Lesson 2 - Malt Intake, Handling, and Storage
This lesson details the principles and operations of malt intake, handling, and storage. It explains how and why malt is checked on delivery to the brewery. It also covers how it is taken in, processed, and stored, as well as how safety is maintained during malt handling.
Screening
While the destoner removes material that is heavier than malt, screening removes larger and smaller items. Screening removes broken grains and foreign material like straw, string, plastic, and chaff.
The malt enters and is distributed over oscillating screens. Material that is larger than malt is retained on the top screen and flows to a waste outlet. Malt and any material smaller than malt falls through the top screen. Malt is held by the second screen and moved to the malt outlet. Smaller material falls through and is moved to the waste outlet. The figure below shows a malt-screening machine.
Figure: Malt screening
The videos below shows screening machines in operation.
Please note, this is for illustrative purposes only and is not a recommendation or endorsement of the supplier’s product.
Rotary screens are also available that perform the same function but are less common.
Breweries monitor the proportion of screenings from the malt and will discuss increased levels with the malt supplier. Continually high levels may result in supply contract renegotiation.