Entries by Scott Hickman

People are Talking About our Rye Malt, and Here’s Why

Seashore Black Rye Malt

Here at Riverbend, we’re passionate about rye malt. That’s why all of our malted rye styles are made with heirloom varieties that can be traced back hundreds of years. With four distinct malts offering flavors from earthy to spicy, we have a rye that fits your next project. Thanks to all of these Riverbend customers who told us why they love our malted rye.  

Meet our Rye Malt Lineup
Carolina Rye

Made from an heirloom rye grain variety called Wrens Abruzzi that has been grown in the south for over 200 years,

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Riverbend Malt House Becomes First-Ever Certified Regenified Malt House

ASHEVILLE, NC— Earlier this year, Riverbend Malt House became the first malt house to become third-party certified for its supply chain processing and manufacturing, ensuring the segregation and processing of Certified Regenified grains. This certification gives Riverbend, the first craft malt house in the South and now the first Certified Regenified™ malt house on the planet, the unique ability to manage, store, and process Certified Regenified grains while maintaining full traceability.

Regenerative Agriculture focuses on soil health as the foundation for supporting entire ecosystems.

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Riverbend Malt House Unveils Terroir With Speakeasy Malt For Distillers

Speakeasy malt for distillers
Introducing Speakeasy Malt For Distillers

ASHEVILLE, NC— Secret’s out— after much underground research and development, Riverbend Malt House now offers a malt style designed for distillers. Speakeasy malt for distillers is now available for purchase.

Riverbend has relished their role as a provider of flavorful malts to distillers for over a decade, often providing that “secret sauce” that sets an American Single Malt Whiskey or bourbon apart from the crowd.

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Bootleg Biology and Riverbend Malt House To Host Southern Lager Invitational at The Mule To Cap 2024 Asheville Beer Week

Southern Lager Invitational

ASHEVILLE, NC— After the successful execution of the inaugural Southern Lager Invitational during the Craft Brewers Conference in Nashville– in a monsoon no less— Bootleg Biology and Riverbend Malt House are excited to bring this festival to Asheville in its second year. The Southern Lager Invitational will take place on May 25 from 5 to 9pm at The Mule at Devil’s Foot Beverage’s production facility, just a short drive from downtown. This event will cap Asheville Beer Week (May 16 –

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Riverbend Malt House Appalachian Wheat Malt Wins 2024 Malt Cup

ASHEVILLE, NC– Riverbend Malt House came home from MaltCon2024 with new hardware last month. The Craft Maltsters Guild awarded silver to Riverbend’s malted wheat in the new wheat malt category of the Malt Cup, a prestigious malt quality competition that rigorously judges entries from all over the world.

2024 is the seventh year of the Malt Cup, which recognized craft maltsters for the quality and consistency in six malt varieties.

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Seven Ways To Make The Most Out Of Your Malt

We know you have many options, and we aim to make you proud with your choice of malt provider. Here are seven ways you can really make your investment in craft malt count in 2024.

1. Put Your Craft Malt Manual To Work

Use our Craft Malt User Manual to gain a deeper understanding of how your investment leads to innovative products, supports local, family-owned farms, and protects the environment.

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Mainstays Made With Riverbend Appalachian Wheat Malt

Our Appalachian Wheat malt is made using a new regionally adapted variety of soft red wheat called Oakes. With flavors of baked artisan bread and toast, it’s no surprise that this wheat malt was developed for use in the artisan bread industry. However, with an aroma and flavor that is more pronounced than traditional wheat malts, we’ve found it makes a tremendous malting variety that promotes head retention and body in the finished beer. 

Check out these mainstay beers made with Riverbend wheat malt,

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2023 Holiday Gift Ideas From Your Local Malt House

With giving season upon, we put together a maltster-inspired 2023 holiday gift ideas list for you. 

Maybe you’re holiday shopping for a homebrewer who would love to tote their supplies around in a malt bag, or perhaps you want to treat a whiskey lover to a crate full of Bourbon made with North Carolina ingredients. Enter your local malt house to hand-select gifts made by our partners across North Carolina. May they bring craft malt and joy to your holiday season.

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New Crystal 50 Malt Is The Darkest Offering Yet at Riverbend Malt House

crystal 50 malt

Riverbend Malt House now has a new answer to the frequently asked question, What’s the darkest malt you make?

Creating Riverbend’s Crystal Malt. 

Riverbend Malt House Crystal 50 is an acquiescence to the requests of many breweries across the Southeast for a Crystal Malt product dark enough to enhance Stouts and Porters and light enough to for Vienna and Dark Lager recipes.

“We’ve learned from the temperatures and times and moisture levels from double-kilning informed the recipe development for this new Crystal Malt,” says Riverbend Co-Founder Brian Simpson.

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Falling For Festbier


Oktoberfest Is In Full Effect. 

Since we launched the malt house, Oktoberfest season sales calls were met with a similar refrain…. “I only use German malt for those recipes”. 

Of course this makes sense; these events are wrapped in hundreds of years of history and tradition. Add to this, the relative lack of experience of an upstart malt house and new barley varieties, and you have a recipe for hesitation.

Over the years,

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