Malt in 50 kg sacks is raised to the top of the brewery using a belt driven hoist, two sacks at a time, and stored at the top of the brewery. This method is being replaced by having an exterior silo so that the malt can be "pumped" up to the mill-room thus saving labour and also the number of vehicles arriving with malt deliveries.

Sacks of Malt and Wort Receiver in background. Highgate use two varieties of malt, Halcyon and Maris Otter, both supplied by Paul's Malt at Knapton.

A blend of malts, according to recipe is weighed into the malt hopper which feeds the malt screen on the floor below.

This room houses the malt screen and malts referred to above as well as the top of the gristcase complete with explosion duct and a salts addition tank for the "Burtonisation" of the liquor.

This screen dates back to 1899 and still sits on its original willow springs. It houses two grades of screen, one coarse to remove stones and string etc., and one to remove dust. After screening the malt is transported back to the top floor via a bucket elevator, a series of scoops on an endless belt, and poured into a small hopper above the four roll mill.

It is interesting to note that the malt handling equipment is situated at the top of the brewery for more than just gravitational reasons. Malt dust can, under certain conditions, be highly explosive, hence the use in the area of spark free motors. If an explosion did occur then only the top of the brewery would be blown off rather than blowing the whole brewery to pieces!