Craft malting
Craft malting, also called micro-malting,[1] is an agricultural practice of creating malting barley in relatively small quantities for craft beer.[2] One guide says that craft malt must include 50% locally sourced grain,[3] the figure endorsed by a trade industry group.[4]
In addition to beer, craft malt can be used for whisky (peat malting),[5] or as specialty grains for baking.[6] The craft malt may be heirloom varieties that are not commercially viable for large growers;[7] of tens of thousands of barley varieties, only 10 or so are produced in great quantity for beer.[6] Craft malting also appeals to local food culture in areas away from the main grain producing areas of the Midwestern United States.[8][9]
History
Craft malting may be traced to a 2004 operation in Reno, Nevada that supplied organic products to Nevada and Northern California breweries. Other early craft malting operations began in 2010 in New England; North Carolina in 2011; and Michigan and West Virginia prior to 2013.[10][11] In 2013 there were five craft malt operations.[7] There were 59 craft malthouses by early 2017.[12]
Washington State
The Pacific Northwest craft beer industry has created strong demand for craft malt. A supplier in Skagit Valley was one of the first in the nation, operating since 2014.[13] Washington State University operates the Mount Vernon Research Center which has developed new barley varieties suitable for the local climate and soil.[14] One cultivar called "Richard" has produced over 6,400 kilograms per hectare (5,700 lb/acre).[2]
According to one source, "Skagit Valley malts are naturally lower in protein than those from other North American growing regions".[15]
Farms in the Skagit Valley area have produced barley on a small scale since the 1890s or earlier, and some are in the fourth generation of ownership by the same family.[16]
The arrival of craft malt has been called "The most important development for Seattle craft brewing",[17] and "redefin[ing] ... what it means to be a truly local beer".[8]
A Skagit Valley craft malt company created the United States' first peat-smoked malt, to be used in whiskey made by the largest whiskey distillery west of the Mississippi, in Seattle.[18][19]
Seattle-based Westland Distillery opened a farm for experimental barley varieties in the Skagit Valley, north of Seattle, as well as purchasing barley for whiskey production from Skagit Valley Malting.[20]
Organizations
Organizations supporting craft malting include Canadian Malting Barley Technical Center in Winnipeg,[12] the Craft Malting Guild (a trade association) and the Washington State University program mentioned above.
References
- ^ Beer's micro-malt renaissance and Alameda’s Admiral Maltings Jay R. Brooks March 16, 2017 SJ Mercury News https://www.mercurynews.com/2017/03/16/the-beer-revolution-the-micro-malt-renaissance-and-alamedas-admiral-maltings/
- ^ a b WSU Bread Lab
- ^ Sprinkle 2016.
- ^ Jeff Cioletti (May 16, 2017), "Grain Trust: Craft Malt, Craft Beer and What it Means to be Local", Craft Beer
- ^ New Frontier for Craft US Whiskey May Be Underfoot – A Seattle distillery is taking an unusual step for the booming American craft spirits industry: using local peat to make whiskey., Associated Press, December 5, 2017
- ^ a b Skagit Valley Malting on the cutting edge (Associated Press, December 19, 2015)
- ^ a b Lessley Anderson (April 9, 2013), "Meet the Micro-Malts", Modern Farmer
- ^ a b Stefan Milne (August 8, 2017), "Skagit Valley Malting Is Changing Washington Beer", Seattle Met
- ^ April Fehling (March 5, 2013), "Who Grew Your Pint? How Craft Brews Boost Local Farmers", The Salt, NPR
- ^ Ben Keene (July 1, 2013), "Rise of the micro-maltsters: growing number of businesses selling locally malted barley to breweries", All About Beer, vol. 34, no. 3
- ^ Despite the tough work, micro malting is on the rise Philadelphia Inquirer "Joe Sixpack", March 4, 2011
- ^ a b Amy Halloran Note to craft beer lovers: local malt isn’t a thing, New Food Economy blog, February 7, 2017
- ^ Skagit malting business fires up new flavors: Company teams with WSU, machine designers to develop new process (The Columbian / Vancouver, August 17, 2014)
- ^ Rizzo 2016, p. 2016.
- ^ Skagit Valley Malting Showcase (Skagit Beer Week)
- ^ Centennial survey–North Puget Sound region Archived 2017-01-30 at the Wayback Machine, Washington State Department of Agriculture
- ^ Lester Black (May 9, 2018), "The most important development for Seattle craft brewing", The Stranger
- ^ Local malting company creates flavors unique to Skagit County grain (Skagit Chamber / Visit Mount Vernon, May 12, 2015)
- ^ From Farm to Tavern: a Grain of Truth (Seattle Business, July 2016)
- ^ JACQUELINE (August 27, 2021). "Distillery opens whiskey facility to continue work with barley in Skagit County". Skagit Valley Herald.
Sources
- Sprinkle, Timothy (2016). True Beer: Inside the Small, Neighborhood Nanobreweries Changing the World of Craft Beer. Skyhorse. ISBN 9781634506434.
- Rizzo, M.F. (2016). Washington Beer: A Heady History of Evergreen State Brewing. American Palate. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 978-1-62585-678-4.
Further reading
- Mallett, John (2014). Malt: A Practical Guide from Field to Brewhouse. Brewers Publications. ISBN 9781938469169.
- Thomas, Dave (2014). The Craft Maltsters' Handbook. White Mule Press. ISBN 978-0991043620.