Growing malt in our maritime climate allows for unique experimentation with micro-climates contained within it. From all the way up to the headwaters of the Skagit River to out on the islands of the Puget Sound, changes in how barley interacts with the environment and gives distillers and brewers uniquely local expressions to play with. Whidbey Island Distillery is uniquely positioned to take advantage of this exploration and we’re proud to work with them to highlight one of these micro-climates in their products.
When we started working with Zeeks Pizza to replace malt extract with our malt flour it seemed like a perfect match. Zeeks brings together an exciting brand that makes delicious pizza along with highlighting many of our brewing customers on their beer list. What could be better than craft PNW companies working together to highlight local ingredients?
2020 will be remembered by many as the year of the pivot. As challenges presented themselves, we adapted, pivoted, and overcame. We went into the year with high hopes of smashing our numbers from our 2019 Year End and ended the year with new ideas and strategies to continue to support our customers, growers, and goals.
Our friends and neighbors at Terramar Brewstillery have been supporting us since they opened their doors. Trying to showcase the best that the valley offers, especially seasonal and fresh items, they lean into terror and express it through food, beer, and spirits. We asked them a few questions to help folks get to know them a bit better. Enjoy!
At Skagit Valley Malting, we’re at work adapting our products to better serve homebrewers. As we launch more homebrewer resources (link here!) we thought we would highlight one of our long time homebrew store customers. Tony and the folks at Micro Homebrew have supported us and helped us get tied in with the local homebrewing scene in Seattle over the past few years.
Charles Porter from Little Beast Brewing in Portland has been a big supporter of our malt in Oregon. We asked him some questions to get to know Little Beast Brewing and what he likes about Skagit Valley Malting.
Chris and The Original 40 Brewing Company have been using Skagit Valley Malts since the first day we became available in San Diego! We asked him a few questions about why he continues to use Skagit Malts.
As a part of the Craft Maltsters Guild, Skagit Valley Malting is launching efforts to get customers certified to use the Craft Malt Seal.
Criteria for breweries, distilleries, beers, and distilled products are all the same - if you are a member of the Craft Maltsters Guild and use more than 10% of your grain by weight from a craft maltster, you qualify to use the seal!
Every malthouse makes malt differently. Machinery, growing region, water, variety of grain, terroir, the philosophy of the maltsters - all of these factors and more contribute to malt flavor. At Skagit Valley Malting, we are dedicated to making the best malt possible, and we have one of the best growing regions and some of the best malting equipment to realize our goal.
This year as part of Skagit Valley Malting’s ongoing conservation and sustainability efforts we are beginning to certify Salmon-Safe grain! We are excited to announce that all of our Organic barley from the 2019 harvest is now certified Salmon-Safe!
As 2019 comes to an end we decided to take a look back at some of Skagit Valley Malting’s highlights and achievements throughout the year. This year was our biggest year for growth yet, we increased malting production, we increased our storage capacity, we had our largest harvest to date, we started a charity brew program and introduced new varieties of barley to brewers!
The Skagit Valley is one of the most prosperous growing regions in the United States, as a local business who draws on that land to provide grain, we believe it is imperative to protect and improve our home.
The Skagit Valley is home to an emerging and thriving grain community. Grains have always been a crucial part of the agricultural practices of Skagit farmers but it wasn’t until recently that a community began to form around the goal of increasing the value of the grains grown here.
Skagit Valley Malting has just completed its largest harvest to date! Check out some of our favorite pictures and see all the unique grains we had grown for us this year.
Between many unique projects and some quick growth our warehouse is stuffed and we need to get some things gone to make room for the new crop. So, please join us for 1st ever SVM garage sale!
Now with over 60 craft maltsters in the US, and more on the way, we are experiencing a shift in craft beer and distilling where value is being returned to grains we rely on to express our craft. Localized economies our the future of not only craft beer but agriculture in the United States.
A look at the improvements and infrastructure changes we have made this spring.
A chance to get to know Skagit Valley Malting’s head Maltster, Will DeRemer!
Crop rotation is crucial for farming in the Skagit Valley because of the diversity of high-value crops that are grown here, over 90 different crops are grown here each year.
On April 23, 2019 The Washington Business Journal named Skagit Valley Malting Washington States Food and Beverage Processor of the Year.
