Ben Keene

Efficiency and the needs of industry have dominated North American barley growing, limiting what’s grown and where. However, independent brewers seeking locally grown options are spurring the development of new, distinctive varieties in unusual places.

Growers, breeders, maltsters, and brewers will need to adapt faster than they have in the past if they’re going to keep up with accelerating change.

It’s not standard equipment in every malthouse, but many maltsters large and small are using their own pilot breweries to test, demonstrate, and help customers get the best possible malt for their needs.

Independent brewers are prolific consumers of malt, increasingly nudging growers and maltsters into more characterful varieties. What’s lacking is wider adoption of programs that can evaluate and analyze that character—and then communicate it to drinkers.

A defunct brewery up for sale can be ideal for others looking to open or expand quickly—but this often comes with compromises on location, size, and space. Here, brewery operators who’ve recently been down that road share some lessons learned.

As small breweries proliferate, the largest malt producers—known for consistency, quality, and scale—aim to innovate and stay nimble to serve the changing market.

Quality, price, and scalability remain drawbacks for small-batch local malt, but many small breweries argue that the benefits far outweigh the costs.

Breweries that altered their businesses to stay afloat during the pandemic are beginning to see that many of those changes will stick around. Here are several ways the industry will look different on the other side.

Last year was big for brews that raised funds and awareness for causes, from social injustice to hospitality workers in need. Here, four brewers from different parts of the country share experiences and advice on doing the most good with good-cause beers.

The pandemic’s unpredictability also affects the laborers, farmers, and dealers who supply breweries’ raw ingredients. Their experience, flexibility, and optimism are helping to buffer a potentially volatile market.