Extracting malt from barley, which is the first stage of the brewing and distilling process, has occurred in Britain for thousands of years, but there are only four companies in England that still do it the traditional way.
The oldest, Warminster Maltings in Wiltshire, has been housed in the same premises since 1855.
‘The building is Grade-II* listed, so it had to be restored sympathetically,’ explains Robin Appel, who describes himself as the ‘custodian’ of the business that he acquired 12 years ago.
"'Floor-made’ malt is gaining recognition worldwide for enhancing the character and flavour of a variety of products"
The malting process is still carried out in much the same way as it ever was. Raw barley arrives from farms and is steeped in water to precipitate the germination process before being transferred to the germination floors.
‘This is where the maltster’s great skill comes into its own,’ enthuses Mr Appel.
‘His job is to slow down and manage the germination process, with the objective of providing exactly the right environment for converting starch into sugar.’
The grain is raked up to four times a day, as demonstrated above by maltster Peter Chinnock. If the room gets too hot, it’s naturally cooled by opening the windows.
After five days, when the conversion of the starch is complete, the green malt is transferred to the kiln for curing and drying.
It’s an intensive process that bears dividends and ‘floor-made’ malt is gaining recognition worldwide for enhancing the character and flavour of a variety of end products, including artisanal beer, whisky and vinegar.
Find out more about the maltings at www.warminster-malt.co.uk
Credit: ©Richard Cannon/Country Life Picture Library
The Pigeon Fancier: 'I set up a deckchair in the garden and wait for them to come back. That’s the most exciting part.'
This week’s Living National Treasure is Colin Hill, a pigeon fancier whose birds regularly race from the tip of Scotland
The Florist: 'What I do is like good cooking – if you have beautiful ingredients, you can’t go wrong'
This week's Living National Treasure is royal florist Shane Connolly – and while he might be based in Britain, he's
Credit: Living National Treasure: The Glassblower - ©Country Life/Richard Cannon
The Glassblower: 'When something goes wrong you can't fix it – you just sling in into the bosh bucket and start again'
Ian Shearman's team of glassblowers are still making glass using a technique that's 2,000 years old. Mary Miers found out
-
The iconic American bars in London perfect for lifting a Thanksgiving cocktailGlamorous American bars were once a familiar sight in London, catering to US and British citizens alike, but only two of the historic ones remain. On the eve of Thanksgiving, Robert Crossan goes in search of both.
-
Curious Questions: Why was absinthe banned?Absinthe is almost unique among alcoholic spirits for having been outlawed in even some of the world's most liberal countries — but how did that happen? Martin Fone traces back the story to find the tales of debauchery, hallucination and even murder that once gave the drink its bad name — and looks at how it's returned to prominence.
-
The Coopers who keep Scotland's whisky flowing: 'Nae coopers. Nae whisky.'Crafting wooden casks is an ancient art form that requires traditional makers to jump through hoops to construct vessels strong enough for the task of maturing precious Scotch whisky, says Joe Gibbs. Photographs by Jeremy Flint.
-
Perry: The pear cider dubbed 'the English champagne' that's been an English passion for centuriesNot to be confused with cider, the art of perry-making is more than a craft — it’s an English passion. Ben Lerwill meets some of our best producers of fermented pear juice.
-
Seven of the best non-alcoholic spirits to help get you through Dry JanuaryWhether you’re doing it for health reasons or simply for a New Year’s challenge, giving up alcohol isn’t necessarily all that easy. To help you on your way, the Country Life office put a variety of non-alcoholic spirits to the test. Here’s what we found.
-
Hangover cures from some of Britain's greatest writersFrom Hemingway to Wodehouse, we reveal the hangover remedies of literary greats.
-
Christmas drinks gift guide: Best gin, best whisky, beer and more for the festive seasonWhether you're keen to pour your own draft beer, drink Cotswolds whisky or enjoy a raft of different gins, we've got you covered.
-
How to decant wine — and whyIs your decanter gathering dust at the back of a cupboard? If so, says Harry Eyres, it’s high time you started using it to breathe more life into your wine.
