Maltings (1). Detail of rail-mounted turning machine currently in the left Saladin box. It was moved to other boxes by traversers at each end of the box. The floor of the box is comprised of steel ...

Description Maltings (1). Detail of rail-mounted turning machine currently in the left Saladin box. It was moved to other boxes by traversers at each end of the box. The floor of the box is comprised of steel mesh panels. The maltings have been disused since 1983. Digital image of C 3873.

Date 26/4/1993

Catalogue Number SC 732231

Category On-line Digital Images

Copy of C 3873

Scope and Content Rail-mounted turning machine in the Saladin box in the maltings, Balmenach Distillery, Highland Balmenach Distillery was formally established in 1824, when legend has it James Macgregor was visited by an exciseman who advised him to 'take out a license on yon peat shed' in which he had been illicitly distilling whisky. Like most distilleries it has been renovated and has changed hands several times in the course of its history, before being 'mothballed' in 1993. It was acquired by Inver House Distillers in 1997, and is now once more in use. This shows one of the Saladin boxes in the maltings, which were installed in 1964. These feature a perforated steel mesh floor and rail-mounted machine for turning the germinating barley. The turning machine can be moved to another box by traversers at one end of the room. Saladin boxes, invented in the 19th century in France, are concrete troughs with ventilated floor panels. Barley is poured into the box to a depth of 1.21m and mechanically turned by rows of Archimedes screws whilst air is blown through from below. This ensures the barley is evenly germinated before it is dried in the malt kiln. Source: RCAHMS contribution to SCRAN.

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/collection/732231

File Format (TIF) Tagged Image File Format bitmap