6 Best Grain Mills For Brewing Beer

If you’re a homebrewer, picking the right grain mill is a critical decision for you. And even though investing in mills can be expensive, it’s crucial to achieving great-quality and consistent brews every single time!

Grain mills should be functional, highly efficient, high-quality, and built to last. Keeping all these qualities in mind, we’ve listed our top picks to help you make the right choice.  

So let’s belly up to the bar!

The Best Grain Mills for Brewing Beer

1. FERRODAY Stainless Steel 2 Roller Malt Mill Homebrew Grain Crusher

Best Features: Large capacity, powerful knurls and adjustable clearance, strong drill mode

If you like brewing large amounts of fabulous beer, this is the perfect grain mill for handling large batches. Because of its hopper volume, consistent quality, and excellent throughput, this grain grinder is a popular choice amongst home brewers. The upgraded thicker hopper is ideal for malt, wheat, and barley. The design includes two 5” rollers to efficiently grind the grain to achieve a fineness that’s ideal for your homebrew. It also has a secure drill mode that allows you to attach an electric drill and make grinding easier. The high-quality product is undoubtedly a winner, and is highly recommended!

2. Monster Brewing Hardware MM3 Monster 3 Roller Mill with Base and Hopper

Best Features: Heavy-duty triple-roller homebrew mill, ideal for grinding large batches, maximum mash efficiency at any volume

The heavy-duty homebrew mill has a three-roller design to help you achieve the perfect crush size in less time. This mill is a premium product made from high-quality material and finish that offers maximum efficiency even at large volumes. This grain mill is for homebrewers who demand more control and consistency over the grinding process. This model features an 11 lb hopper, which you can upgrade to a total of 39 lb with an optional extension. The grain mill is built to last, so you get great value for your money.  

3. Homebrewers Outpost  Mill710 MaltMuncher 3 Roller Grain Mill

Best Features: Rust-free aluminum body, three-roller mill for maximum efficiency, strong drill mode

Featuring a 12 lb hopper, this crank handle grain miller is one of the best products you can get your hands on for brewing beer. The 3-roller mill also comes with a power drill option so you can power the mill when you get tired. The adjustable roller gap allows you the flexibility to fine-tune the grain to your exact needs.

4. Roots & Branches Deluxe Grain Mill

Best Features: Ideal for small batch dry grains, front dial for adjusting fineness, can be used with an optional motor

If you’re looking for a more compact grain mill, this one by Roots & Branches is a top contender. It’s perfect as a home mill and for small-batch beer brewing. The simple-to-use tool can grind wheat, barley, rice, and other small grains. Adjust the grind to your preference using the front dial and achieve just the right crush size for your brew. This super-efficient grinding mill can hold up to 4 ½ cups of grain and accepts a motor for powered grinding.  

5. Northern Brewer Hullwrecker 2-Roller Grain Mill with Metal Base and Handle

Best Features: Super make using only high-quality materials, adjustable roller gap with sealed roller bearings, ergonomic comfort-grip crank handle

This one is atop pick for expert-level brewers. This heavy-duty product is built to last and offer great value for money. If you’re a beer brewing enthusiast, this grain mill won’t disappoint you. This model can easily manage up to 7 lbs of grain at a time and features an ergonomic handle to perform the task with ease. It also includes a drill option so you can relieve your arms and automate the process. The adjustable rollers are another plus that makes this product such a hit with homebrewers.

6. MRBrew Malt Crusher, 2 Bearing Rollers Grain Mill with Wooden Base for Homebrew

Best Features: High capacity and excellent efficiency, rugged bearing rollers with adjustable gap option, two grinding modes

This one’s a complete package that offers high-efficiency grinding for brewing. This model is made from industrial grade stainless steel, and the adjustable rollers can be adjusted to 1” of the gap to give the desired density of grain. The large hopper can hold up to 7 lb at a time and can give you the right crush size in just two rounds within 10 minutes. Make grinding a breeze with this high-quality product designed to perfection with all of its amazing features.

Buyer’s Guide

Here’s more information to help you make the right choice about buying the best grain mill for brewing beer.

Why Milling Your Own Grain for Beer is a Great Idea

If you’re wondering if it is even worth it to mill your own grain for beer, here are all the reasons we think you should:

Save money

While buying a grain mill can be a significant investment, but that’s the one-off amount you will pay to save money in the long run. Most homebrew supply shops charge a lot of money for crushing grains. You can avoid all of these extra costs by getting your own grain mill.

Retain Maximum Freshness

Do not compromise on the quality of your beer and stick to brewing with the freshest ingredients. One of the best ways to guarantee that is if you do it by yourself. Instead of purchasing pre-milled grain, just mill your own grain and brew it right away to retain maximum freshness.

More Control on Your Recipe

Enjoy more control over your beer recipe and its quality by using the amount of grain you need by milling it yourself. This way, you can also avoid using excessive crystal malt and other grains with flavors and stick to a recipe that you love the most.

Schedule Your Own Brew Day

Milling your own grain also allows you to adjust your brewing schedule. To achieve the best flavors, you can always grind the day you are planning to brew.

Features to Look For in a Great Grain Mill

Check out for these features in the best grain mill to make a smart choice.

Quality of Material

Rollers are often made from hardened steel to crush the grain well. Some models will feature stainless steel to offer better protection against corrosion. If you live in a coastal or damp region, choosing the latter option will be better.

Quantity of Rollers

A two-roller mill can do the job just fine in two rounds as per the gap you adjust and the crush size your desire. However, a three-roller mill would do the same in one go by passing the grain through two different gaps. The first would break the husks of the grain while the second grind the grits. Pick one depending on how much grain you need to crush at a time.

Hopper and Base

The capacity of the mill depends on the hopper. The available models can hold anywhere between 10 and 40 pounds of grain. Pick a product according to your need. Also, a strong wooden base provides a sturdy platform to hold everything in place during the milling process.

FAQs

1. What’s the right way to clean a grain mill?

Here are the basic steps for cleaning your grain mill:

• Unplug your grain mill if you have a motor-driven model.
• Use a lint-free cloth and wipe away the dust on the exterior.
• Remove the roller plates and hopper.
• Blow the parts and the base with compressed air and wipe everything with a dry cloth.

2. What’s the best way to mill your own grain for beer?

Check out this video to learn how to mill grain for beer: