The Brewstillery Mill: How It Works

With spirits becoming more popular, brewers are looking for ways to expand their offerings to customers by getting into distilling. Although the brewing and distilling processes share some similarities, they also have their fundamental differences.Meanwhile, increasing competition makes it difficult for companies to justify buying the separate machines for crushing and milling processes.

However, producers today no longer have to worry about purchasing separate machines to make both brewing and distilling possible. RMS Roller-Grinder offers a brewstillery mill, allowing companies to make both beer and spirits with an investment in just one machine. The best part? Existing RMS mills can be retrofitted to become brewstillery mills.

Here, we talk with Vice President of Sales Blake Sandnes and Sales Engineer Andy Bryan at RMS Roller-Grinder to better understand the brewstillery mill and how it works.

What Is a Brewstillery Mill?

“A brewstillery mill is a roller mill designed so that you can do both a crack, like brewers use on malted barley, or you can use it as a grinder mill to get a finer product out for the distiller’s requirements,” says Andy.

The mill is different from typical brewing equipment or distilling equipment because the rolls are able to operate at different speed differentials. A brewer’s mill needs to crush the grain, which requires all the rolls to go at the same speed. However, a distillery mill needs to mill the grain finer.

In order to do that well, the rolls would have to go different speeds–about 1-1.5 times faster than the other. Typically, accomplishing that task requires the utilization of two distinct machines.

The other option would be to change the roller mill’s pulleys and belts, but that is a time-consuming process that many breweries and distilleries don’t have the time or capability to do. A mill designed for both brewing and distilling makes the process simple.

This image illustrates an undesirable outcome caused by employing a “grinding setup” on the rolls where they operate at varying speeds. The resulting barley is ground finer, and its husks exhibit increased damage and shredding. This condition could lead to a stuck mash in the mash vessel, resulting in poor drainage of the wort.

In the brewstillery mill, the crack setting ensures that the rolls rotate at a uniform speed, producing a specific outcome. As a result, the barley undergoes coarse cracking, preserving most of the husks. This configuration creates an ideal filtering medium within the mash vessel.

In this scenario, the rolls are rotating at an identical pace, resulting in an unsatisfactory outcome attributable to employing a “crack setup” on the rolls. The corn appears coarsely ground, with certain pieces crimped rather than fractured. This situation would lead to significantly diminished efficiency or hindered sugar conversion within the cooker.

This is the grind setting on the brewstillery mill where rolls are turning at different speeds. This setting optimizes the desired result, creating a finer corn grind. The finer grind enhances efficiency and maximizes sugar conversion during the distilling process.

How to Make Your Mill a Brewstillery Mill

All the mills that RMS has manufactured previously came out of the factory with a 1:1 drive ratio, which means the rolls spin at the same speeds. However, brewers and distillers now have the option to purchase a brewstillery mill, which has the option to do both as a piece of new equipment.

If you have an existing RMS mill, we have a retrofit option that allows brewery mills to be converted to a machine that can handle the crush and milling capabilities required for both brewing and distilling. The retrofit options allow brewers and distillers to select between crush and mill via a selector switch.

The retrofit kit includes:

• A larger motor
• A variable frequency drive (VFD)
• A choke plate

This kit allows brewers and distillers to ensure that the different grains that go in the mill, including corn, rye, wheat, or barley, will be milled or crushed for the appropriate application.

What Makes a Brewstillery Mill the Best Solution for Brewers or Distillers Wanting to Do Both?

In order to be able to produce the highest quality crushed or milled grain, achieving the right roll speeds is crucial. The key lies in the ability to adjust roll speeds and differentials to obtain the desired crush or mill profile. This variable plays a significant role in determining the quality of the final product.

A brewstillery mill is the best solution for brewers and distillers wanting to use one machine for both product lines. RMS Roller-Grinder lets you maintain high quality for all your products, delivering each machine with USA-made mills, premium components, and simple maintenance.

Contact RMS Roller-Grinder to Learn More

If you’re interested in getting set up with a brewstillery mill, the best thing to do is contact us and we’ll answer your questions and help you get set up. Every application is different, and we want yours to be as efficient and high-quality as possible. Contact RMS Roller-Grinder today.