Maine's First Malthouse Expands To Become World’s Largest Traditional Floor Malting Facility Outside Of Europe

Photo courtesy Ben Moore (@activebeergeek)

LISBON FALLS, ME— Last week, Blue Ox Malthouse celebrated the grand opening of its expanded facility, now the largest of its kind in the world outside of Europe. 

At 20,000 square feet with quadrupled floor malting capacity, Blue Ox Malthouse is an entirely floor malting-dedicated company that produces malted grains for the Northeast’s brewing, distilling, and baking industries since its start in 2013. This expansion significantly bolsters the region’s grain economy— creating jobs, investing into family farms across Maine and the Northeast, and adding value to products made with Blue Ox malt. It also augments Blue Ox’s ability to create more malt made with a diversity of grains (such as barley, wheat, rye, triticale, and oats), as well as organic, smoked, custom, and soon roasted products, for craft breweries and distilleries across the region and beyond. 

Commissioner Amanda Beal of the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry was among the speakers at the event. She commended the expansion in her remarks, stating, “This development creates an opportunity for the growth of our grain sector, offering farmers access to new markets while also benefiting from working with grains as rotational and cover crops to enhance soil health. Additionally, this expansion provides high-quality ingredients for businesses to create value-added products, expanding opportunities for growth on many levels."

Town of Lisbon Council Chair Harry Moore Jr. also gave remarks, noting, “Projects like this one, which not only enhance traditional processes with modern equipment but also focus on sustainability and support for local farmers, are key to the development of communities throughout Maine.” 

“This expansion matters because alcohol is an agricultural product, and alcoholic production can play a  huge role in robust, resilient, vibrant local food systems,” added Blue Ox Malthouse Founder Joel Alex. “In order to realize this potential, we need value-added processes that build the infrastructure that connects this alcoholic production to high quality, local ingredients and farms. Food systems matter because people matter; and we all have such a personal, economic, and cultural connection to food. Food that is better for us is also almost always better for our community and the environment.”

Of more than 100 craft maltsters on the continent, Blue Ox is among a small fraction of them entirely dedicated to time-honored floor malting techniques— and now the largest of these committed producers. Floor malting is gentler on the grain, with less automation and more interaction with the process that beyond offering the market a more consistent, quality, and flavorful product, also builds good jobs in the state of Maine. 

Brewers, distillers, and bakers can browse the Blue Ox malt portfolio at blueoxmalthouse.com. Contact collab@blueoxmalthouse.com to place an order or discuss custom projects.

Media inquiring about Blue Ox Malthouse can contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com.

ABOUT BLUE OX MALTHOUSE

Launched in April 2013 by community organizer and homebrewer-turned-maltster Joel Alex, Blue Ox Malthouse is Maine's first malting operation that was founded with the mission of creating more robust, resilient, and equitable regional food systems. Blue Ox Malthouse seeks to push possibilities in craft beer and spirits by supporting shorter supply chains and thoughtful farming practices. Reinvigorating centuries-old floor malting techniques and tradition, Blue Ox is committed to these community-focused methods while constantly innovating to serve as a model for sustainable rural economic development. Learn more at blueoxmalthouse.com.

Third Annual Krispy King Lager Competition at Barrels & Bottles Brewery To Kick Off 2024 Great American Beer Festival

GOLDEN, CO— What’s soon-to-be the most sought-after lager competition returns for the third year at Barrels & Bottles Brewery just before the 2024 Great American Beer Festival® (GABF). The Krispy King Lager Competition is going down on Wednesday, October 9th. 

What began as a pre-GABF gathering of some of Barrels & Bottles craft brewery buddies has become a highly anticipated celebration of world-class lagers that are light bodied, pale colored, and ridiculously enjoyably crispy. In years past, the average ABV for beers on tap has been 4.8%. Barrels & Bottles Head Brewer Chris Munda calls it “a never ending search for excellence through crisp, delicious, palatable brew whilst celebrating togetherness.” 

This year, 35 breweries are coming from coast to coast to compete in this esteemed competition judged by expert professional brewers. The list of breweries include several Colorado locals Cannonball Creek Brewing, Call To Arms Brewing, and Wibby Brewing; as well as Russian River Brewery, Live Oak Brewing, Green Bench Brewing, and pFriem Family Brewers— just to name a few. Find the complete list at krispykinglager.com. 

The 2024 Krispy King Lager Competition is slated for Wednesday, October 9 from 3 to 7pm at Barrels & Bottles Brewery in Golden, Colorado at 1055 Orchard Street. The first, second, and third place competition winners will be announced at 6pm so guests have plenty of time to taste them before the event ends. To further boost FOMO, Trinity Cigar Mobile Lounge will be on site, Boss Battle Arcade Bus will offer free arcade games, Kneadful Rings will serve lager donuts, and TATtered-N-Torn will have a make your own trucker hat setup. Not to mention live music by Andy Eppler from 3 to 5pm, and A-Mac of Kash’d Out from 5 to 8pm. The Barrels & Bottles kitchen on site will be open with food specials, and there will also be wine and cocktails on tap.

Two small buses will be looping from the Denver Convention center to Barrels & Bottles during this event. Guests are also encouraged to travel safely via RTD Train Rail Station, Uber or Lyft, or designated drivers. 

The Krispy King Lager Competition is open to the public and free to attend. 

Media inquiring about this regal beer competition can contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com.

ABOUT BARRELS & BOTTLES BREWERY

Barrels & Bottles Brewery was formed in Abby and Zach George’s mind many years before they opened their first location in 2013. They met overseas and both found a passion for great people, food and drinks. Nowadays you can find them at their Camp George West location, either pouring you a beer, serving you food and or enjoying a pint with friends and neighbors. Learn more at barrelsbottles.com.

Riverbend Malt House Named On Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Private Companies Three Years Running

ASHEVILLE, NC— Riverbend Malt House was declared number 3551 on Inc. Magazine’s list of the 5000 fastest growing private companies in America today. 2024 is the third year running that Riverbend has made the Inc. 5000 list. 

Inc. 5000 is one of the most prestigious ranking programs, representing top tier independent small businesses across the United States. Inc. 5000 status is conferred based upon a company’s cumulative revenue growth over the preceding three years. Riverbend’s 2024 ranking on this list is up from 2023 when they were named #3992 on the list of fastest growing companies.

For Riverbend Malt House, revenue growth over the past three years was 135 percent. Since its start and particularly over the past few years, this development is a testament to the value add of locally sourced and malted grains for craft breweries and distilleries of all shapes and sizes. 

A full list of winners including Riverbend Malt House can be found on the inc.com website.

Contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com with media inquiries about Riverbend Malt House.

ABOUT RIVERBEND MALT HOUSE

Riverbend Malt House is on a quest to connect Southeastern family owned farms and fermenters. Co-Founders Brent Manning and Brian Simpson launched Riverbend, the first craft malthouse east of the Mississippi River, in Asheville, North Carolina in 2010. Buoyed by a 70,000 foot production facility and state of the art equipment, Riverbend Malt House helps breweries and distilleries large, small, and in-between stand out with flavor, locality, and community in an increasingly competitive landscape— all the while challenging the status quo of corporate, big-agriculture malt. Learn more at riverbendmalt.com.

Craft Maltsters Guild Announces Inaugural Craft Malt Month, Slated For September 2024

NATIONAL— The Craft Maltsters Guild is excited to announce the expansion of the annual Craft Malt Week into Craft Malt Month in September of 2024. This is an excellent opportunity for the entire craft malt supply chain to showcase its talents and celebrate the craftsmanship of malt production. 

During previous Malt Weeks, members have invited customers to events, tours, and classes centered on craft malt. Now, they have an entire month to execute these educational activities; not to mention serve collaboration beers, cocktails, and spirits made across the continent in support of the Craft Maltsters Guild. Look for these events and collaborations to begin populating the calendar at craftmaltmonth.com, and check back often for updates.

Media interested in covering Craft Malt Month and learning more about the Craft Malt Revolution are encouraged to join a virtual Craft Malt Month press conference on Thursday, August 22 at 1pm Mountain Time. Meet the Craft Maltsters Guild’s new Executive Director Steve Kurowski and leading malting experts who will share story ideas at this event. Join here. 

All are encouraged to join the conversation by using the #CraftMaltMonth hashtag and tagging the Guild @craftmalting on Instagram, Facebook, Linkedin, and X throughout September.

For more information about Craft Malt Month, visit craftmaltmonth.com. Media inquiring about Craft Malt Month and the Craft Maltsters Guild can contact Emily Hutto at hutto@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.

Murphy & Rude Malting Co. Launches Online Craft Malt Sales

NATIONAL— Craft malt for homebrewers is now available for online order and direct shipping through Charlottesville, Virginia-based Murphy & Rude Malting Co. 

The new GrainStore on Murphy & Rude’s website (murphyrudemalting.com/shop) offers 30 different malted grains that until now have only been available for sale in bulk to brewers and distillers. The online portfolio includes several base barley malt styles, a spectrum of roasted malts, chit malt, wheat malt, rolled oats, corn, and spelt. All are available to order online with direct shipping by the pound or in 5lb, 10lb, and 25lb prepackaged amounts. Murphy & Rude malt can be delivered to all 50 United States.

“Homebrewers have been the early advocates of the craft malt industry; and yet due to supply chain and volume constraints, local, fresh malt is often inaccessible to them,” says Murphy & Rude Malting Co. Founder Jeff Bloem. “Online malt sales will allow us to bridge that gap and send our full portfolio of malts directly to their doorsteps.” 

Commercial breweries and distilleries can still purchase Murphy & Rude malt wholesale by contacting orders@murphyrudemalting.com or 434.922.0036. 

Media inquiring about Virginia’s only craft maltster can contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com. 

ABOUT MURPHY & RUDE MALTING CO. 

At Murphy & Rude Malting, our name captures our attitude. With malt production processes rooted in traditional methods (our ol' dog Murphy) and then combined with innovation and adventurous creativity (Rudy, or Rude...the puppy), we create radical malts for differentiating products. Our focus is this: obsess over the attributes of flavor-, color-, and aroma-influencing specialty malts and then produce them from a variety of small grains grown both in and around Virginia. By applying a wide range of germination, kilning, crystallization, and drum roasting applications, we deliver malt with personality. 

Murphy & Rude Malting is a hand-in-glove supplier of fresher, more flavorful ingredients closer to home. With batch flexibility that comes with 320-ton annual capacity, our small scale positions us as the perfect partner in the creative process that fuels innovation in craft beer and spirits. As a specialty malthouse, Murphy & Rude is committed to providing a diversity of specialty grains to craft breweries and distilleries as traceably and thoughtfully as possible. Find us online at murphyrudemalting.com.

Bootleg Biology, Harding House Brewing Co., and Riverbend Malt House Present Inaugural Southern Lager Invitational During 2023 Craft Brewers Conference

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE— Bootleg Biology, Harding House Brewing Co., and Riverbend Malt House have engaged the South’s leading tastemakers to craft their expressions of ‘Modern Southern Lager’ to kickoff the Craft Brewers Conference (CBC) on Sunday, May 7 at Harding House Brewing Company in The Nations neighborhood of West Nashville. 

So what is a Modern Southern Lager? Open to interpretation, this unofficial beer style ​​tends to be a dry-finishing, lower-ABV beer with a big frothy head and a hint of corn sweetness that is counterbalanced by relatively assertive hop bitterness. It pairs well with sweltering heat.

Think of this style as an update to the Pre-Prohibition Lagers that relied on 6-row barley and flaked corn to provide a lighter alternative to the all malt lagers from Europe. Now, new 2-row winter barleys are flourishing across the South and malt companies like Asheville’s Riverbend Malt House are offering craft brewers access to high quality, locally-malted barley and corn that update this style with bolder flavors. 

Riverbend and yeast laboratory Bootleg Biology have encouraged craft brewers across the South to brew their answer to the question ‘What is a Modern Southern Lager’ to serve at a celebration of long, cold fermentation at this upcoming CBC event. They’ve teamed up with host Harding House Brewing, whose dedication to local agriculture shines in unique beers brewed with plants native to Tennessee and partnerships with organizations aiming to shorten supply chains. 

Harding House and several other craft breweries in the South are currently fermenting lagers made with Riverbend malt and unique yeast strains from Bootleg Biology—  including ARL: The Southern Lager Yeast— to serve at this innovative beer showcase. “When it comes to Pilsner,” says Jeff Mello of Bootleg Biology, “The South has something to say. The lager movement is strong in our region, and it will be defined in the glass at this event.”  Look for Czech, German, and American styles reimagined with local ingredients!

Here is the current brewery list: 

BarrieHaus Beer Co. 

Barrique Brewing & Blending

The Brutalist in collaboration with King State Beer 

Cahaba Brewing Co.

Cellarest Beer Project 

Cherry Street Brewing

DSSOLVR

East Nashville Beer Works

Fait La Force Brewing collaboration with Our Mutual Friend

Fonta Flora Brewery

Fullsteam Brewery

Harding House Brewing Co. 

Inner Voice Brewing

Little Animals Brewery

New Anthem Beer Project 

Sceptre Brewing Arts

Soul and Spirits Brewery

TennFold Brewing

The Southern Lager Invitational will take place on Sunday, May 7 at Harding House Brewing Co. from 7 to 10pm. All CBC participants get free entry with proof of conference participation. This inaugural event is made possible by sponsors Boelter, who are providing custom glassware for all participants, and Dynamark. Bad Luck Burger Club will be slinging their famous smash burgers. Frothy Monkey Bakery will bring breads to taste made from spent Southern Lager grain. 

Media interested in attending and or covering the Southern Lager Invitational can contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com.

ABOUT BOOTLEG BIOLOGY

Bootleg Biology is a full-service yeast lab for professional brewers and homebrewers. 

From our location in Nashville, TN, we’ve earned a reputation for creative cultures that meet the rigorous demands of a brewery while still satisfying brewers’ goals to push the envelope.

From crispy lagers and juicy IPAs to complex mixed fermentations, Bootleg has a culture for every brew. All of our yeast is made fresh, ensuring optimal viability and keeping you on schedule.

Our lab offers a wide range of quality control testing to ensure your product meets your high standards, including PCR testing for common contaminants, IBU testing, selective media plating and more. 

ABOUT HARDING HOUSE BREWING CO.

Homebrewer-turned-brewmaster Nate Underwood brought his passion for local agriculture into his brewing style at Harding House Brewing Co. This brewery is named after the nickname given to a house he lived in on Harding Place here in Nashville, the place where the inspiration for the brewery originated. Co-owned by Matt Fung-A-Fat, Tyler Pate and Cameron Jones, Harding House strives to better the community in which it exists. This includes providing quality jobs and creating new agricultural economies. Harding House is committed to using the brewery as a place for the people of Nashville to gather and grow together. Learn more at hardinghousebrew.com. 

ABOUT RIVERBEND MALT HOUSE

Riverbend Malt House is on a quest to connect Southeastern family owned farms and fermenters. Co-Founders Brent Manning and Brian Simpson launched Riverbend, the first craft malt house east of the Mississippi River, in Asheville, North Carolina in 2010. Buoyed by a 70,000 square foot production facility and state of the art equipment, Riverbend Malt House helps breweries and distilleries large, small, and in-between stand out with flavor, locality, and community in an increasingly competitive landscape— all the while challenging the status quo of corporate, big-agriculture malt. Learn more at riverbendmalt.com.

Loveland Malthouse Completes a Near Sweep of International Malt Cup Awards

Image courtesy @activebeergeek; From left: Hannah Turner, MSU; Michael Myers, Root Shoot Malting; Craig Miller, Root Shoot Malting; Lindsay Barr, DraughtLab

LOVELAND, CO— On Friday, March 17, Root Shoot Malting, a 5th generation farm and craft malthouse out of Loveland, Colorado completed a near sweep of the 2023 Malt Cup awards presented at the annual Craft Malt Conference in Portland, Maine.

The Malt Cup competition, hosted by the Craft Maltsters Guild, is the only internationally recognized competition for the burgeoning craft malting industry. This year’s participants encompassed 6 countries, 19 states, and 3 provinces with representation from over 34 malthouses worldwide. The 2023 Malt Cup was the largest competition to date with 90 total entries in four malt categories: Pilsen, Pale, Vienna, and Light Munich. Malt Cup entries were scored in three rounds by 200 judges including universities, brewers, distillers, maltsters, and cicerones across 35 locations throughout the country.

Root Shoot Malting received four medals, winning gold in the Pilsen, Light Munich, and Vienna categories. They received a silver in the fourth category for their Pale Malt, and also took home the traveling Malt Cup for the overall Best in Show with their Genie Pilsen malt. Root Shoot Malting is the only craft malthouse to win an award all five years of the competition’s existence and the only malthouse to medal in every category in a single year.

“It is an absolute honor to be recognized at this level through this competition,” says Michael Myers, Root Shoot’s head maltster. “Our small team is pouring passion, energy, and thought into every step of our process and we feel that translates through to the end consumer.”

Founder and lead farmer Todd Olander agrees. “We believe our farming practices are directly linked to this year’s wins,” says Mr. Olander. “Implementing regenerative techniques and encouraging soil health allows our barley to thrive. Award-winning malt starts in the field.”

Root Shoot Malting is proud to work in the craft malt community with other talented malthouses, including this year’s other Malt Cup medalists: Admiral Maltings, Hogarth Malt, Field Five Farm, Blue Ox Malthouse, Miller Malting Company, Gallatin Valley Malt Co., and Wyoming Malting Company.

Media inquiring about Root Shoot Malting and their 2023 Malt Cup achievements can contact LeeAnne Sanders at team@rootshootmalting.com.

ABOUT ROOT SHOOT MALTING

Root Shoot Malting is a 5th-generation family farm and malthouse that supplies barley, wheat, rye, and non-GMO corn to craft breweries and distilleries throughout Colorado and beyond. Find them online at rootshootmalting.com.

Riverbend Malt House Launches Seasonal Malt Program With Double Kilned Munich

ASHEVILLE, NC— Riverbend Malt House debuted Double Kilned Munich this week as part of a new seasonal malt program to serve the varying needs of craft brewers and distillers in the Southeast region. This small-batch malt is available only while supplies last.

As its name suggests, Double Kilned Munich makes two trips through the kiln, a process that helps develop the complex flavors and increases color to approximately 50 SRM. “This was a fun and challenging project for our production team,” says Brent Manning, Riverbend’s Co-Founder who leads  product development. “We experimented with a variety of different base malts, hydration regimes, and kilning recipes to arrive at this really special malt.” 

Double Kilned Munich is malted from 2-row barley grown on family owned farms in the Southeast. This malt will contribute a beautiful, ruby red hue and notes of dark fruit and toffee with a touch of fresh roasted coffee to beers styles such as Czech Dark Lager, Baltic Porter, and winter seasonals. 

“Double Kilned Munich performed well, tasted great, and served as a direct substitute for crystal or caramel malt,” says Chris Cates, Founder and Owner at Little Animals Brewery in Johnson City, Tennessee. “Its flavor impact leaned more towards rich malt flavor than it did towards sweetness. This is where it really shined, and what I would say made it stand out: minimal contribution to sweetness. Normally we have to source ‘specialty grain’ elsewhere, and then the beer can't be advertised as ‘all local malt.’ Overall I really enjoyed the malt and will use it again.” 

Contact your Riverbend Malt House representative or sales@riverbendmalt.com to place an order for Double Kilned Munich, and look for more seasonal malt varieties from Riverbend in 2023. 

Contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com with media inquiries about Riverbend Malt House. 

ABOUT RIVERBEND MALT HOUSE

Riverbend Malt House is on a quest to connect Southeastern family owned farms and fermenters. Co-Founders Brent Manning and Brian Simpson launched Riverbend, the first craft malt house east of the Mississippi River, in Asheville, North Carolina in 2010. Buoyed by a 70,000 square foot production facility and state of the art equipment, Riverbend Malt House helps breweries and distilleries large, small, and in-between stand out with flavor, locality, and community in an increasingly competitive landscape— all the while challenging the status quo of corporate, big-agriculture malt. Learn more at riverbendmalt.com.

Living The Dream Brings Back Zap! Smash! IPA in 2022

LITTLETON, CO.—  Zap! Smash! IPA by Living The Dream Brewing is now available for the second year, this time across Colorado through distribution with Colorado Craft Distributors. 

“This beer and its label are a bit of a departure from our usual lineup,” says Living The Dream Brewing Founder Jason Bell. “Branching out with a more unique hop profile and working with local malt from Root Shoot Malting, we wanted to create a label that was just as unique as the beer.” 

Zap! Smash! is an experimental IPA that came out of a partnership with Whole Foods in 2021. It was crafted with Zappa Hops, named in honor of Frank Zappa, and Colorado-grown Root Shoot Malting Genie Pale Malt. This refreshing 5.4% IPA yields flavors of mango, passionfruit, citrus, and pine. It will be available in canned 6-packs at the Living The Dream taproom, and across Colorado through Colorado Craft Distributors, while supplies last. 

Contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com with media inquiries about Living The Dream Brewing. Download press assets here. 

ABOUT LIVING THE DREAM BREWING CO. 

Living the Dream Brewing is a craft brewery established in 2014 in Littleton, our home base for adventure in Colorado. Built on a foundation of brewing beer using only the finest ingredients, Living the Dream celebrates the people, places, and activities of the Centennial State. Live the life you've imagined, and join us at livingthedreambrewing.com.

Brick Store Pub To Showcase 14 Beers Made With Riverbend Craft Malt

DECATUR, GA— Brick Store Pub will host what might be Georgia’s largest consumer-facing showcase of craft malt to-date on September 20, featuring a tap takeover of 14 beers brewed with malt from Riverbend Malt House. 

WHAT

Craft breweries across the Southeast have united to build this one-of-a-kind tap list that includes a wide array of beer styles made with Riverbend 6 and 2-Row barley varieties, wheat, rye, and corn malt in their grain bills. Participating breweries include Arches Brewing Co., Beacon Brewing Co., Bhramari Brewing, Cherry Street Brewing, Creature Comforts Brewing Co., Crooked Can Brewing Co., DSSOLVR, Hopstix, Mythk Brewing, NoFo Brew Co. & Distillery, Sceptre Brewing Arts, Sideward Brewing, Southern Brewing Co., and Trimtab Brewing Co. The beer list will include two cask ales.

Also of note at this event will be a presentation that covers a behind the scenes look at recent research and development projects at the malt house by Riverbend Malt House Co-Founder Brent Manning. This will include a hot steep demonstration of several new products. This talk begins at 3:30PM.

“This event allows beer lovers to experience first-hand the difference that artisanal malt makes on a beer’s flavor and aroma,” says Neil Callaghan, Beer Director for the Brick Store Pub.  “Many of our guests’ favorite breweries have been using Riverbend’s malted barley and grains for years, and with this event we can shine a spotlight on the ingredients that make these beers so wonderful.  We’re excited to showcase beers from some of Georgia’s most talented brewers and some out-of-state breweries not often poured in the state and raise a glass to Riverbend.”

WHERE & WHEN

Brick Store Pub

125 E Court Square

Decatur, GA 30030

Tuesday, September 20, 2022 

Craft malt presentation by Brent Manning at 3:30pm

Media interested in covering this event can contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com. 

ABOUT BRICK STORE PUB

Since 1997, the Brick Store Pub has been celebrating craft, community and culture to it’s Decatur, Georgia neighborhood.  With an internationally renowned beer program featuring thousands of vintage ales and lagers and a kitchen offering beer-inspired cuisine, the Brick Store Pub has carved a distinctive niche for itself over its quarter century history.  It is currently ranked as the #1 Beer Bar in North America by RateBeer.com and has been recognized by dozens of media outlets as an international beer destination.

ABOUT RIVERBEND MALT HOUSE

Riverbend Malt House is on a quest to connect Southeastern family owned farms and fermenters. Co-Founders Brent Manning and Brian Simpson launched Riverbend, the first craft malthouse east of the Mississippi River, in Asheville, North Carolina in 2010. Buoyed by a 70,000 foot production facility and state of the art equipment, Riverbend Malt House helps breweries and distilleries large, small, and in-between stand out with flavor, locality, and community in an increasingly competitive landscape— all the while challenging the status quo of corporate, big-agriculture malt. The malt house was just named number 2804 on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest growing private companies in America. Learn more at riverbendmalt.com.

Riverbend Malt House Named One of Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Private Companies in America

ASHEVILLE, NC— Today Inc. named Riverbend Malt House number 2804 on the list of the 5000 fastest growing private companies in America. This achievement comes on the heels of a major facility expansion, which increased Riverbend’s malting capacity by more than 50 percent.

The annual Inc. 5000 list is one of the most prestigious rankings of the nation's fastest-growing private companies, representing top tier independent small businesses in America. Inc. 5000 status is conferred based upon a company’s cumulative revenue growth over the preceding three years. Since 2018, amid the global COVID-19 pandemic, Riverbend has attained a revenue growth rate of 198 percent.

“This achievement is reflective of the relentless focus on product quality and customer service that the Riverbend team delivers day in and day out,” remarks Scott Hickman, Riverbend’s CEO. “We are truly grateful for the confidence placed in us by more than 250 brewing and distilling customers, which enabled us to qualify for this award."

Riverbend’s inclusion in the Inc. 5000 list is not only positive for Riverbend, but for the craft malt industry as a whole, Hickman continues: “Sales growth of this magnitude is a proof point indicating that discerning brewers and distillers are increasingly realizing the importance of high quality ingredients and a locally sourced brand message for their product differentiation."

A full list of winners including Riverbend Malt House can be found on the Inc.com website.

Contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com with media inquiries.

ABOUT RIVERBEND MALT HOUSE

Riverbend Malt House is on a quest to connect Southeastern family owned farms and fermenters. Co-Founders Brent Manning and Brian Simpson launched Riverbend, the first craft malthouse east of the Mississippi River, in Asheville, North Carolina in 2010. Buoyed by a 70,000 foot production facility and state of the art equipment, Riverbend Malt House helps breweries and distilleries large, small, and in-between stand out with flavor, locality, and community in an increasingly competitive landscape— all the while challenging the status quo of corporate, big-agriculture malt. Learn more at riverbendmalt.com.

Riverbend Malt House Announces Major Expansion

ASHEVILLE, NC– Riverbend Malt House announced that installation of its new 10 metric tonne Germination Kiln Vessel (GKV) was completed this week, with first malt production from the unit expected in coming weeks. This equipment complements a new 10 tonne steep tank which was installed earlier this year. Collectively, all of the new equipment in the Asheville-based malt house increases Riverbend’s overall craft malt production capacity by more than 50 percent.

“Riverbend’s sales grew by more than 40 percent in 2021 and we don’t see that growth rate tapering in 2022,” noted Scott Hickman, Riverbend Malt House CEO. “This new equipment is a critical part of an effort to be prepared for anticipated demand.”

Last year Asheville local Hillman Beer Company made the switch to Riverbend as their primary base malt provider, and that move has created consistency in an otherwise unstable supply chain. “It’s comforting as we celebrate our second year anniversary at our second location this week to know we’re going into our future with a great local partner who we can count on for consistency and quality,” says Co-Owner Brad Hillman.

With more craft malt production for brewers and distillers comes increased purchasing of grain from local, family-owned farming partners, and the hiring of additional employees at above Living Wage levels. These implications fulfill Riverbend’s corporate charter embodied in the company motto, Malt with a Mission.

Contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com with media inquiries about Riverbend Malt House and its 2022 expansion.

ABOUT RIVERBEND MALT HOUSE

Riverbend Malt House is on a quest to connect Southeastern family owned farms and fermenters. Co-Founders Brent Manning and Brian Simpson launched Riverbend, the first craft malthouse east of the Mississippi River, in Asheville, North Carolina in 2010. Buoyed by a 70,000 foot production facility and state of the art equipment, Riverbend Malt House helps breweries and distilleries large, small, and in-between stand out with flavor, locality, and community in an increasingly competitive landscape— all the while challenging the status quo of corporate, big-agriculture malt. Learn more at riverbendmalt.com.

The Makers Series Debuts with first episode featuring Bowigens Beer Company and Riverbend Malt House

CASSELBERRY, FL— The same producers of the show Crafted that debuted on Amazon Prime earlier this year premiered a new show called The Makers on Tuesday. This digital series and podcast profiles the makers, creators, culture, and community of craft beer. The first episode features the story of the making of Bowigens Beer Company Smooth Velvet, brewed with craft malt from Riverbend Malt House and an entire cake from Valhalla Bakery in the mash.

Smooth Velvet is an Imperial Mocha Red Velvet Ale brewed with an entire red velvet cake in the mash. Inspired by the phenomenal Red Velvet cake from Valhalla Bakery, this beer is brewed with a crafted blend of Pilsner and Munich malts along with wheat and oats from Riverbend Malt House. It is then aged on copious amounts of Madagascar vanilla beans, chocolate and freshly roasted local coffee beans from Rosso Specialty Coffee. This Imperial Red Ale is deliciously smooth with a perfect balance of flavors, and the best part is, it's dairy free! This beer will be available on tap and in 4-packs of 16oz cans on Friday, December 17 at 12pm at both Bowigens tasting room locations. The Bowigens Casselberry location will also have a limited amount of the Valhalla Bakery Red Velvet cake available for To-Go purchase.

On Tuesday December 21st, a new podcast discussing The Makers will go live on Spotify, Apple and all other platforms where podcasts are found.

“The Makers is an exciting new series for us and is a perfect extension to the Crafted brand that celebrates the vast variety and stories of craft breweries around the country,” says Craig Chapman of Crafted. “The Makers allows us to dive even deeper into the passion and stories of all the creative artisans that make craft beer.”

Watch the first episode of The Makers on Youtube. Future episodes will come out in early 2022. The producers are still looking for great stories to tell from around the country.

Contact Emily Hutto with media inquiries about this effort and about Riverbend Malt House at hutto@radcraftbeer.com.

ABOUT THE MAKERS

The Makers, by Crafted, is a digital series and podcast about the makers, creators, culture, and community of craft beer. Each episode pairs the best craft breweries, local culinary creators, and other ingredient makers together to tell their stories and collaborate to create an inspired craft beer and culinary experience.

contact: Craig@oegmediallc.com or visit crafted-culture.com

ABOUT BOWIGENS BEER COMPANY

Bowigens Beer Company is an American craft brewery located in Casselberry FL. We specialize in creative, innovative and full flavored beers. At Bowigens we consider ourselves artistic brewers. We are not interested in creating a beer unless we feel we’re making something that we are truly passionate about. Started in 2015 as one of Central Florida’s first craft breweries Bowigens Beer Company has also been one of the most award-winning in that time frame with multiple awards at the US Beer Open Championship, GABF®, Best Of Craft Beer Awards and Best Florida Beer.

For more information on Bowigens Beer Company visit www.bowigens.com.

Facebook @Bowigensbeercompany; Instagram @Bowigensbeercompany

ABOUT VALHALLA BAKERY

Valhalla Bakery crafts the finest plant-based pastries, cookies and other mouthwatering treats. Scratch made at shops in Orlando and St. Pete. Follow the bakery locations at @valhallabakery and @valhallabakery_stpete.

ABOUT RIVERBEND MALT HOUSE

Riverbend Malt House is on a quest to connect Southeastern family owned farms and fermenters. Co-Founders Brent Manning and Brian Simpson launched Riverbend, the first craft malthouse east of the Mississippi, in 2010. Buoyed by a 70,000 foot production facility and state of the art equipment, Riverbend Malt House helps breweries and distilleries large, small, and in-between stand out with flavor, locality, and community in an increasingly competitive landscape— all the while challenging the status quo of corporate, big-agriculture malt. Learn more at riverbendmalt.com.

Riverbend Malt House Announces 10 Year Harvest Beers Crafted With Sunset Wheat Malt

ASHEVILLE, NC— Riverbend Malt House and a number of its brewing customers are excited to announce a lineup of specialty beers featuring the new Sunset Wheat Malteer.com/news/riverbend-sunset-wheat-malt, in celebration of the malt house’s last decade in business. 

Earlier this month, Fonta Flora Brewery released the first of these beers, a Belgian Dark Strong-inspired ale affectionately named Bière de Riverbend. This bière, brewed with 100 percent Riverbend malts, was inspired by and adapted from the very first beer Fonta Flora ever put in bottles nearly six years ago. 

These world-class brewing companies will debut beers made with Riverbend’s 10 Year Harvest malt in coming weeks and months:

Bhramari Brewing Co., Rauch Weisse

DSSOLVR, Wheated Mild

Fullsteam Brewery, Winter IPA 

Green Man Brewery, Wheat Wine

Standard Beer + Food, Hefeweizen

Sunset Wheat is in stock and available for purchase, and Riverbend is eager to work with additional craft breweries on #Riverbend10 recipes featuring this malt. Place an order for Sunset Wheat by emailing orders@riverbendmalt.com.

Riverbend has published a 10 Year Harvest recipe, a Sunset Wheat-based Pale Ale.  Homebrewers across the Southeast are encouraged to create their own 10 Year Harvest Pale Ales to celebrate the past 10 years of Riverbend Malt and the craft malt community that the local malthouse has helped to create. Find the recipe here. 

Contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com with media inquiries about Riverbend Malt House. 

ABOUT RIVERBEND MALT HOUSE 

Riverbend Malt House is on a quest to connect Southeastern family owned farms and fermenters. Co-Founders Brent Manning and Brian Simpson launched Riverbend, the first craft malt house east of the Mississippi, in 2010. Buoyed by a 70,000 foot production facility and state of the art equipment, Riverbend Malt House helps breweries and distilleries large, small, and in-between stand out with flavor, locality, and community in an increasingly competitive landscape— all the while challenging the status quo of corporate, big-agriculture malt. Learn more at riverbendmalt.com. 

Murphy & Rude Partners With Three Notch’d Brewing as Dedicated Specialty Malt Supplier

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA— Murphy & Rude Malting Company is proud to announce Three Notch’d Brewing Co. as one of several partners making significant commitments to utilizing Virginia-grown and malted grain to add the valued elements of freshness, terroir, and a more sustainable supply chain to the beers they produce. 

Murphy & Rude is the primary speciality malt provider for Three Notch’d, which utilizes its wide range of high-kilned, crystal, and dry roasted malts, including C15 and C80, Vienna and Munich 9, and a custom blend of its Milk Chocolate and Baker’s Cocoa roasted malts, to name a few. Since 2018, Three Notch’d has integrated nearly 65,000 pounds of Murphy & Rude specialty malts across their portfolio of flagships, seasonals, and special releases.

“From color, to flavor, to aroma, Murphy & Rude's wide variety of specialty malts are a key contributor to the wide variety of beer we're able to craft,” says Founding Brewmaster of Three Notch’d David Warwick. “Our No Veto Brown Ale may be one of the very best showcases of Murphy & Rude's quality malting techniques. This beer is layered with depth and complexity from Munich 9, which lays the foundation; then tiered with Biscuit malt, Brown malt and finished with their Baker's Cocoa. Somehow, bready, biscuity, toffee, nutty, chocolate, and slight coffee notes can all co-exist on your palate without it being muddled.” 

No Veto Brown Ale is among an array of Three Notch’d flagships that garner their locality, sense of place, and fresh flavors from Murphy & Rude malt. 

“Having a fresh product is vital to our business, and we proudly boast that we are Virginia's Freshest Beer, so Murphy & Rude's specialty malts have become a staple in every beer we make,” adds Warwick. “The barley is grown right down the road, then goes straight to the malthouse, then immediately thrown on a truck less than 10 minutes from our loading dock. It doesn't get any fresher than that!” 

The Three Notch’d Fresh Beer Club is a monthly Beer Membership featuring two different or new varieties of Three Notch'd beer each month handpicked by Warwick, with at least one selection guaranteed to have been packaged within the last two weeks.

Beyond freshness, quality, flavor, and locality, Three Notch’d chose Murphy & Rude to continue their education on what Warwick calls the “heart and soul of every beer.” Rob Mullin, the Production Manager at Three Notch’d, agrees, adding “One reason we appreciate our close relationship with Murphy & Rude is for the knowledge Jeff and his team provide to our brewers.” 

Find Three Notch’d beers in bottle shops and grocery stores in Virginia and in select locations in Washington, DC. 

Peruse the Murphy & Rude Flavor Guide HERE. 

Complete and submit a New Account Form. 

Order by emailing orders@murphyrudemalting.com.

Contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com with any questions about the Murphy & Rude and Three Notch’d partnership, or with any media inquiries about the malthouse. 

ABOUT MURPHY & RUDE MALTING CO. 

At Murphy & Rude Malting, our name captures our attitude. With malt production processes rooted in traditional methods (our ol' dog Murphy) and then combined with innovation and adventurous creativity (Rudy, or Rude...the puppy), we create radical malts for differentiating products. Our focus is this: obsess over the attributes of flavor-, color-, and aroma-influencing specialty malts and then produce them from a variety of small grains grown both in and around Virginia. By applying a wide range of germination, kilning, stewing, crystallization, and drum roasting applications, we deliver malt with personality. Murphy & Rude Malting is a hand-in-glove supplier of fresher, more flavorful ingredients closer to home.  With batch flexibility that comes with 200-ton annual capacity, our small scale positions us as the perfect partner in the creative process that fuels innovation in craft beer and spirits. As a specialty malthouse, Murphy & Rude is committed to providing a diversity of specialty grains to craft breweries and distilleries as traceably and thoughtfully as possible. Find us online at murphyrudemalting.com.

Riverbend Malt House Hits Recycling Milestone: 100,000 Pounds of Rootlets Repurposed For Southeast Agriculture

ASHEVILLE, NC— Riverbend Malt House is proud to announce its milestone of 100,000 pounds of rootlets repurposed for the nearby ecosystem of local farmers. 

While not usable in the malting process, Riverbend sends the remaining husks— or rootlets— from each batch of malt to nearby farms to be repurposed as animal feed. 

“This process completely closes the loop in terms of sustainability,” says Riverbend Malt House CEO Scott Hickman. “Consistent with our Malt With A Mission philosophy, kindness to the environment is important. If we create waste we want to turn it into a byproduct, or reduce the amount of waste created.” 

In this case, the byproduct makes for happy cows at North Carolina farms like J4 Cattle Company in Morganton. "Our herd of steer eat close to a ton of rootlets every week. The young calves enjoy it too," says owner Robin Jackson. “This has been a great partnership all the way around."

Rootlet repurposing is one of Riverbend’s many tactics for lessening their environmental impact, which includes the reduction of 1,064,030 pounds of CO2 in ten years through local sourcing within 500 miles of the malthouse. 

Contact Emily Hutto at coop@radcraftbeer.com with media inquiries about Riverbend Malt House. 

ABOUT RIVERBEND MALT HOUSE

Riverbend Malt House is on a quest to connect Southeastern family owned farms and fermenters. Co-Founders Brent Manning and Brian Simpson launched Riverbend, the first craft malthouse east of the Mississippi, in 2010. Buoyed by a 70,000 foot production facility and state of the art equipment, Riverbend Malt House helps breweries and distilleries large, small, and in-between stand out with flavor, locality, and community in an increasingly competitive landscape— all the while challenging the status quo of corporate, big-agriculture malt. Learn more at riverbendmalt.com.

Riverbend Malt House Adds 2-Row Pilsner Malt To Cumberland Series

ASHEVILLE, NC— Riverbend Malt House is expanding the Cumberland Series of Tennessee-grown malt offerings with a 2-Row Pilsner variety that is now available for purchase by breweries, distilleries, and homebrew supply shops in the Southeast. 

The Cumberland Pilsner debut is the second malt in this series, following the Cumberland Corn Malt™ that Riverbend first released in 2019. This 2-Row Calypso selection was grown at Teeter Farm and Seed Co. in Clarksville, TN. When malted it weighs in at 2 SRM with high extract and superior diastatic powder, perfect for brewing Helles-style Lagers.

With the demand for locally grown and malted grains comes cravings for diversity of flavor, which Riverbend has been committed to exploring since its start. The addition of Cumberland Pilsner builds nuance into Riverbend’s breadth of 2 and 6-Row base malts sourced from family farms across the Southeast region. 

"Our customers are interested in exploring the terroir of the South and Cumberland Pilsner offers the next step in our single origin series,” says Riverbend’s Co-Founder Brent Manning. “This variety delivers more biscuity, bread crumb flavors and sweeter aromatics when compared to our Chesapeake Pilsner released earlier this year." 

For more information about the Cumberland Series, this new Pilsner variety, or any of Riverbend’s malts, contact orders@riverbendmalt.com. Please reach out to Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com with media inquiries. 

ABOUT RIVERBEND MALT HOUSE

Riverbend Malt House is on a quest to connect Southeastern family owned farms and fermenters. Co-Founders Brent Manning and Brian Simpson launched Riverbend, the first craft malthouse east of the Mississippi, in 2010. Buoyed by a 70,000 foot production facility and state of the art equipment, Riverbend Malt House helps breweries and distilleries large, small, and in-between stand out with flavor, locality, and community in an increasingly competitive landscape— all the while challenging the status quo of corporate, big-agriculture malt. Learn more at riverbendmalt.com. 

Riverbend Malt House Announces Expansion

ASHEVILLE, NC– Riverbend Malt House today announced the successful completion of the first batch of barley malted on its new 10-tonne Germination Kiln Vessel (GKV) unit. This state-of-the-art equipment increases the overall malthouse capacity by 40 percent, enabling Riverbend to meet growing demand for craft malt among breweries and distilleries throughout the Southeast. 

“Our new unit gives us even tighter control over quality, while at the same time increasing productivity,” noted Adam Demchak, Riverbend’s VP of Engineering and Production. “And our employees love it because the cleaning and maintenance procedures are more efficient.”

 The new equipment comes in response to growing consumer demand over the past 12 months. “As we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, it has become clear that local and quality factors are even more important in consumer decision making, and we need additional capacity to meet the resulting surge in demand for craft malt,” commented Riverbend Malt House CEO Scott Hickman. 

An essential part of Riverbend’s mission is its commitment to its local partnerships with local farmers, craft brewers, and artisan spirits distillers. Consistent with this mission, Riverbend’s new equipment was designed, manufactured, and installed by American manufacturers, contractors and software developers.

For more information about Riverbend Malt House, contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com. 

ABOUT RIVERBEND MALT HOUSE

Riverbend Malt House is on a quest to connect Southeastern family owned farms and fermenters. Co-Founders Brent Manning and Brian Simpson launched Riverbend, the first craft maltster east of the Mississippi, in 2010. Buoyed by a 70,000 foot production facility and state of the art equipment, Riverbend Malt House helps breweries and distilleries large, small, and in-between stand out with flavor, locality, and community in an ever-competitive landscape— all the while challenging the status quo of corporate, big-agriculture malt. Learn more at riverbendmalt.com. 

Mainstem Malt Debuts New Flagship Malts

WALLA WALLA, WA— Now available for purchase are Mainstem Malt’s four new flagship malt varieties: Cascadia Pilsner, Cascadia White Wheat, Evergreen Pale, and Evergreen Alder Smoke. Each of these regional blends of top grain varieties is Salmon-Safe certified and built to scale with malthouse customers in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. 

Since Mainstem’s first crop year in 2016, “we’ve been deep in the woods of malt science and on-farm conservation work, tying malt flavors back to individual fields, varieties, seasonality, and family farm stories,” says Co-Founder and CEO Phil Neumann. “And as the culmination of what we’ve learned along the way, we’re proud to release our first flagship malts.”

Like all of Mainstem’s products, these blends directly support premium crop opportunities for conservation-minded family farms and celebrate fully traceable supply chains. “You can also rest assured that our ongoing innovations work will continue to redefine this lineup,” Neumann adds. 

Meet The Malts

CASCADIA PILSNER

This crisp, clean, low protein Pilsner malt is a fantastic replacement for the finest imported malts on the market. It’s ready to scale with a wide range of premium lagers, ales, and spirits.

CASCADIA WHITE WHEAT

Crafted as a smooth, full bodied pale, this white wheat malt’s calling in life is to add a silky mouthfeel and delicate haze to traditional wheat beers and hazies alike, without all of the adjuncts.

EVERGREEN PALE

Our base pale malt is a bold and flavorful pale barley malt, for beers and spirits needing a bit more umph than our more delicate Pilsner malt. It’s also 100 percent Washington grown, helping Mainstem’s home state craft distillers meet their requirements for 51 percent in-state ingredient sourcing.

EVERGREEN ALDER SMOKE

Mainstem starts with the Evergreen Pale malt recipe, then cold smokes it on alderwood after kilning. The end result is a moderately smoked base malt that can be used at high percentages in both beer and whiskey, and harkens back to a time when alder smoke was more widely used in Pacific Northwest food preservation.

Learn more about Mainstem’s flagship malt roll out and shop for malt at mainstemmalt.com/malt-sales. Contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com with press inquiries about Mainstem Malt. 

ABOUT MAINSTEM MALT

Mainstem Malt is a malt company like no other. Founders Phil Neumann and Alyssa Martinez-Neumann started this Walla Walla-based operation in 2014 as a way to support family farms, rural communities, and landscape-scale conservation work. Along the way, they realized Mainstem is in a unique position to inspire much broader change, and have since been pushing to be the beverage industry's model for agricultural supply chain sustainability and innovation. You can find Mainstem’s malt at breweries and distilleries throughout the Pacific Northwest and Alaska, flowing into premium craft beverages that evoke a strong sense of place and purpose. Grain Like Grapes, Malt That Matters. Learn more at MainstemMalt.com.

Mainstem Malt To Host Press Conference About ‘Mainstem For All’ Equity Crowdfunding Campaign During American Craft Beer Week

WALLA WALLA, WA— Washington-based craft maltster Mainstem Malt recently launched an equity crowdfund campaign on Wefunder. The initiative makes them the first malt company to ask a large and diverse audience to invest, with funds to be used to support their mission-driven growth as a company. The tagline ‘Mainstem For All’ represents their goal to double down on the social aspects of sustainable business, using their elevated platform to further much needed diversity, equity, and inclusion— or DEI— work  in the craft beverage and agricultural communities.

With so many firsts come so many questions. Mainstem is excited to open its virtual doors for a press conference outlining what it means to invite hundreds-if-not-thousands of people to join their company as equity investors. 

WHAT: Meet the Mainstem Malt team at this virtual press conference, with ample time for participants to ask questions about the company and its Mainstem For All campaign.

WHEN: Tuesday, May 11 at 1pm PT 

WHERE: Register for this ZOOM conversation HERE. 

PRESS CONTACT: Emily Hutto, coop@radcraftbeer.com

ABOUT MAINSTEM MALT

Mainstem Malt is a malt company like no other. Founders Phil Neumann and Alyssa Martinez-Neumann started this Walla Walla-based operation in 2014 as a way to support family farms, rural communities, and landscape-scale conservation work. Along the way, they realized Mainstem is in a unique position to inspire much broader change, and have since been pushing to be the beverage industry's model for agricultural supply chain sustainability and innovation. You can find Mainstem’s malt at breweries and distilleries throughout the Pacific Northwest and Alaska, flowing into premium craft beverages that evoke a strong sense of place and purpose. Grain Like Grapes, Malt That Matters. Learn more at MainstemMalt.com.