THE KNOWLEDGE

Malt musings

The search for insights into the whisky-making process has never been higher, and our knowledge is improving all the time. But increased understanding also brings new questions about how certain processes have evolved – and whether they have actually improved the spirit being produced. SMWS ambassador Lee ‘Connas’ Connor casts his eye over the evolution of the malting process to discover where we’ve come from, and where we might be headed

MAIN IMAGE: PETER SANDGROUND ADDITIONAL PHOTOS: MIKE WILKINSON AND PETER SANDGROUND

“The ordinary routine of floor-malting is so well known that it is unnecessary here to follow all the details of such work, but all prominent and interesting points will be referred to.”

JA Nettleton

Malting is a fundamental procedure in whisky making, the process of converting starches in raw barley into fermentable sugars. That’s achieved by forcing then abruptly halting germination, to produce what we know as malt, which can then be used in a mash of water and yeast to produce alcohol without the requirement of any exogenous enzymes.

We can’t be sure where or when malting specifically for whisky first occurred. Indeed in his 1913 work The Manufacture of Whisky and Plain Spirit, the ‘Great Documenter’ JA Nettleton scarcely covers the history of the subject, stating only that: “The ordinary routine of floor-malting is so well known that it is unnecessary here to follow all the details of such work, but all prominent and interesting points will be referred to.”

However, Nettleton does give a description of the workings of the floor maltings, close to the procedures that you will hear recited on tours in the few remaining facilities today. Fresh barley is received at the distillery. It is then screened, graded and cleaned, to remove dirt, broken corns and seeds. When required it is washed, loaded in tanks and steeped, allowing space for a 25 per cent swell in the seeds as they absorb moisture.

The damp barley is then spread evenly onto the malt floor, again allowing for a swell of up to double its original size. To guarantee a more uniform product, the barley is regularly turned by hand while it germinates in an environment with controlled humidity and temperature.

The germinated barleycorn is now moved to the kiln for drying. It is raked while being heated from below. A throughflow of air is essential to dissipate any moisture or “peat reek” in the atmosphere.

All kinds of mechanical marvels appeared at distilleries, along with new smokeless fuels, coke and anthracite, almost replacing peat altogether outside the Highlands and Islands

MECHANICAL MARVELS

It’s fair to note that in the early 1900s malting was a hugely labour-intensive feat, characterised by heavy lifting, shovelling, and turning between each stage over a period of days in warm humid conditions, and mostly with the intention of protecting uniformity. It is hard not to feel some sympathy for the malt operative of yesteryear. Fear not, fine people, Nettleton has some good news for us: “From 1885 onwards several processes of Pneumatic Malting have made rapid progress… (and they) have several advantages over Floor Maltings.”

All kinds of mechanical marvels appeared at distilleries, along with new smokeless fuels, coke and anthracite, almost replacing peat altogether outside the Highlands and Islands. All were centred around the idea of minimising the crystallising and roasting of grain (processes which produce “Maillard reactions”, which beer brewers encourage to produce darker bitter and porter style beers) to maximise the potential of consistent output.

The post-war development of Saladin box maltings proved only to stem the decrease of distillery-based malting activity. And the 1960s saw outside facilities based on large concrete vessels capable of processing up to 300 tonnes of barley at a time, establishing themselves as go-to producers. Prevailing alcohol yields increased by 10 per cent in the period between 1950 and 2000.

At the time of writing only Springbank, Highland Park, Balvenie, Laphroaig, Bowmore and Kilchoman distilleries have working floor maltings. The rest are demolished or have been allocated for use as event spaces, visitor centres or storage. Their distinctive pagoda – or more accurately “cupola” – roofs will no longer lazily ooze their thick wondering haze forth from the depths of their kilns. No more than an external feature harking to times past. Or are they ?

Their distinctive pagoda – or more accurately “cupola” – roofs will no longer lazily ooze their thick wondering haze forth from the depths of their kilns
“Whisky enthusiasts wax lyrical about superior flavour integration, texture, and more recognisable distillery character in whiskies from the past, inevitably concluding that the old methods are the best”

Lee ‘Connas’ Connor

PATHS TO FLAVOUR AND PROFIT

Almost paradoxically, today there is a huge trend towards exploring and celebrating historical bottlings. Whisky enthusiasts wax lyrical about superior flavour integration, texture, and more recognisable distillery character in whiskies from the past, inevitably concluding that “the old methods are the best”.

The secondary market is booming, whisky auctions are thriving and fresh competition appears regularly. Similarly, distilleries are now looking for points of interest and individuality, working with distillers who are more than aware of historical processes, how they’ve changed and how those changes may have affected the flavour of the whisky.

Research at organisations such as the Institute of Brewing and Distilling (IBD) and the Scotch Whisky Research Institute (SWRI) is being funded from all ends of the industry, and flavour-based learning is becoming a priority.

Pair that with the fact that single malt Scotch whisky is now consumed all over the world, and the need for efficient production is as great as ever. It would appear that we find ourselves at something of a historical crossroads, and the future of whisky could well lie somewhere along the “flavour-profit” spectrum.

MALT SCIENCE

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society’s spirit educator Dr Andy Forrester says: “Although alcohol yield is always a consideration, there has been a huge shift to flavour-based learning within distilleries since the turn of the century. In malting, compounds are present in the grain or are produced during germination that may become flavour active through reaction with others, later in the process. Strecker aldehydes, for example, may be responsible for oily-grassy characteristics, and are produced by the reaction between amino acids and sugars.

“Kilning not only imparts medicinal, burnt, smoky flavours associated with peat smoke, but also gives rise to sweet, malty, biscuity notes. And increased temperatures can be controlled to encourage Maillard reactions that can produce fruity, peachy, cereal, roasty, toasty coffee, cocoa qualities.”

“Increased temperatures can be controlled to encourage Maillard reactions that can produce fruity, peachy, cereal, roasty, toasty coffee, cocoa qualities.”

Dr Andy Forrester

New Scottish distilleries are also focusing on locality in their whisky, following on from recent discussions around provenance and terroir championed by distilleries such as Daftmill and Bruichladdich.

RETURN TO TRADITION

Elixir Distillers are laying down more direct intentions with their facility on Islay, which now has planning permission and is due to break ground this year. The goal is also to resurrect a more traditional approach to malting, as Elixir’s whisky maker Oliver Chilton explains: “When it is completed, our distillery on Islay will have a total output of a million litres of spirit per year. More than 50 per cent of this will be serviced by our own floor maltings.”

New Scottish distilleries are also focusing on locality in their whisky, following on from recent discussions around provenance and terroir championed by distilleries such as Daftmill and Bruichladdich. John Fordyce of Borders distillery says: “Locally-grown Borders barley lies at the heart of everything we do. Our relationship with Simpsons Maltings has meant that we have formed long-term partnerships with 11 farms, all within 20 miles of the distillery. This gives us exceptional quality control for this key ingredient for our spirits.”

Established brands are also concerned with sourcing the calibre of malt they require to satisfy demand for traditional distillery styles. Distell Distilleries manager Stephen Woodcock, who is responsible for Deanston, Bunnahabhain and Tobermory distilleries, says: “I’ll spec malt annually in a way that I think will work best in our distilleries. This isn’t a ‘finger in the air’ process, rather a conversation with maltsters to see how the current year’s crop has come out of the ground and what particular characteristics may need to be adjusted, or managed, to maintain distillery character. Over years I’ve found maltsters I like to work with that can malt barley to best meet the needs of the distillery.”

IN PRAISE OF CONVENTIONS

These insights not only shine light on different approaches to making whisky, they also give us an understanding of a gradual shift in how distillers would like to be perceived. There is a sense of a move away from the traditional view of a farmhouse industry relying on knowledge and skills being handed down the generations, towards a modern profession driven more by science.

And their first point of reference for improvement? The same farmhouse industry with its happy imperfections and old-fashioned conventions that proceeded and formed the very foundations of what they do.

The market may have changed, and general awareness is greater than it has ever been. But the whisky-making community is still embracing and analysing the methods and philosophies of its predecessors and celebrating their work by introducing higher quality to its own endeavours. Moving forward, it would seem, can only benefit from glancing backwards.

“This isn’t a ‘finger in the air’ process, rather a conversation with maltsters to see how the current year’s crop has come out of the ground”

Stephen Woodcock

“Locally-grown Borders barley lies at the heart of everything we do. Our relationship with Simpsons Maltings has meant that we have formed long-term partnerships with 11 farms, all within 20 miles of the distillery. This gives us exceptional quality control for this key ingredient for our spirits.”

John Fordyce