Malting

In centuries past, much of European brewing happened on the farm—and the choice of what to brew was as pragmatic as what to grow. With insights that could inform your next farmhouse ale, Lars Marius Garshol shares some truths about what those farmer-brewers planted, malted, and put into their beers.

Between the farm and the brewery, much of beer’s flavor is born in the malthouse. Here we journey inside a traditional floor maltings—and inside a kernel of grain—to witness the daily toil and tools that turn a raw cereal into the soul of beer.

Whether you source some alder-smoked malt or go all the way and build your own Stjørdal-style kiln, this style could be the pinnacle for smoke fiends: extreme smoke character enveloped in a dark, plush malt body. Jan Chodkowski of Denver’s Our Mutual Friend explains how and why they love brewing it with the Colorado Farm Brewery.

Ready for Wheat Beer School? Bluejacket head brewer Ro Guenzel connects the dots between the history of wheat and barley, their importance to civilization, and the unique properties they bring to Bavarian-style weissbier.

The fifth-generation leader of this family-owned British malthouse discusses the ins and outs of barley, malting, heritage varieties like Golden Promise and Maris Otter, crop year challenges, crystallization and roasting, batch blending, and more.

Dennis Nesel from Hudson Valley Malt gives you an inside look at their craft malting operation.