LISBON FALLS ME– Blue Ox Malthouse received two Malt Cup awards during MaltCon2024 at UC Davis last month. It's the second consecutive year that Maine’s first maltster has won two medals in this prestigious malt quality competition.
“These awards are all because of our amazing team,” Blue Ox Founder Joel Alex said as he walked off stage at the UC Davis Conference Center with a second medal. He then quickly texted photos to a group chat, despite it being nearly midnight in Maine. Most of the team was awake and awaiting results.
Now in its sixth year, the Malt Cup is the only malt quality competition of its kind. Malt samples are evaluated by 70 industry and expert judges, a process organized by the Craft Maltsters Guild in collaboration with the Montana State University Barley, Malt & Brewing Quality Lab, and DraughtLab. The 2024 judges rigorously evaluated entries from 26 malthouses from across the world in six malt styles, awarding Blue Ox with a bronze medal in the Caramel category for its floor malted Caramel 20 malt, and a silver for its floor malted Yankee Pilsner malt in the Pilsen category. In 2023, Blue Ox Malthouse won Malt Cup awards for Pale (bronze) and Light Munich (bronze). Blue Ox Malthouse is the first and only New England malt house to-date to have received recognition in this competition.
Blue Ox Light Caramel 20 was floor malted from the AC Newdale 2-row barley variety. Caramel 20 has a candy sweetness with flavors of toffee and cajeta.
Blue Ox Yankee Pilsner is a customer favorite. Also malted from the AC Newdale 2-row variety, this floor malted Pilsner malt style is created with a gentle kilning regime to yield a super light, grainy finish. Yankee Pilsner works perfectly in beer styles like NEIPA, Pilsner, and Saison.
“To say it’s an honor to be awarded two medals in this year's Malt Cup feels like an understatement,” says Director of Malting Operations Benji Knorr. “It’s more than recognition; it helps our team justify the dedicated effort that we put into making quality floor malts and inspires us to make each batch better than the last. Importantly, it validates that world-class malt can be made by hand using locally-grown Maine grains.”
“This award recognizes our hardworking team here at Blue Ox. Our crew ultimately make all of this possible,” adds Knorr.
The Blue Ox team would like to extend special thanks to their partners at Porter Farms for providing consistent, quality barley that enables the malthouse to create floor malt that they are proud of.
If you’d like to purchase one of these award winning malts, or any of the other Blue Ox floor malts, you can visit the Blue Ox website contact page.
Media inquiring about Blue Ox Malthouse can contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com.
ABOUT BLUE OX MALTHOUSE
Launched in 2013 by homebrewer and community organizer-turned-maltster Joel Alex, Blue Ox Malthouse is Maine's first malting operation. Blue Ox Malthouse seeks to push the possibilities of craft beer and spirits, and support Maine agriculture by connecting these two groups through world class quality Maine-made malt. Reinvigorating a centuries-old floor malting tradition, Blue Ox is committed to growing the connection between brewers and farmers while striving to grow more sustainable food systems and serve as a model for sustainable and rural economic development. Learn more at blueoxmalthouse.com.