by Blake SandnesConsiderable Savings Using an RMS Brewing Grain Mill
Challenge
Remedy Brewing had an existing double-pair mill from RMS, but wasn’t achieving the grind consistency they needed for optimal performance and cost savings on materials.
Solution
RMS came on-site to provide training and education on mill operation, calibration, and maintenance, empowering brewery staff to achieve their target particle size for efficient performance and a high-quality final product.
Result
The company has dramatically improved brewhouse efficiency, reduced material waste, and now saves thousands of dollars annually with their RMS mill.
Overview:
In craft brewing, efficiency and consistency are key to success. Just ask Tyler Wasberg, the Director of Brewing Operations at Remedy Brewing in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. As the second-largest brewery in the state, Remedy Brewing recently discovered the immense impact a properly calibrated brewing grain mill can have on their operations with RMS equipment and support.
Problem:
Remedy Brewing already had a 9×6 double-pair mill from RMS that was working fine, but Tyler knew improvements could be made.
“We suspected that we were able to make improvements to the mill because the grind was too fine. That was hurting our runoff performance, slowing down the brew day, and making much more work for me and my assistant brewer.”
“It wasn’t necessarily that there was anything wrong, rather that there was an opportunity to make a huge improvement to our process and increase consistency and save a lot of money,” says Tyler.
Solution:
After taking over the Director of Brewing Operations position at Remedy Brewing, Tyler called RMS to help optimize their milling process.
“We called and had someone from RMS come and train us on calibration and maintenance of the mill. He took the time to walk us through everything, how it works, how to zero and parallel, and how to maintain the mill.”
This training session proved to be a game-changer for Remedy Brewing. Armed with new knowledge and skills, they began conducting grind analysis for every batch of beer. The results were impressive.
Results:
“We were able to improve our brewhouse efficiency by 5-6%, which is pretty huge for us,” Tyler explains. “That meant we were using quite a bit less grain. Year over year, about 7,500-8,000 pounds less. So just for one brand, we saved over $3,000 worth of materials.”
But the benefits of adjusting their grain brewing equipment didn’t stop there. Tyler notes, “We’re saving much more than that when you take into account all of our other malt usage.”
When asked about the RMS mill itself, Tyler says, “It works great. The customer support has been really fantastic and really, really helpful. It’s nice to have somebody I can call and ask questions.”
He also appreciates the additional support RMS provides: “RMS has even had somebody stop by briefly at the end of their day and give advice on the mill.” Tyler adds, “RMS has a lot of good online resources, too,” referring to machine calibration and maintenance information.
To put the impact of the RMS brewing grain mill into perspective, Remedy Brewing shares these numbers:
- They produce about 3,000 barrels per year
- Roughly 65% of their beer is their Queen Bee Imperial Cream Ale
- For this beer alone, they reduced usage by ~100 pounds of grain per batch
- This 5-6% reduction (mostly in base malt) equals savings of $50/batch
- With 50 batches per year, that’s $3,000 saved on just one beer
Explore Your Brewing Grain Mill Options With RMS
The story of Remedy Brewing shows that investing in a quality brewing grain mill and proper training can lead to significant improvements in efficiency and cost savings. For craft breweries looking to optimize their operations, a well-calibrated brew grain mill might just be the secret ingredient to success.
Contact RMS Roller-Grinder today to explore your grain mill equipment and support options and get the performance, support, and efficiency you need to thrive in the craft brewing industry.
