Grain Mills

Before any all-grain brewing can start, brewers know that their homebrewing grains need to be milled or broken down into tiny pieces before the grains are soaked in hot water to release the malt sugars. The grain mill allows you to crack the grains yet still leave the grain husks intact. A good grain mill should not grind the entire grains; doing so will give you a porridge-like consistency that can make it challenging to lauter the end product. Reliable grain mills should produce particles between the size of 0.035 and 0.042 inches to allow good fluid flow for the lautering process.

There is a science behind the grain husks. They are essential in achieving excellent lauter. The grain bed forms a filter from the grain material and husk. The latter prevents the grain bed from settling below, allowing the water to flow through the grain bed.

As a homebrewer, you have an option to buy pre-crushed grains, but if you want to retain the freshness and full flavour of the grain, crushing your whole grains is the best option. If you plan on milling whole grains, it requires that you invest in your very own grain mill. Not only will the flavour of your beer be enhanced, but over time you can also save money compared to buying milled grains.