A visit to Warminster Maltings provides an insight to one of our longest standing food processes, and is a fascinating brewing experience. Parties only can be catered for, and for those who would like to know more, contact Chris Garratt, Head Maltster, Tel: 01985 212014.

Warminster Maltings was remodelled in 1879, and under the direction of E.S.Beaven became an academy of barley breeding and malting until 1941.Guinness acquired the business and continued to make malt for London’s Park Royal Brewery until 1994. The maltings narrowly avoided closure thanks to a management buyout led by Chris Garratt, Head Maltster, who had to establish a completely new portfolio of brewery customers beyond Guinness. Robin Appel, the respected Hampshire based grain merchant, purchased the business in 2001, and straightaway embarked upon a serious programme of reinvestment. This has enabled the maltings to establish itself as a leading malt supplier to the independent brewing sector, with more than 160 regular customers across Britain, as well as customers in France, Belgium, Denmark, Japan and North America.

Among the Fields of Barley

All around Warminster, the chalk soils of Wiltshire produce some of the finest barleys in England, and provide the best source of raw material for the maltings. When these barleys are introduced to the gentle process of malting on the floors at Pound Street, presided over by the head maltster Chris Garratt, the barley is skilfully hand-crafted into a fine skinned crispy sweet malt. Often referred to as the first stage of the brewing process, the devotion to malting at Warminster is recognised by brewers as a very important ingredient to their brewing.

Traditional Malt since 1879

Although the malting process at Warminster is unchanged over time, in contrast, todays high standards for food production are all closely adhered to, and constantly reviewed to stay ahead of brewers demands and consumers perception. Two years ago a brand new Quality Control laboratory was commissioned, where barleys and malt can be criticly analysed, using the latest technology, to meet the exacting standards of the widest possible range of beers. It is this commitment to both the traditional and advanced processing that makes Warminster malt a quite unique and sought after product.