrow a set of sieves.

[Bainbridge]

Hey folks! Recently had a spate of low O.G.'s and we figure our mill has become set too far apart. Getting some poorly cracked kernels. Maybe a rock got in there, or it moved over time, because it was working fine before. Anyhow, wondering what you all set yours at using feeler gauges. Looks like it's at 52 hundredths right now (1.32 mm), I was thinking lower it 45 (1.14 mm) or so?

Also got a sifter pan incoming shortly just to add another checkpoint. Wondering what you all like your proportions at? (EBC, ASBC not withstanding).