The opportunity to order specially tailored malt is on the table for breweries large and small, yet it’s an option that few pursue.
“Frankly, it’s an under-used option in my opinion, likely because folks don’t know how to ask for what they want,” says Jeff Bloem, founder and maltster at Murphy & Rude Malting in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Granted, there is already a lot of variety available, with a wide range of grains, flavors, colors, geographic origins, and price points. With so many options out there already, why would a brewer pursue custom malt? Among the possible reasons:
- the chance to use barley grown exclusively for the brewery, which could provide a unique marketing opportunity
- access to a barley variety—such as an overlooked heirloom type—that’s less popular with larger maltsters
- to simplify recipe and inventory—for example, by creating a malt that mimics a blend of two or more malts
- to brew with a locally grown version of an otherwise imported malt type
- to create a unique beer from a novel malt, such as chit wheat or a malt smoked with an unconventional wood
- to brew with a carbohydrate beyond the grain family, such as malted peas
- to take advantage of any tax incentives or grants for using local grain, as with New York’s farm brewery law
Here are some insights, examples, and tips if you’re considering custom malt as an option.