As consumers, we face a dizzying array of options in today’s marketplaces. There are thousands of options available to the flour-buyer, and in an era of hyper-information, one can find resources to support both sides of many arguments. Let’s examine briefly some differences between the two most common mill types in use today, stone mills and roller mills.
Stone mills are unique among modern machinery in that their basic mechanical function is still largely the same as it has been for thousands of years- two flat grooved stones are used to crush the wheat berry into flour. The only significant thing that has changed about them over the centuries has been the power source, from human muscle power, through water and wind driven mills, to today’s electric motors. Roller mills are a much more recent invention, being first developed in Europe in the 19th century. These provided several key advantages to stone mills as the Industrial Revolution took flight- they were more reliable and efficient, and they could easily separate out the bran and germ. This made a more shelf-stable flour, that could also be milled much finer, allowing for better performance in baked goods. Unfortunately, this also removed much of the nutrition and flavor from the flour. Later, enriched flours were made available to help stem this loss of nutrients. Better still, the separated mill streams can be recombined to allow the roller mill to make whole wheat flour.
One key issue that seems to arise continually is operating temperature. All milling produces heat, but if the flour gets too hot, some nutrients can be destroyed, and the natural oils in the wheat berry become rancid more quickly. Therefore a cooler-running mill will produce both fresher and more nutritious flour. Various sources differ on which type of mill tends to avoid this issue the best; it likely varies between different mills and production practices. Here at Granite Mill Farms, we take care to keep our mill running at a low temperature.
Today, high quality flours can be produced with both types of mill, and each has its place. For shear volume and range, roller mills probably won’t be departing commercial food production any time soon. They have made modern agriculture and affordable food a reality. But stone mills still have a place among small, craft millers globally. Their straightforward nutrient preservation and superior flavor development keeps them relevant, especially in the world of healthy, artisan bread.
In summary, stone mills generally offer the most minimally processed flours, though care needs to be taken to prevent overheating. Roller mills produce the vast majority of flour you will find in the grocery store, and can produce more specialized flours. The flours you will find on this site are all stone-milled.
