From Seed To Glass: Root Shoot Malting Releases Malted Heritage Oland Wheat

LOVELAND, CO— Root Shoot Malting announced today the release of a rare malted heritage grain, Ölandsvete, or Oland Wheat. This passion project has been more than two years in the making and resulted from a cross-sector collaboration inspired by family history. 

This history of farming Oland Wheat goes back for centuries, and today there are only a few farmers in the world who grow the variety. Now, one is Olander Farms in Loveland, Colorado, home base for Root Shoot Malting— quite possibly the only malthouse in the world to malt this variety. 

Oland Wheat is named after a Swedish island in the Baltic Sea where this variety was first grown over 6,000 years ago, and from where the Olander's ancestors migrated in the 1800's. The grain nearly disappeared from Swedish fields in 1960 until 1995, when it was reintroduced to encourage the rediscovery of sourdough bread making.

The Olanders’ ties to Oland and thirst for innovation ignited their pursuit to bring a rare heritage grain to Colorado’s craft brewing and distilling community. Finnriver Grainery in Chimacum, Washington, who provided the seed via the Washington State University’s Bread Lab breeding program, made that possible.  Olander Farms grew ten acres of the grain in 2019, another twenty acres in 2020, and plans to grow another twenty acres in 2021. 

“I’m excited to taste these craft beverages, and wouldn’t be surprised if they have a hint of coastal wind-swept-Sweden in their flavor profile,” jokes Keith Kisler, Founder of Finnriver Grainery. “Heritage grains can thrive in low input organic environments, so farmers can go lighter on fertilizers and herbicides and still grow a viable crop full of flavor and nutrition. The way heritage grains adapt and survive tells us so much about the landscape and people.”

At The Family Jones Spirit House in Denver, Colorado, Head Distiller Rob Masters uses this heritage wheat for his single-estate Annika Jones Vodka, crafted with 60% Oland Wheat. He describes the flavor profile as sweet, with a hint of honeydew melon. "Utilizing heirloom grains was especially important to the flavor development for this vodka,” says Masters. “The fact that this variety came from Scandinavia, grown by farmers with Scandinavian ancestors, for a distiller with Scandinavian ancestors in a Scandinavian style vodka was a win all around.”

Root Shoot Malting has lastly partnered with Lake Hollow Homestead, a garlic farm in Berthoud, Colorado that sells Root Shoot grains to homebrewers, to also make Oland Wheat available in flour form to use in baking. Three-pound bags of fresh-milled Oland Wheat flour are now available for purchase through Lake Hollow Homestead’s Online Store.

Ölandsvete malted wheat is available to commercial brewers and distillers in limited quantities. To order, please contact Emily Olander by email at emily@rootshootmalting.com.  

For more information about Root Shoot Malting or this radical seed-to-glass collaboration, contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com. 

ABOUT ROOT SHOOT MALTING 

Root Shoot Malting is a 5th generation family farm and craft malthouse that supplies the Rocky Mountain region with craft malt and grains. Founded by the Olander family in 2016, Root Shoot harvests barley, wheat, rye and corn to give craft brewers and distillers high-quality taste in every glass. Located on the Olander Farms’ 112-acre farm in Loveland, Colorado, and approximately 1500 leased acres, Root Shoot is working to ensure that farmland remains available to grow grains for the beers and spirits of tomorrow. Find this craft maltster online at rootshootmalting.com.

Laws Whiskey House Releases One of the First Bonded Wheat Whiskeys in America

DENVER, CO— Laws Whiskey House is releasing Bonded Centennial Straight Wheat Whiskey today. The award-winning distillery’s newest summer offering is made with 100% Colorado grown Soft White Centennial Spring Wheat, and it’s one of the first ever Bonded Wheat Whiskey releases in the nation. 

Centennial Straight Wheat joins Four Grain Straight Bourbon, Secale Straight Rye, Straight Corn Whiskey, and Two Grain Straight Bourbon in Laws’ Bottled in Bond series. 

Bottled in Bond requires that the whiskey is a product of a single season, using the grain of a single harvest season, made by one distiller at a single distillery, and aged at least four years in a federal government-bonded warehouse. This whiskey is then cut and bottled at 100 proof (50% ABV). These rules are even more stringent than the U.S. standards for “Straight Whiskey.”

"We want to lead the charge on defining what wheat whiskey can be," says Al Laws, founder of Laws Whiskey House.“The distinct flavors of this heirloom grain really shines for us in this expression.”

The 100% Colorado-grown wheat from Colorado Malting Company comes from the unique terroir of the San Luis Valley in southern Colorado, which imparts aromas of mountain strawberries and orange marmalade that accentuate hints of alpine meadows and wildflower honey. Jasmine tea, sage and spruce tips fade into pink peppercorns, with crisp linen on the mouthfeel. The spirit finishes dry with a slight bitter, candied orange finish.

Bonded Centennial Straight Wheat over ice brings the wheat character and flavors forward. For a refreshing take on a highball cocktail, add ice and soda to create the perfect summer drink.

This summer seasonal will be available at the Laws Whiskey House tasting room (1420 S Acoma St, Denver, CO 80223) and at participating liquor stores across Colorado while supplies last. 

"This single grain whiskey release, which is consistent with our portfolio of serving top-notch niche bonded whiskey, showcases the robust flavor of Centennial Wheat planted specifically for us,” says Laws.

For more information about Laws Whiskey House or their Bonded Centennial Straight Wheat Whiskey, contact Chea Franz at chea@radcraft.com.

ABOUT LAWS WHISKEY HOUSE

Established in 2011, Laws Whiskey House is a purpose driven, grain to bottle whiskey distillery founded on the principle that the soul of its whiskey is comprised of the people who grow it, the people who make it, and the people who drink it. Using the traditional method of open-air, on grain fermentation, Laws' whiskeys feature high altitude grown American mother grains and mountain spring water while aging in 53-gallon charred American oak barrels. With a collection of award winning whiskey, including several Bottled in Bond expressions, Laws Whiskey House invites you to visit their tasting room in Denver's historic Gates neighborhood and enjoy the Laws experience. For more information visit www.lawswhiskeyhouse.com.