It's not everyday you get to drink a beer brewed by the Malthouse, it is a rare opportunity to see the full expression of a Malt House from finished malt to finished beer or finished spirit. WIll Lefevre and John Hall at Skagit Valley Malting take pride in the SMSH beers (Single Malt Single Hop) they brews, not only is it a chance to taste a new batch of malt but a chance to share new flavors with brewers and distillers.
The goal of a SMSH beer is to let malt flavor stand out, we brew with American Ale yeast and washington hops, together these ingredients make for a tasty beer with malt flavor at the forefront.
Drinking SMSH beers made from different barley varieties becomes a bit of a science project for Malt House visitors, the beers are all made from Pale or Pilsner malt but suddenly the terroir and nuances of each variety become apparent to the consumer. Just like a hop grower knows the importance of each variety and its importance for beer style, our team understands how each variety of finished barley is important in finished beer. Mouthfeel, clarity, sweetness, aroma and color all these factors make great beer and SMSH beers gives people insight into how their base malt will contribute to each.