One of the most exciting trends in recent years has been the rise of small maltsters, who can take advantage of local and heirloom grain varieties to produce characterful malts generally unavailable from larger producers. However, these smaller maltsters are not found everywhere, and their products won’t necessarily appear in your local homebrew shop.
With that in mind, we’ve identified several whose malt ships nationwide or even internationally, often through locally based online retailers. This is surely not an exhaustive list; there are (at last check) 61 members of the Craft Maltsters Guild in North America, and others may ship directly or in cooperation with local retailers. Check craftmalting.com to see whether there is a craft maltster near you—many are happy to sell directly to local homebrewers—or ask your favorite homebrew shop.
Blacklands Malts
Leander, Texas
Austin-area maltster whose range includes a “Texas Brisket” mesquite-smoked malt. Sells several varieties to homebrewers via the webshops of Austin Homebrew Supply or SoCo Homebrew.
austinhomebrew.com socohomebrew.com
Double Eagle Malt
Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia-area maltster sourcing grains from local farmers for a variety of malts. Sold to homebrewers by the ounce or pound via the Philly Homebrew Outlet, which has a webshop. phillyhomebrew.com
Epiphany Craft Malt
Durham, North Carolina
Successful craft maltster with a wide range of base and specialty malts, including alternatives such as triticale. Wide variety by the pound or 55-pound sack available from Bull City Homebrew. bullcityhomebrew.com
Great Lakes Malting
Traverse City, Michigan
Founded in 2014 and now one of the better-established craft maltsters in the Midwest. Produces a range of base and crystal malts as well as white wheat and alternative grains such as emmer. Available to homebrewers via the Hop Craft Supply Company in Saginaw, Michigan. hopcraftsupply.com
Mainstem Malt
Walla Walla, Washington
This is one of four Western craft maltsters (also see Mecca Grade, Skagit Valley, and Troubadour, below) whose products are available via Portland, Oregon’s F.H. Steinbart. fhsteinbart.com
Mecca Grade Estate Malt
Madras, Oregon
Unique products include a Belgian-style, under-modified “wind-malt.” Available via Portland’s F.H. Steinbart. fhsteinbart.com
Niagara Malt
Lockport, New York
Emphasizes organic grains and sustainability. Malts are available by the pound via Niagara Tradition Homebrew, which has a webshop. nthomebrew.com
Riverbend Malt House
Asheville, North Carolina
Founded in 2010, malting for both brewing and distilling. Homebrew-scale quantities, including rye and heritage varieties, are sold via Asheville Brewers Supply. ashevillebrewers.com
Skagit Valley
Burlington, Washington
Seattle-area maltster producing several unusual base and specialty malts. Available via Portland’s F.H. Steinbart. fhsteinbart.com
Sugar Creek Malt
Lebanon, Indiana
Family-run craft maltster with a wide range of base and specialty malts, including smoked varieties and pre-Prohibition-style six-row. Available via Indianapolis-based Great Fermentations webshop. shop.greatfermentations.com
Troubadour Maltings
Fort Collins, Colorado
A wide variety of new- and old-fashioned malts and grains are available via Portland’s F.H. Steinbart. fhsteinbart.com
West Branch Malts
Brunswick, Ohio
Combination craft maltster and distillery going for three generations. A variety of their malts are available to homebrewers via the webshop of Vine ’n’ Hop. vinenhop.com