The Craft Maltsters Guild will host its first Malt for Brewers Workshop in partnership with the Montana State University (MSU) – Barley, Malt & Brewing Quality Lab on August 9-10. This two-day, in-person course is custom-tailored for craft brewers and will provide an extensive overview of technical malt knowledge from farm to the fermenter. Register right here.
The workshop will take place at the Plant Bioscience Building on MSU’s campus and select surrounding locations. Over the two days, barley topics from field to pint will be covered including:
- Barley breeding and the North American supply chain
- Aspects of measuring barley and malt quality
- A review of the malting process and technology
- Malt styles, flavor, and troubleshooting
- Hands-on lab activities and tours of the MSU malt quality lab and breeding field plots, as well as a local malthouse, will be part of the experience.
Registration for the workshop is $600 for Craft Maltsters Guild members and $750 for non-members. Attendance is limited to 15 students. A copy of the CMG Quality & Safety Manual and malt flavor sensory maps are also included with registration.
“We are keeping the class size small to encourage social distancing and optimize the learning experience,” says Jesse Bussard, CMG’s Executive Director. “While not required, we also highly encourage all attendees to get their COVID-19 vaccination prior to attending the course.”
Hannah Turner, director of the MSU lab and a current CMG board member, will serve as the instructor for the course. Turner has been involved in plant science research for over a decade and has served as director of the MSU Barley, Malt, & Brewing Quality Lab since 2016. Additionally, she heads up the CMG Technical Committee and the American Society of Brewing Chemist’s Malt Subcommittee.
“I’m so excited to get back to teaching and this course has been a long time coming,” says Turner. “Brewers are the lifeblood for so many craft maltsters and we are looking forward to supporting those relationships via educational offerings. The Malt for Brewers Workshop is an ideal option for any brewer wanting to gain a deeper understanding of their malt or any maltsters wanting to be able to better communicate with their brewers.”
The Malt for Brewers Workshop comes on the heels of growing craft brewer interest and adoption of the Craft Malt Certified Seal. Launched in the fall of 2019, the program now boasts more than 145 partnering breweries and distilleries.
“Craft brewers’ curiosity about craft malt is increasing and with that, so is the interest in the Craft Malt Certified Seal,” says Bussard. “Brewers now make up an expanding and significant demographic in our membership. As such, we’re committed to developing useful programs and educational offerings that will foster their success and knowledge of malt and its use in brewing.”
The Malt for Brewers Workshop will be the organization’s first foray into brewer-focused malt education, but certainly not the last. Courses for distillers and a malt sensory workshop are also currently under development. Again, to register, click here.
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