Entries by Scott Hickman

Riverbend Malt House Earns 2023 Living Wage Certified Employer Status

For the sixth consecutive year, Riverbend Malt House has earned Just Economics’ Living Wage Certified Employer status for paying all of its 16 employees a salary at or above the living wage rate established by the county. Additionally, Riverbend continues to pay 100 percent of employee health insurance premiums, commencing on the first day of employment.

Since 2007, Just Economics has worked to educate and advocate for a just and sustainable local economy that works for all in Western North Carolina.

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Winner’s Circle: International Craft Producer of the Year and Award-Winning Beers Made With Riverbend Malt

Winner's Circle

It’s time once again to give a shout-out to the Riverbend customers who have taken home hardware at recent industry competitions. We are honored to support the makers of some of the world’s finest beers and spirits!


Craft Producer of the Year

To start this Winner’s Circle, we couldn’t be happier to congratulate Chattanooga Whiskey for some exceptional distilling.  This Tennessee-based distillery scored the title of Craft Producers of the Year,

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Riverbend Malt House 2023 Oktoberfest Planning Guide

Oktoberfest

It’s almost time to fill those tanks with German-style lagers to serve during this Oktoberfest season. Here is an Oktoberfest planning guide to our standard malt offerings to help plan all of your 2023 recipes. 

Czech-Style Pilsner (<2 SRM)

This product was inspired by the malts hailing from the Hana valley in the eastern portion of the Czech Republic that remain truly under-modified and low in color. In order to reign in these traits,

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Riverbend Malt House Welcomes Hickory King Corn Malt Variety To Malted Corn Portfolio

ASHEVILLE, NC— As part of its recently launched seasonal malt program, Riverbend Malt House now has a limited quantity of malted Hickory King Corn available for purchase.

Hickory King corn is an heirloom variety that has a rich history dating back to the late 1800’s. It was developed by A.O. Lee of Hickory, Virginia, who created it from a single ear of corn he received from a friend.

Hickory King was one of the last regionally adapted varieties to be used in American Whiskey production before the shift to Reid’s Yellow Dent,

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Nashville Scene: Craft Brewers Came to Nashville, and Nashville Treated Them Great

The 2023 Craft Brewers Conference was a huge success! It was an honor to have our malt included in the recipe for the conference beer, Tri Star Blonde Ale, and it was so much fun to taste beers made with our malt all over town.

Thank you to the Brewers Association for having us at the expo, and also to moderate the Building an Educational Beer Festival panel featuring Sharon Cheek of the Tennessee Craft Brewers Guild,

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Fireforge Crafted Beer – The Fixer

The flavors in a Baltic Porter are driven by the malts. Expect malty dark caramel, chocolate and pipe tobacco-like flavors with a smooth finish. Baltic Porter is a strong, lagered porter. Porters are typically made with ale yeast, which can impart fruity esters. Using a more neutral lager yeast strain puts more emphasis on the complex malt flavors. Dark brown in color, porters feature dart malt flavors like a stout, but are not as intense or roasty.

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Meet Riverbend Malt House at the 2023 Craft Brewers Conference and BrewExpo America

Photo © Brewers Association

NASHVILLE, TN – Participants at the 2023 Craft Brewers Conference (CBC) are invited to meet the Riverbend Malt House team at Booth 2333 at BrewExpo America where they can sample malt and learn more about the Asheville, North Carolina-based malting operation. This year’s conference will take place from May 7 to 11 at the Music City Center located at 201 Rep. John Lewis Way South. 

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Single Farm, Single Field: Riverbend Malt House Single Origin Pilsner Malt Is Establishing Southern Terroir

Single Origin Pilsner Malt

Beyond seeking the highest quality crops possible, we source our grains with flavor and aroma characteristics in mind too. This constant exploration of nuance has led us to several single origin Pilsner malt styles in our portfolio, which allow brewers and distillers to craft beer and spirits with a sense of place.

“If you know your maltster and you understand how they work with their product, these individual origins can help you to differentiate different products,” Vince Tursi,

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