Should I get a Mill?

[MashBag]

I have to agree with the article. I think it is one of those marmite type questions that will keep forums busy for years

Food for though, flour for breadmaking is considered better if allowed to stand (mature) before making bread. Hmmm.

[Chris Brooks]

Wholemeal bread flour can taste sour if it is left to mature.

[MashBag]

Agreed, but that is many many months.

[Nashbrew]

I am use what I have kinda brewer.
More so since the first lockdown where I had to buy in bulkto keep brewing.
I have always bought crushed, it can usaally take around 6 months to use it all up. but results are still good IMHO.

[MashBag]

I am use what I have kinda brewer.

Me too.
I always buy crushed pale malt by the sack and then devide into 4kg airtight pales. Keeps well & evenly mixed. Also makes weighing in at brew time easier.

Works well for me.

[MashBag]

Wholemeal bread flour can taste sour if it is left to mature.

How long are you leaving it?

[Chris Brooks]

My flour does not stand for long as I bake bread every day, but....I think I better explain

We own a smallholding in France where we spend at least six months a year..more if possible. It is in the middle of nowhere about 35Km south of Poitiers. Our nearest neighbour is 1 Km away. I try to use or bring back all perishables before we come back to UK, but a few years ago I forgot about the flour.

So about six months later when we returned I used it to bake a loaf as I had not had time to go to Intermarche (French version of Tesco).

The white loaf was ok, but the wholemeal one was rank. The chickens had a feast that day.

[MashBag]

I have made chicken feed from wholemeal flour too - we crush our mash. Keeps best cold, I eat told its something to do with the oils in the 'whole' bit. I bake 8 loafs weekly.

Do you make a 100% wholemeal loaf? I only use it at 40%. Have you added dried, ground brewing grains. Fantastic.

[guypettigrew]

I have made chicken feed from wholemeal flour too - we crush our mash. Keeps best cold, I eat told its something to do with the oils in the 'whole' bit. I bake 8 loafs weekly.

Do you make a 100% wholemeal loaf? I only use it at 40%. Have you added dried, ground brewing grains. Fantastic.

Goodness, MB, Why so many?

Guy

[Chris Brooks]

I do a 100% wholemealabout once a fortnight, rest of the time I alternete between a 50/50 wholemeal and white and a white loaf. I would love to try adding some brewing grains, but cannot due to having diviculitus which precludes and seed or partial whole grain.

From what I recall the flour or grain undergoes some form of steam treatment otherwise the flour goes off in a couple of days. The process was perfected by Hovis (although they were not called that at the time). They did not bake the loaves, only made the flour, but all loaves baked from it had to be called Hovis. This only ended with the creation of the "National Loaf" when rationing was introduced in 1940. Although bread was not on ration you could only get brown bread. Compliments of Lord Sainsbury of grocer fame.

[MashBag]

I will have the man knows the know in my kitchen in 10.. Dropping off some flour . Was that the air beating Chorleywood method that destroyed real bread in the uk?

I never got enough rise on a wholemeal loaf... Tbh have up.

Dried brewing grains, ground to flour, @ 5-10% make an astonishing difference. One brew goes a long way. Happy to share some.. Pm me.