Craft Maltsters Guild Recaps MaltCon2025

DENVER, CO– The Craft Maltsters Guild reported international attendance and the largest Malt Cup competition yet from MaltCon2025, the organization’s annual conference and trade expo.

The only malt industry gathering of its kind, MaltCon began with the Advance Class in Malt Production. This four-day intensive course had 14 participants hailing from Australia, France, Mexico, and the United States.

The conference, which took place in Denver this year, had attendees from nine countries (Australia, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Japan, Mexico, The Netherlands, and the United States) and expert speakers who represented the entire grain supply chain— from farming and malting, to brewing and distilling, and many members of the agricultural research community. In total there were 97 participants, including professionals from 30 malthouses, three breweries, one distillery, 10 industry suppliers, and eight research institutions. 

2025 MALT CUP

Each year at MaltCon, esteemed judges complete the final of three rounds of blind judging for the Malt Cup— a prestigious malt quality competition that determines the best malt in the world. This year, there were more entries into the competition than ever before (34 malthouses from seven countries submitted 112 malt samples), as well as two new categories (Distillers Malt and Unique Malt) to create a total of eight malt styles judged. 

Congratulations to Maine’s Blue Ox Malthouse, named best in show in this points-based competition. Their team returned home with the traveling Malt Cup trophy. 

The 2025 Malt Cup winners are as follows: 

PILSEN⁠ (20 entries)

⁠Bronze: Cold Stream Malt & Grain, malted in partnership with Montana Craft Malt

Silver: Cascadia Malts

Gold: Red Shed Malting

⁠PALE MALT⁠ (13 entries)

⁠Bronze: Two Track Malting⁠

Silver: Red Shed Malting

Gold: Voyager Craft Malt

⁠VIENNA⁠ (13 entries)

⁠Bronze: ND Malting & Hops

Silver: Murmuration Malts

Gold: Admiral Maltings

⁠LIGHT MUNICH⁠ (12 entries)

⁠Bronze: Two Track Malting

Silver: Root Shoot Malting

Gold: Blue Ox Malthouse

WHEAT⁠ (15 entries)

⁠Bronze: Admiral Maltings

Silver: South Fork Malthouse⁠

Gold: LINC Malt

⁠CARAMEL⁠ (11 entries)

⁠Bronze: New York Craft Malt

Silver: Root Shoot Malting

Gold: Blue Ox Malthouse

⁠DISTILLERS MALT⁠ (9 entries) 

⁠Bronze: Cascadia Malts

Silver: Troubadour Maltings

Gold: Root Shoot Malting

UNIQUE MALT⁠ (19 entries)

Honorable Mention: Voyager Craft Malt

Bronze: Root Shoot Malting

Silver: Red Shed Malting

Gold: Grouse Malt House

SOLES OF MALT AWARD 

The Soles Of Malt, created in memory of craft maltster William Soles, stands for selfless and philanthropic stewardship of the craft malt industry. Each year, a selection committee considers a wide range of craft malt community members to make this tough decision. Congratulations to the 2025 Soles of Malt Award recipient, Brent Manning, the Co-Founder of Riverbend Malt House. Manning was one of the founding members of the Craft Maltsters Guild who served on the Board of Directors for 10 years, four of them as President. Manning and his team have also demonstrated incredible resilience and support for their community in Western North Carolina in the wake of Hurricane Helene. 

SPONSORS 

MaltCon is made possible by generous organizations committed to the work of the Craft Maltsters Guild. Thank you to the MaltCon2025 sponsors. 

Platinum Sponsor

Yingtai Machinery

Gold Sponsors

Kaspar Schulz

Malters Advantage

Buehler

Silver Sponsors

ABM Equipment

Walinga

Montana State University

Hartwick College

Metropolitan State University

Bronze Sponsors

Root Shoot Malting

IKA Lab Equipment

Resilient Freight Solutions

SPECIAL THANKS

The Guild extends recognition to Hannah Ulhmann, Director of the Montana State University Barley and Malt Quality Lab. Through her leadership, the lab has been the official Malt Cup partner since its inception. Thanks to Ulhmann for her ongoing dedication and work to elevate this competition year over year. 

Media inquiring about the Craft Maltsters Guild or MaltCon2025 can contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com.

ABOUT THE CRAFT MALTSTERS GUILD

Formed in 2013, 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. 

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.

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.

Maine’s Blue Ox Malthouse Expansion To Augment Northeastern Small Grains Supply Chain

LISBON FALLS, ME— Construction is underway for a major Blue Ox Malthouse expansion that will triple the operation’s malting floor space and quadruple its processing capacity. The Blue Ox team is thrilled to respond to the growing consumer demand for truly local beers and spirits while combating supply chain challenges that brewers and distillers experience. 

This expansion will ease supply chain difficulties that Northeastern craft breweries and distilleries experience by allowing for more robust resilient supply options.

Having outgrown its current facility, Blue Ox purchased the building it previously leased a section of. Once completed, this upgrade will include two malting floors totalling nearly 8000 square feet. In addition to providing more robust resilient supply options, this expansion will achieve the goals of staying dedicated to floor malting while making work less physically demanding, enabling Blue Ox to hire staff of more diverse physical abilities. It will also allow the malthouse to offer a more diverse lineup of malt products, and work with a wider array of small farms without compromising quality, consistency, or performance of its existing products. 

Blue Ox Malthouse was founded with the intention to serve as a liaison between Northeastern agriculture and consumers of craft beer and artisanal spirits.

“After ten years of being on the scene, Blue Ox Malthouse is undertaking this step to connect farms to locally produced beers and spirits in the Northeast region,” says Blue Ox Founder Joel Alex. “We weren’t built to be vertically integrated, but instead to make space for a mid-sized accessible market for rotation crops. Enriching our business with more capacity and improved equipment helps us stay niche and devoted to our mission of provide opportunities for breweries and farms to create meaningful collaborations” 

Completion of the Blue Ox Malthouse expansion is slated for early in the New Year. The malthouse will celebrate with an open house gathering for their customers this winter. Alex and his team plan to invite the community to tour the malthouse to see the value it’s bringing to the food and beverages we all enjoy in Maine and beyond.

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 and 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 a 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. 

Riverbend Craft Malt Showcase Returns To Brick Store Pub September 21

DECATUR, GA— Brick Store Pub will host the second annual Riverbend Craft Malt Showcase on Thursday, September 21. This tap takeover will boast a stylistic range of 15 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 such as German-style Lagers crafted for Oktoberfest season, IPAs, cask ales, and much more. 

This event will feature beers made by many of the region’s tastemakers— Akademia Brewing Company, Arches Brewing, Beacon Beer Co., The Brutalist, Cellarest Beer Project, Cherry Street Brewing Co., DSSOLVR, Fonta Flora Brewery, Fullsteam Brewery, Leveller Brewing Co., NoFo Brew Co., Redlight Redlight in collaboration with Alga Beer Co., Southern Brewing Company, TrimTab Brewing Co., and Zilicoah Beer Co. 

"We're thrilled to host so many of our favorite breweries here at the Brick Store Pub to showcase Riverbend Malt House's incredible malts,” says Neil Callaghan, Brick Store Pub’s Beer Director. “The Riverbend team has brought together a killer line-up of beers to showcase the quality of their craft malt offerings and create a unique experience for our guests to learn about the malting process and taste the difference that Riverbend's products make in ales and lagers.”  

WHERE & WHEN

Brick Store Pub

125 E Court Square

Decatur, GA 30030

Thursday, September 21, 2023 

Taps flowing at 6pm

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 On Inc. 5000 List Of Fastest Growing Private Companies in America For Second Year

ASHEVILLE, NC— Today Inc. Magazine named Riverbend Malt House 3992 on the list of the 5000 fastest growing private companies in America. Riverbend ranked #96 on the list of fastest growing North Carolina companies.

2023 marks the second consecutive year that Riverbend has made the Inc. 5000 list, 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. At Riverbend Malt House, the revenue growth over the past three years was 116 percent. 

“We are gratified to make the Inc. 5000 fastest growing  list for the second consecutive year,” remarked Scott Hickman, Riverbend’s CEO. “High quality malt, carefully made from grain sourced from local, family owned farms clearly continues to be a value proposition that appeals to our craft brewing and distilling customers.  In an increasingly crowded space, using—  and talking about— quality ingredients is proving to be an effective way for our customers to stand out.”

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.

Craft Maltsters Guild Announces 2024 Craft Malt Conference Destination with Request For Session Proposals

INTERNATIONAL— The Craft Maltsters Guild has selected the University of California Davis Conference Center in Northern California as the location for the 2024 Craft Malt Conference that will be held on February 23 and 24, 2024. 

The Guild’s Board of Directors, Marketing & Events Working Group, and 2024 Craft Malt Conference Planning Committee is working in collaboration to execute this gathering of university, agriculture, malt, and beverage professionals from across the globe. The Craft Malt Conference is the only conference of its kind, offering workshops and seminars specifically focused on malt research, topics, and best practices. 

The Craft Maltsters Guild seeks proposals from professionals across the malt supply chain to present their research and expertise to our membership on topics including but not limited to agriculture and agronomy, small grains breeding, scientific research, technical and applied elements of the malting process, sensory, flavor, marketing, and industry DEI. Find the proposal requirements and submit at craftmalting.com. Submissions are due by Friday, September 8. 

More information about the 2024 Craft Malt Conference will be published in coming months. Contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com to request media credentials to the conference and with queries about the Craft Maltsters Guild. 

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. 

Riverbend Malt House Earns 2023 Living Wage Certified Employer Status

ASHEVILLE, NC— For the sixth consecutive year, Riverbend Malt House has earned Just Economics’ Living Wage Certified Employer status for paying all of its 16 employees a salary at or above the living wage rate established by the county. Additionally, Riverbend continues to pay 100 percent of employee health insurance premiums, commencing on the first day of employment.

Since 2007, Just Economics has worked to educate and advocate for a just and sustainable local economy that works for all in Western North Carolina. Its Living Wage Certification program was developed to help local businesses define “living wage” in the evolving economic context of Western North Carolina and to provide independent certification of living wage claims by local companies.

“Riverbend is proud to continue its longstanding policy of paying certified living wages in 2023,” says CEO Scott Hickman. “We do it because it’s the right thing to do, and beyond that we enjoy the benefits of a higher quality, more motivated employee team with lower turnover.”

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.

Maine’s First Maltster Blue Ox Malthouse Wins Two Prestigious Malt Cup Awards

LISBON FALLS, ME— Blue Ox Malthouse was awarded two Malt Cup awards by the Craft Maltsters Guild on March 17 at the annual Craft Malt Conference held this month in Portland, Maine. This esteemed international competition is the only recognition program of its kind for the malting grain industry. The award comes at the 10 year anniversary of Blue Ox Malthouse’s incorporation to become Maine’s first malthouse. 

Among the 90 total entries from 34 malthouses in four malt categories, Blue Ox received bronze Malt Cup awards in the Pale and Light Munich categories. Entries were scored by 200 judges that included barley breeders, brewers, distillers, maltsters, Beer Judge Certification Program participants, and Cicerones in three rounds of comprehensive analysis that included the hot steep process. 

Blue Ox’s light, clean, and crisp Pale has mild sweet and grainy aromas and is fully modified for high extract and enzyme potential. It’s malted to elevate the foundation of lighter beer styles like Kolsch, Blondes and Pales. Their Light Munich style yields lightly toasted bread crust flavors rounded by a deep biscuity sweetness with hints of peanut butter. It’s malted to build character for many beer styles. 

Both these styles are built of malting barley grown and sourced from Aroostook County Maine–consistent with Blue Ox Malthouse’s mission to support and build local robust, resilient, supply chains. Unusually, these products are also made using the traditional floor malting techniques–a hands-on artisanal approach in which grain is germinated on concrete floors and turned by hand. This method is more common in Europe and Blue Ox Malthouse is one of the few North American malthouses dedicated to using this style of production. 

Now in its fifth year, the Malt Cup is facilitated by the Craft Maltsters Guild— the trade association supporting the work of craft malthouses across the globe— in collaboration with Montana State University’s Malt Quality Lab and sensory analysis company DraughtLab. 

“We’ve known for years that we are making top quality, world-class products that present Maine and Maine grains in the best light possible. It is great to have that validated in such a competitive, high caliber competition,” says Joel Alex, Founder and CEO of Blue Ox Malthouse. Additionally Alex went on to say that “perhaps the most meaningful part for me is the recognition this gives our staff for the great work they do every day to bring these products to life. Winning for the first time while we were hosting the conference here in our home state with our tenth anniversary coming up next month is particularly special!” 

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.

Riverbend Malt House Publishes Record Numbers and Esteemed Recognitions in 2022 Year In Review

ASHEVILLE, NC— 2022 was a monumental year for Riverbend Malt House that included a 50 percent capacity increase, and deeper agricultural and environmental commitments than ever before. The malthouse was honored with a prestigious Malt Cup award for malt quality, and named one of Inc. 5000’s fastest growing  private companies— among many other milestones.

Here is the Riverbend Malt House 2022 Year In Review.

Production and Capacity

In 2022, Riverbend Malt House malted 3.3 million pounds of craft malt, which included mainstay styles as well as custom and smoked malt for specialty projects.  This production level was 28 percent higher than in 2021.

In response to the growing demand for craft malt among breweries and distilleries throughout the Southeast, Riverbend Malt House added a 10 tonne steep tank and 10-tonne Germination Kiln Vessel (GKV) unit to its production facility in 2022. These equipment additions increased the malthouse’s overall craft malt production capacity by more than 50 percent. 

Local Farmers and Customers 

In 2022, Riverbend sourced grain from North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky  Virginia, Georgia and even Florida— all from family-owned farms within 500 miles of the malthouse— and worked with agricultural researchers across the region on barley research and breeding. After ten years in the making, Riverbend was one of the first malthouses in the country to malt the new Avalon barley variety developed by Virginia Tech’s Eastern Virginia Agricultural Research and Extension Center. 

Riverbend sold malt to more than 280 different breweries and distilleries in 2022. Nearly 100 of these are new to the malt house’s customer base.  With the overall craft brewing market falling flat in 2022, craft brewers are increasingly seeking ways to differentiate themselves, and using locally sourced high quality craft malt is one strategy employed with increasing frequency.

Distillers continue to be an important and growing segment of Riverbend’s customer base, with almost a quarter of 2022 sales going to more than 30 customers in this exciting market.  Three of Riverbend’s top 10 customers in 2022 were craft distillers.

Environmental Commitment

Over the course of the year, Riverbend reduced its carbon emissions per pound of malt produced by 2 percent. in partnership with the WNC Brewery Recycling Co-Op composted 85 tons of organic waste and diverted 16,216 pounds of polywoven plastic from the landfills through a new malt bag recycling program activated by the Asheville Brewers Alliance and Sierra Nevada Brewing Company. In total, Riverbend redirected approximately 186,000 pounds of waste from landfill in 2022.

Events & Community 

In 2022, Riverbend was proud to create custom malt blends for the Athens Pink Boots Society Women’s International Brew Day beer made at Terrapin Beer Co;, and for Fullsteam Brewery’s new base malt aptly named Plow To Pint Pilsner, among other projects. 

As the largest and longest-standing malthouse in the Southeast, Riverbend was honored to share its expertise at several industry gatherings including the 2022 Craft Malt Conference and the 2022 North Carolina Craft Brewers Conference.

Riverbend was delighted to support Farm To Tap launched by the Tennessee Craft Brewers Guild and the Tennessee Department of Agriculture through a series of events and panel discussions. This initiative encourages Tennessee brewers to use Tennessee sourced ingredients in their beer, and the malthouse is thrilled to see it return in 2023.

Awards & Accolades 

Riverbend maintained its Living Wage Certified Employer status from Just Economics, the largest voluntary Living Wage Certification in the nation. 100 percent of Riverbend’s employees are compensated at or above the living wage rate established by Just Economics for Buncombe County.  Additionally, Riverbend pays for 100 percent of employee health insurance premiums.

In February 2022, Riverbend took home a bronze award in the Craft Maltsters Guild’s Malt Cup for the Chesapeake Pilsner style.  2022 was the fourth year of this prestigious awards program— often called the Great American Beer Festival® or the Oscars® of craft malt– that recognizes craft maltsters for the quality and consistency of their malt.

In August 2022, Riverbend was named number 2804 of the fastest growing private companies in the country on the Inc. 5000 list. 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 pandemic, Riverbend has attained a revenue growth rate of 198 percent.

Throughout the year, many of Riverbend’s customers were recognized with medals from multiple awards programs for beers made with Riverbend malt– including the Great American Beer Festival®, the World Beer Cup®, the U.S. Beer Open, the North Carolina Brewers Cup, and the Virginia Craft Beer Cup. Riverbend extends congratulations to these producers for their commitment to quality that begins with their investment in ingredients.

Contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer 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.

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.

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.