You want to realize the full value of your malt purchase. That’s why it’s important to establish standard procedures for receiving and storing your malt. We recommend you develop written procedures and train your staff to follow them implicitly. That’ll greatly help eliminate problems that may arise when receiving and storing malt, so you’ll have all the malt you need when it’s time to brew! Here are some tips to incorporate into the written procedures you write for your specific operations:

Tip #1) Receiving Product

  • Designate responsibility to one person.
  • Inspect condition of both delivering trailer and load.
  • Query driver on what other products were bi-loaded.
  • Inspect each bag/pallet as it is unloaded for tears, oil stains, foreign substances, etc. If contamination is suspected, stop unloading. If loss of product is involved, customer should sign the Bill of Lading attesting to the exceptions, and notify your Customer Service Representative immediately.
  • All shipments from Briess are palletized and stretch wrapped. Full truckload shipments are sealed with a cable lock seal on the trailer. If shipment is not palletized and/or shrink-wrapped upon arrival, please note on Bill of Lading and notify your Customer Service Representative immediately. In this case, palletize before storage.

Tip #2) Storage Area

  • Separate from working areas (brewhouse, processing, manufacturing, packaging, bottling, etc.) to avoid excessive humidity, heat, odors, traffic, etc.
  • Store at cool temperatures (not above room temperature and not below freezing). Cooler is better.
  • Do not store in damp basement or hot attic. This is especially important with milled grains.
  • Select an area with smooth floors and walls which are easily cleaned by sweeping or vacuuming.
  • Ensure tight-fitting doors and windows with screens to keep out rodents, flying insects, and birds.
  • The outside perimeter of storage area should be well sealed and all vegetation removed within three feet of the building. Correct any defects in floors and walls.

Tip #3) Product Storage

  • Double stacking of pallets is not recommended.
  • Pallets can be placed side by side in rows.
  • An 18-inch aisle should be left between rows and walls for convenient inspections and cleaning.

Tip #4) Product Usage

  • Use first-in, first-out basis.
  • An exception: Torn bags. When it is determined there is no contamination, the torn area should be taped over and the malt used immediately.

Tip #5) Inspection

  • Inspect storage area weekly at scheduled intervals. This is particularly important when the room temperature is above 65 ºF and in the fall when field rodents seek winter quarters.
  • Look for the following:
    • Torn bags (damaged by handling or chewed by rodents).
    • Rodent droppings.
    • Rodent or insect trails in dust.
    • Tiny holes in a bag which indicates infestation.
    • Humid atmosphere, damp walls, wet floors, and bags.
    • Feel bags for dampness and heat.

Tip #6) Train Personnel

  • Train personnel to inspect product each time it is used.
  • Aroma and feel: should not smell musty or feel damp.
  • Visual inspection: Very fine flour indicates insect activity in whole kernel products.

Tip #7) Contract Pest Control Service

  • We recommend contracting with a pest control service which will supply and service bait stations, inspect for infestations, chemically treat an area if necessary, and offer valuable advice to prevent problems from occurring.