Storage

The selection and storage of barley determines the quality of the malt we produce. To maximise our malt quality, we monitor the crops at various stages: growth, harvest and after harvest.

• In the growth stage attention is paid to weather conditions and additives applied by farmers such as fertilisers and crop protection. This, for instance, serves to establish protein forecasts, sensitivity to disease and a food safety outlook.

• Suppliers in the various countries and regions are visited during harvest and samples are taken. This is referred to as a ‘crop scan’ and provides an initial impression of the quality of the harvested crops. Also after harvest and throughout the season, silos are visited and samples are taken. As soon as possible after each harvest, Holland Malt takes micro malt barley samples from different origins. New varieties supplied by the various partners are also tested in this programme.

• The Holland Malt Eemshaven maltings has a barley storage capacity of 60,000 tonnes. The farmers’ harvest is received straight from the fields and is pre-cleaned and stored under our own supervision. The flat store enables excellent ventilation of the barley, ensuring that the barley is conditioned for long-term storage. If necessary, barley is dried back to enable prolonged storage.