This was originally episodes 98 and 99 that we've combined into a complete episode. Malt may not always get the attention that hops, yeast and brewing techniques receive, but it is one of the foundations of every great beer. In this complete edition of our conversation, we sit down with Brent Manning, co-founder of Riverbend Malt House in Asheville, North Carolina, for a deep dive into the world of craft malt, locally grown grain and the important role malt plays in beer, whiskey and the future of craft brewing. Brent takes us inside the malting process, explaining how locally sourced barley, wheat, rye, oats, corn and other grains are transformed through steeping, germination and kilning. We explore traditional floor malting, modern pneumatic malting and how changes in temperature, moisture, grain varieties and kilning can produce dramatically different flavors. Riverbend has grown from making 10-pound experimental batches with homemade equipment to producing roughly five million pounds of malt annually. We also explore Riverbend's relationships with farmers throughout the Southeast and why building a regional grain supply chain can benefit everyone from the farmer to the maltster, brewer, distiller and ultimately the person drinking the finished product. Brent explains how sourcing winter barley from areas including Tennessee, North Carolina and Virginia provides Riverbend with greater traceability while helping insulate its customers from some of the volatility of the global grain market. The conversation gets into the resurgence of lagers and Pilsners and why those styles put malt front and center. Brent explains how different barley varieties can create distinct flavor profiles and how Riverbend has developed malts specifically suited for German Pilsners, Helles, Czech lagers and other traditional styles. We also discuss what the return to flavorful, lower-ABV traditional beers could mean for craft breweries and the importance of breweries remaining gathering places within their communities.But Riverbend's malt isn't just going into beer. Brent explains how craft distillers are using specialty malts to introduce new flavors into bourbon and whiskey, along with some unexpected applications for malt outside the brewing world. We also dig into Riverbend's commitment to sustainability and regenerative agriculture. Brent explains how shortening the distance between farm, malt house and brewery reduces food miles and how Riverbend became the first Regenified-certified malt house, creating traceability from regenerative farms through the malt house and ultimately into finished beer. Along the way, Brent talks about quality control, sensory evaluation, partnerships with universities and brewing programs, and Riverbend's ability to work directly with brewers on custom malt projects. He even gives us one of our favorite explanations of malt's importance: if beer ingredients were Led Zeppelin, malt would be John Bonham — maybe not always grabbing the headlines, but absolutely essential to everything happening around it. We close with a look at Asheville's recovery following Hurricane Helene, the resilience of its brewery community and an incredible lesson in just how long it takes to develop a new barley variety — Riverbend's Avalon barley took roughly a decade to go from its beginnings to commercial quantities.Whether you're a brewer, homebrewer, whiskey fan, beer traveler or simply someone who's ever wondered what malt actually contributes to your beer, this conversation will give you an entirely new appreciation for what happens long before the beer ever reaches the brewhouse. Cheers!
