Question about crushing grains

Mashing
1

I have done 7 extract kits with good success. A friend has given me an ingredient kit and the grains are not crushed. I don’t have a crusher. The instructions that came with the kit say to use a rolling pin to crush the grains.

So my questions: How do i best crush these grains? How fine? Is a rolling pin with the grains in a zip lock a good approach?

Any hints are welcome! Thanks!

2

It will work but take you quite a long time. If all you are doing is steeping them for an extract brew I would think you really only need to crack the husk.

You might be better off heading to your LHBS and asking to use their crusher. Maybe buy a pack of US-05 while you’re there just so you aren’t freeloading

3

Crush them in a zip lock like you suggested. They’ll be fine. Go as little or as much as you feel like, it’ll still be fine. Here’s roughly what you are looking for in the end after the crushing process.

4

Thanks for the comments, guys. Unfortunately my LHBS is not so “local” - about 150 miles away… I think i’ll just get after it with a rolling pin and zip lock bag.

Thanks for the illustration, MullerBrau.

5

I found a coffee grinder worked better than a rolling pin. There is a lot of comments out there that you should NOT grind your grains, you should crush them. But if you are steeping in a bag, I don’t think there is any issue. If you don’t have a coffee grinder, a blender will work. Just pulse the grain till it gets sort of close to what Mullerbrau’s picture is like.

6

Do steeping grains need to be crushed? I only did a few extract/specialty grain brews before going AG but I don’t remember the grains being crushed and I certainly didn’t crush em.

7

Yes. If they are not crushed, there is a lot less surface area and you won’t extract as much from them.

8

Use your blender! Works great. See instructions here:

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=67843&p=622858&hilit=blender#p622858
9

I actually think Dave was a brewing monk in a previous life. What did you use before electricity dude?

10

Thanks guys. I was thinking of using my food processor and just giving the grains a pulse or two. Looks like that is a reasonable option - thanks, Dave for the link to your “blender” post.

11

I have used my Ninja blender with good results.