If you ever have a chance to visit a maltster, I really recommend it. It was interesting to see the process before we get the barley. I toured Prairie Malt in Biggar, SK which is owned by Cargill. Their big customers are Sapporo, Kirin, and Boston Beer. It was cool to see where my family farm's barley ends up, and to drink a Sam Adams Oktoberfest and think that it may be barley that I helped produce.
I even got to meet the brewer from Beaver Island in St. Cloud, MN and a local micro brewery, and the head of malt procurement at Boston Beer
This is the first step where they steep the barley. Each tank holds 62MT of barley and 35,000 gallons of water.
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1477625830.726055.jpg
This is where the barley is sprouted and turned. The malt spends about 4 days here, before being killed. The system they use isn't used as much any more and is quite unique.
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1477625920.023988.jpg
After this it is kilned. The bulk of production here is 2 row base malt with some wheat malt as well.
I even got to meet the brewer from Beaver Island in St. Cloud, MN and a local micro brewery, and the head of malt procurement at Boston Beer
This is the first step where they steep the barley. Each tank holds 62MT of barley and 35,000 gallons of water.
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1477625830.726055.jpg
This is where the barley is sprouted and turned. The malt spends about 4 days here, before being killed. The system they use isn't used as much any more and is quite unique.
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1477625920.023988.jpg
After this it is kilned. The bulk of production here is 2 row base malt with some wheat malt as well.
