2021 Malt Cup Winners, Soles of Malt Recipient Named During First Virtual Craft Malt Conference Awards Ceremony
Gold Rush Malt was awarded Best of Show and became the first malt house to win two gold medals in a single season.
The Craft Maltsters Guild (CMG) is thrilled to announce the winners of the 2021 Malt Cup, as well as the recipient of the annual Soles of Malt Award. The virtual awards ceremony was broadcasted and streamed live as the finale of the best-attended Craft Malt Conference yet on February 12, for which malt enthusiasts and craft beer lovers tuned in from all over the world.
2021 was the first time CMG hosted the conference virtually, and the first year the guild opened up this one-of-a-kind competition to international malthouses. 28 malthouses from seven countries, 17 states, and one province submitted a total of 46 entries. Altogether, this year’s submissions spanned 29 different malt barley varieties.
The 2021 Malt Cup awards evaluation took place in three phases over two months. Malthouses sent samples to Montana State University's Barley, Malt & Brewing Quality Lab, where researchers conducted quality control analysis to ensure that each entry meets the competing category criteria. The qualifying samples then underwent hot steep sensory evaluation at 17 different judging locations across the United States and Canada. Judges reported sensory data such as aroma, flavor, and aroma via DraughtLab, a sensory software. The DraughtLab team is an on-going partner in the competition.
In the final round, additional judge panels evaluated the top malts in each category to determine the top winners. Judges examined both the certificate of analysis for each malt and conducted further hot steep sensory evaluation to make decisions about the world’s best craft malt. In total, 83 judges worked together to determine the following winners:
PILSEN MALT
Gold - Gold Rush Malt (Baker City, OR, USA)
Silver - Malteria Italiana Artigianale (Gualdo Cattaneo, PG, Italy)
Bronze - Admiral Maltings (Alameda, CA, USA)
PALE MALT
Gold - Gold Rush Malt (Baker City, OR, USA)
Silver - Troubadour Maltings (Fort Collins, CO, USA)
Bronze - Root Shoot Malting (Loveland, CO, USA)
2021 MALT CUP WINNER
Gold Rush Malt was awarded Best of Show and became the first malt house to win two gold medals in a single season.
SOLES OF MALT AWARD
The Soles of Malt Award is an award that honors individuals who stand out for their leadership, selflessness, and philanthropic stewardship of craft malt. The award is named in memory of William Soles, co-founder of Grouse Malt House. The recipient of the 2021 Soles of Malt Award is Paul Schwarz, professor of Malting Barley Quality in the Department of Plant Sciences at North Dakota State University in Fargo, ND.
“Paul has taught many students now employed in the malting, brewing, and food science industries, especially in craft malting about crop diseases, beer gushing, and malt quality analysis,” says Dave Thomas, Brewer Emeritus at Dostal Alley Brewery. “I have personally witnessed Paul's uncanny ability to spot the variety, quality, and stage of development or diseases in cereal grain fields from the window of a moving car at 60mph on a backcountry road!"
“Agricultural contributions like Schwarz’s and exceptional final products from Malt Cup winners continue to elevate craft malt as a critical value add for craft brewers and distillers across the globe,” says Jesse Bussard, CMG Executive Director. “In turn, they help to establish the importance of flavor, sustainable supply chains, and engaged communities in the beverage industry and beyond.”
#CRAFTMALTCON2021
This year’s virtual format via Crowdsource allowed for 265 total attendees and 30 speakers from six continents, 15 countries, and 36 United States to tap into the most accessible craft malt education in the world.
CMG extends congratulations to all of the 2021 winners and gratitude to all speakers, sponsors, and participants.
To learn more about these prestigious awards programs or the North American Craft Maltsters Guild, contact Emily Hutto at coop@radcraftbeer.com.
ABOUT THE CRAFT MALTSTERS GUILD
Formed in 2013 by eight craft malthouses, the Craft Maltsters Guild’s mission is to promote and sustain the tradition of craft malting in North America, provide services and resources to the Association’s members, and uphold the highest quality and safety standards for craft maltsters. Learn more about the Craft Maltsters Guild at www.craftmalting.com.
Craft Maltsters Guild Announces Newly Elected and Returning Board Members
The Craft Maltsters Guild (CMG) is thrilled to announce the new election of the largest and most diversely talented Board of Directors yet, just in time for the annual gathering of its community at the virtual 2021 Craft Malt Conference.
BOZEMAN, MT— The Craft Maltsters Guild (CMG) is thrilled to announce the new election of the largest and most diversely talented Board of Directors yet, just in time for the annual gathering of its community at the virtual 2021 Craft Malt Conference.
The CMG Board of Directors is a group of individuals dedicated to holding craft malting to the highest standards, responsible for the general administration of the association’s activities and creating policy on behalf of the Guild. Members of the board of directors are elected by malthouse members of the Guild and will serve a three-year term.
This year, the Craft Maltsters Guild will welcome back three existing members and welcome five new members to the Board of Directors.
Introducing the 2021 class of CMG board members:
(* Indicates new to the board in 2021)
Member Malthouse Seats
Hillary Barile. Returning for a second term, Barile is the Secretary of the Guild and an existing member of the board. Barile is a farmer, maltster, and partner at Rabbit Hill Farm. She brings a big-picture lens to the translation of agriculture to the consumer with her commodity farming background and breadth of leadership experience.
Jeff Malkiewicz. Co-Founder of Great Lakes Malting Co., Malkiewicz is returning as Guild Treasurer for a second term. He continues to oversee membership growth and technical initiatives.
*Curtis Davenport. Prior to co-founding Admiral Maltings, Davenport grew organic fruits, vegetables, barley, and wheat in Santa Barbara County, CA. He began floor malting inside a converted shipping container in 2013 and has been a member of the Craft Maltsters Guild ever since.
*Matt Enns. Founder of Maker's Malts, Enns wears many hats in barley research and education, including leadership roles at the Saskatchewan Barley Board, Brewing and Malting Barley Research Institute, Canadian Malting Barley Technical Center, and the Prairie Grain Development Committee.
Allied Trade Seats
*Branch Rothschild. As Brewhouse Manager at Allagash Brewing Co. and long-time member of the Master Brewers Association of America (MBAA), Rothschild’s role in the craft beer community has become increasingly centered around the production of barley.
Hannah Turner. Another returning Board of Director’s seat, Turner is the Director of the Montana State University Barley, Malt, & Brewery Quality Lab that works to improve barley of all kinds and offers barley and malt testing for farmers and craft maltsters.
Individual Seats
* Ryan Hamilton, is the Executive Director of the Michigan Barely Association and a Professional Aide for Malting Barley Outreach at Michigan State University. Hamilton has a rich background and connections in research and academia and brings a valuable perspective on building sustainable barley value chains.
*Jason Parker. Co-Founder and President at Copperworks Distilling Co., Parker is a founding member of the American Single Malt Whiskey Commission with a long history of brewing and distilling.
“We’re excited about the fresh, new perspectives the incoming class of new and returning board members bring to the craft malt community,” says Jesse Bussard, the Executive Director of the CMG. “Their collective experiences and professions span the supply chain from field to glass including not only craft maltsters but two university researchers, a brewer, and a distiller as well.”
Members of the new board will attend and help execute the virtual 2021 Craft Malt Conference February 10 through 12. Registration for this continuing education opportunity closes on Tuesday, February 9.
The Craft Maltsters Guild extends farewell to outgoing board members Twila Soles of Grouse Malt House and Dave Thomas of Dostal Alley Brewery, with gratitude for their service to the craft malt community.
ABOUT THE CRAFT MALTSTERS GUILD
Formed in 2013 by eight craft malthouses, the Craft Maltsters Guild’s mission is to promote and sustain the tradition of craft malting in North America, provide services and resources to the Association’s members, and uphold the highest quality and safety standards for craft maltsters. Learn more about the Craft Maltsters Guild at www.craftmalting.com.
Root Shoot Malting Wins 2020 Craft Malt Cup for Light Munich
Loveland-based maltster takes home third place in one of two Craft Malt Cup categories.
FORT COLLINS, CO— Root Shoot Malting are the proud recipients of a 2020 Craft Malt Cup, third place in the Light Munich category. They received the award earlier this month during this second annual competition at the third annual Craft Malt Conference.
This competition is open to American maltsters, this year with two categories (up from one the previous year): Light Munich and Pale Malt. Twenty two malthouses entered, with 22 entries in the Pale Malt category, and 14 in the Light Munich category. Quality analysis was conducted on all samples by the Montana State University Malt Quality Lab to ensure entries met the specs for each category. Samples then underwent a blind hot-steep method wort tasting in numerous locations around the United States by qualified sensory panels that included brewers, distillers, Cicerones, and malting experts.
"Malt Houses participating in this years Malt Cup received the full analytical evaluation of their malt as well as detailed sensory feedback from DraughtLab,” says the Director of the Barley, Malt & Brewing Quality Lab at MSU. “This feedback provided rare insight for each groups entry as well as comparison to other malts within the style category. Our aim is to provide an invaluable service to the Craft Malt Industry through the Malt Cup competition."
In the inaugural year of the Craft Malt Cup, Root Shoot Malting won first place for their Genie Pale Malt. The Loveland-based maltster is excited to take home this honor two years in a row, a testament to the quality of their product and a huge compliment from trusted industry advisors.
Contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com with media inquiries about Root Shoot Malting.
ABOUT ROOT SHOOT MALTING
Root Shoot Malting’s family of farmers grow, harvest and malt the finest grains to give brewers and distillers high-quality taste in every glass. Opened in 2016 on 1,500 acres of Olander Farms’ irrigated land in Loveland, Colorado, Root Shoot harvests alfalfa, wheat, corn, rye, and barley. Root Shoot gives breweries and distilleries the ability to procure local, consistent and high quality craft products. Find this craft maltster online at rootshootmalting.com.