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When the Speyburn Distillery was designed, the
decision was taken to install 'Henning's Pneumatic
Drum Maltings'. There were a number of benefits:
less space required; less manual work (no malt
to turn) and the maltings could operate all year round.
The maltings were set out on three levels. The barley was stored on the top level before being passed down into one of the three steeps on the middle floor. One steep then filled two germination drums which slowly revolved to stop the rootlets matting together. After several days the green malt was transferred to the kiln for drying. Again the Speyburn maltings were slightly different - there were two drying floors, one above the other. Green malt was "pre-dried" on the top floor before being dropped down onto the bottom floor. Speyburn was the first malt distillery to have this type of maltings, although Glen Grant and St Magdalene Distilleries subsequently had drum maltings installed.
The drum maltings at Speyburn are the only remaining examples. They ceased operation in 1967.
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