Understanding Distillers Malt, Part 1

Distillers malt trials at EOD Distillery

Photos courtesy EOD Distillery

Since the inception of Riverbend Malt House, we have been learning how to work with what grows in the South to produce not just high-quality beers, but also spirits. This exploration has plunged us into the often polarizing conversation about distillers malt. What is distillers malt? What’s the optimal enzymatic content for converting starch, and how does that vary across styles of spirits? 

The answers to these questions usually vary depending on who you ask.

Our deep dive started with 6-row Thoroughbred barley that was originally intended to feed cattle rather than fill mash tuns. Working with our farm partners and honing our craft helped elevate this humble ingredient into award-winning whiskey!

As the quest for a truly local Bourbon recipe intensifies, we find ourselves at yet another inflection point. Our current 2-row barley varieties offer a strong enzyme package and great flavor,but not quite what large-scale distillers require. For example, we can push diastatic power levels to the 170-180 range, distillers malt spec is >250. On the alpha amylase front, distillers usually look for >85, and we have landed in the 65-70 range.

Why the enormous appetite for enzymes in distillers malt, you ask? 

Well, they often use as little as 5% malt in their recipes, which puts a tremendous amount of pressure on the enzymes to convert a large amount of starch into fermentable sugar in a short amount of time. This is compounded by the intricate production schedules that can include dozens of active fermentations and processing in column stills that require constant “feeding”.

A simple question was posed: Can we make up for the lack of enzymes by adding a bit more malt to the recipe? This would allow the finished spirit to remain very much in the realm of the legally defined Bourbon, but also allow for 100% of the ingredients to be sourced locally.

We partnered with our friends at End of Days Distillery to test the limits of our Speakeasy Distillers Malt, comparing it to the well-known Metcalfe spring barley sourced from traditional barley-growing regions of the Pacific Northwest.

At EOD, we made three batches of Bourbon. Equal amounts of Speakeasy and Metcalfe were utilized in each to determine a performance baseline. The third batch used twice as much Speakeasy and less raw corn, with the hope that spirit yield and starting gravity would surpass, or at least equal, that of the Metcalfe batch. 

 

Recipes:

Batch #1

75% raw corn

13% raw rye

12% Metcalfe distillers malt

Batch #2

75% raw corn

13% raw rye

12% Riverbend Speakeasy

Batch #3

63% raw corn

13% raw rye

24% Riverbend Speakeasy

The Results

Batch #1 had a OG of 1.071 

Batch #2 had a OG of 1.076

Batch #3 had a OG of 1.073

The results were inconclusive, but were not supportive of the “more Speakeasy” approach. After talking with Harmonie Bettenhausen of the James B Beam Institute and Campbell Morrissy from pFriem Family Brewers, we learned that enzymes don’t scale linearly— especially in a high-adjunct environment. When you’re working with raw grains like corn and rye that don’t contribute enzymes, you’re depending entirely on your malt to do several things – 

Break down protein matrices around starch granules (proteolytic activity), break down structural carbohydrates like β-glucans (viscosity control), and convert liberated starch into fermentable sugars (amylase action). If a malt isn’t strong enough enzymatically, adding more of it can actually flood the mash with starch that never gets fully broken down— so you’re adding extract potential, but not the keys needed to unlock it. That’s what we likely saw in Batch 3:  more Speakeasy distillers malt = more starch available, but not more sugar in solution.

While not exactly the news we wanted, these experts proposed another route to achieve better conversion” a “pre malt” addition in which 10 to 20% of the total malt utilized is strategically placed to do some early enzymatic heavy lifting before the cook. Using the pre-malt at a low-temp rest helps to unlock the starches in the corn and rye when they’re added later, especially when no exogenous enzymes are used. By adding the pre-malt at around 125–135°F before adding corn to the cook (and raising the temp), they’re setting up to get better gelatinization and make the most of the malt’s enzyme package later in the mash/cook.

We’ll share results from our next round of trials in Part 2. Stay tuned for more information!

 

Got a question about Riverbend Speakeasy distillers malt? Give us a shout.

 

Craft Malt Converts: Bear Chase Brewing Company

We’re back, with another iteration of our Craft Malt Converts series. This one zooms in on our friends at Bear Chase Brewing in Virginia. Meet them and their beers made with Riverbend malt below.

From Farm to Foam in the Heart of Virginia

For Bear Chase Brewing Company, nestled in the rolling, wooded hills west of Loudoun, Virginia, the path to craft brewing started out as just a crazy idea hatched by five close friends in the middle of 2017. Initially, the intention was to turn their historic homestead property into a premier bed and breakfast lodge. That part of the equation came together quickly, but they knew the property had more potential. 

Today, the Bear Chase farm brewery and luxury bed and breakfast sit on 35 gorgeous acres. The brewery has a newly remodeled “Brew Barn” and a hops farm, and plans are underway to plant an orchard of fruit trees soon.

Why the switch to craft malt?

It all started with a chef’s love for local ingredients. We caught up with Bear Chase’s head brewer, Ken Wilson, to talk about sourcing, why Riverbend Malt rose to the top, and how this brewery is creating beers that are unmistakably tied to place.

“For me, it’s always been about location,” says Wilson. “I’ve spent most of my life in Virginia, and long before I brewed beer, I was a chef who believed in sourcing as close to home as possible. That mindset stuck.” While it was easy to find Virginia-grown tomatoes, corn, or Chesapeake seafood for his dishes, sourcing local beer ingredients proved much more challenging. Still, Ken was determined. First came yeast from Sterling-based Jasper Yeast Labs. Then, hops from Saint Moor Hop Yards in Monroe, who now grow exclusively for Bear Chase. Finally, he met Brent at a brewing convention. “It took some trial and error,” Wilson says, “but we landed on something that really works — both in terms of flavor and quality.”

Beer With Terroir

Bear Chase currently brews three flagship beers using Riverbend malt, each with its own story and its own standout grain bill. First is the Appalachian Trail Hefeweizen – featuring Riverbend wheat and barley, next is the Honey Badger Amber Lager – brewed with Riverbend’s Chesapeake Pilsner malt, and lastly the Meet Virginia Rye Pale Ale – built on a blend of Riverbend rye, barley, and caramel malts. “These malts don’t just give us flavor — they give us identity,” Wilson explains. “Each one helps us tell a story of place, of local farming, and of who we are as a brewery.”

Bear Chase Brewing beer made with Riverbend craft malt

Partnering for the Long Haul

For Bear Chase, Riverbend Malt House is so much more than just a name on the sack— we’re a partner they’re proud to work with, and vice versa. “Brent is super responsive. Deliveries are quick and seamless. And most importantly, the quality is consistent,” says Wilson.

As Wilson and his team continue to expand their lineup of beers made with craft malt, and deepen its roots in Virginia soil, Riverbend is proud to be along for the ride. “We’ve come a long way from test batches. I’m excited to see where we go next.” 

Learn more about Bear Chase Brewery and their Virginia pride at Bear Chase Brew.

Made With Riverbend: Make Way For The Mighty Maibock!

Maibock lagers made with Riverbend malt

Maibock season has arrived, and in 2025 we’ve noticed an uptick in the number of Maibocks we’re seeing out there. This beer style is a brewer’s favorite, and often what we reach for in early spring when the evenings are still crisp. We’re ready for patio beers, but need something with a bit more heft than traditional Pilsners or Mexican Lagers. Thankfully, the Maibock is here to fill that gap in the “shoulder” season.

Also referred to as a Heller or Pale Bock, this style typically clocks in at an elevated ABV of at least 6%. Its color is burnished gold. Medium bodied with a thick, rocky head. Classic noble hop character, courtesy of Tettnang andor Hallertauer is present but not nearly as assertive as a Pilsner.

This history of Maibock dates back to the 1600’s in Einbeck, Germany. Legend has it that the royal court was dissatisfied with the quality of the beer being produced and requested something new and stronger. This request drove the development of the Maibock that soon began to symbolize the coming of spring across Germany and is often released at annual May Day celebrations.

It should be noted that true Pale Malt was not available in the 1600’s, so the actual color of these early examples can be, and is, debated. Pale Malt was not available until the 1700’s coinciding with the advent of coke fired kilns. These techniques were further refined in the 1800’s with the “classic” Pilsner malts not making an appearance until the 1840’s. This is notable because the vast majority of examples produced today rely on Pilsner malt as their base grain. In short, the Maibock of today may bear little resemblance to the original recipe… but we digress.

What makes a great Maibock?

Just like a great Festbier, balance is the key to the Maibock beer style. A complex, malty body must be balanced by sufficient carbonation and hop presence that serve as palette cleansers. Clean lager yeast allows for a layered malt backbone to shine. Notes of airy sugar cookies, honey, and bread crust blend seamlessly before giving way to a crisp, herbaceous finish.

Okay, now we’re thirsty! Here are some Maibocks made with Riverbend malt to track down this spring. 

 

Salt Face Mule Birdie – Asheville, NC

This lovely example of the Maibock style utilizes our Avalon Pilsner malt, which contributes a touch of ripe melon to the complex blend of sweet aromatics, rich biscuity flavors, and a smooth, clean finish.

Southern Hops Murrells Inlet Culture Shock Maibock – Florence, SC

This Maibock features Cumberland Pilsner and Southern Select for a softer, breadier base that is complemented by both our Light and Dark Munich malts. 

Timber Waters Brewing Oxbow Maibock Lager – Littleton, NC

Fresh melon character from our Avalon Pilsner malt leads the way in this Maibock, balanced by a healthy dose of Light Munich, Vienna, and Great Chit that provide plenty of sweet aromatics. Oxbow Maibock Lager is hopped with Hallertau and Tettnang hops, lagered for two months prior to packaging, and naturally carbonated. “We thought the name was fitting as an oxbow lake is a phenomenon that happens when a crescent-shaped lake is formed from a Riverbend,” says Les Atkins, the Director of Communications/Community Engagement at Timber Waters Brewing. 

Big Lick Brewing Thanks Easter Bunny! Bock! Bock! – Roanoake, VA

This small-batch Maibock arrived just in time for Easter, and now it’s only available while supplies last. It boasts toasty notes with a hint of spicy Saaz hops to give it a nice German flair. 

 

Have you recently brewed a Maibock with Riverbend malt? Submit it to our Made With Riverbend page so we can get it added to this blog post!

Changes coming for Riverbend malt shipping in 2025

Transparency is a cornerstone value at Riverbend Malt House, not just for our sourcing but also in our communication to our customers. As the market shifts, we want y’all to be the first to know about pending changes that will impact our shipping process and pricing. 

We ship Riverbend malt through a broad array of Less Than a Truckload (LTL) carriers to destinations throughout the Southeast every day. These LTL carriers are governed by the National Motor Freight Traffic Association (NMFTA), which establishes guidelines for different types of freight with a class system based on density and durability.

Beginning on July 19, 2025, the class of bagged malt will switch from Class 50 (dense and durable) to Class 65 (same as bottled beverages, less durable). As a result, shipping charges will likely increase. In fact, some carriers have already implemented this class change.

 

Here are the steps we’re taking to manage this issue….

1) We are negotiating set rates with carriers ahead of this transition to reduce the impact on customer costs. 

2) We are phasing out carriers that have prematurely transitioned to the Class 65 designation.

3) We are having conversations and getting price quotes from multiple carriers to ensure we have achieved the best possible mix of expedient, cost-effective service for our customers.

While we don’t have concrete updates today, we’ll be sure to keep everyone updated as these changes take effect. You can visit the NMFTA website here for more information.

 

Please note we have always offered free shipping to our local customers! If you’re in Asheville, these shipping changes do not apply.

 

Accessorials are a pain in the A$$!

While we’re on the subject….let’s talk about accessorials! What are these, you ask? Quite simply these are upcharges associated with additional services that can impact your shipping costs. For example, if a driver offers to bring your pallet inside the brewery with a handtruck, this can result in an additional fee for “inside delivery” that was not originally included when your shipment was quoted or booked. 

Please note that we can no longer cover these unexpected costs and will be reaching out to you to send updated invoices that reflect these items. 

Going forward, we’ll be adding signage to pallets to help all involved avoid these fees. Please keep an eye out. 

 

Please feel free to reach out to your sales representative with questions. We’re here to help y’all navigate these changes. 

Mainstays Made with Riverbend Great Chit Malt

Riverbend Great Chit malt

 

Chit malt is barley that has started germinating but has not yet fully sprouted. It’s used in brewing to enhance enzymatic activity, which helps break down starches during mashing, making the malt more fermentable. This style of malt was originally developed to sidestep the Reinheitsgebot regulations in Germany.

At Riverbend, we use Southern-grown 2-row barley coupled with a brief germination stage and gentle kilning regime to create our chit malt. This highly under-modified malt can serve as a great substitute for raw grains and dextrin malts in your brew. When using our Great Chit malt, you can expect increased head retention and improved mouthfeel in everything from light lagers to hazy IPAs.

Exceptional craft brewers across the Southeast use Riverbend Great Chit as the ‘secret sauce’ in amplifying their recipes. Check out some of their mainstays—

 

SOUTH MAIN BREWING HAZY LAGER – WATKINSVILLE, GA

Hazy Lager is a delicious brew from South Main Brewing that defies categorization in the best ways. It combines the bold, hoppy flavors of an IPA with the clean, crisp finish of a lager. It’s lighter in alcohol than your typical IPA, but features the same soft palate as a hazy. Brewed with a variety of Riverbend malts, including Great Chit of course, and hopped with 100% Citra hops, Hazy Lager is perfect for those who enjoy hoppy beers with that refreshing lager finish.

 

MOUNTAIN LAYERS BREWING COMPANY PRE-PROHIBITION LAGER – BRYSON CITY, NC 

Mountain Layers Pre-Prohibition Lager offers rustic, grassy malt aromas with a savory hint of sweet corn, followed by a clean, crisp, and neutral palate complemented by a firm supporting bitterness. Brewed with 100% Riverbend malt, including Cumberland Corn, and, of course, Great Chit! It’s then hopped with Hallertau Mittelfrüh and Crystal hops for a well-rounded finish.

 

FIREFORGE CRAFTED BEER DAY ON THE LAKE – GREENVILLE, SC

Day on the Lake is an easy drinking German-style Pilsner from Fireforge Crafted Beer. Riverbend Chesapeake Pilsner, Vienna, and Great Chit malts provide this brew a sturdy malt backbone before a generous amount of noble Hallertau Mittelfrüh, Saaz, and Tradition hops are added, giving this refreshing brew flavors of fresh-baked bread and delicate herbal spices. The name says it all— the perfect beer for a relaxing day spent relaxing by or on the water!

 

GREAT RAFT BREWING SHOW PONY BOHEMIAN-STYLE PILSNER – SHREVEPORT, LA

Brewed in the German Kellerbier style, Show Pony is an unfiltered lager that delivers a smooth, refreshing experience with every sip. Riverbend Chesapeake Pilsner and Great Chit malts add a clean, biscuity flavor, while the Tettnanger hops contribute a delicate floral nose and peppery nuance that noble hops are known for. Show Pony is easy-drinking and sure to please.

 

WEATHERED GROUND BREWERY LITTLE GRAZER GRISSETTE – COOL RIDGE, WEST VIRGINIA

This Grissette, or Table Beer, is a light, wheat-forward brew made with 60-65% wheat. It’s full of Saison yeast character and a touch of hop bitterness. Riverbend Cumberland Pilsner and Great Chit malts are complemented by hop additions of East Kent Goldings and Tettnanger hops. With a light straw color and slight haze, it has a thick white head, a lemony aroma, and a dry, flavorful profile of bready grain, citrus, and spice. 

Weathered Ground’s head brewer Anthony Meador recently shared his love of Great Chit malt in the West Virginia craft beer focused publication Brilliant Stream: “We also have become a big fan of Riverbend’s Great Chit malt… It just really helps out everything we use it in.” 

Malt With A Mission: 2024 By The Numbers

Our Malt With A Mission slogan is much more than a saying around here. It’s a set of environmentally conscious practices that we’re constantly refining to reduce our impact.

Each year, Riverbend Malt House collects data points that we use to analyze our footprint. These include grain sourcing, utilities, and recycling and upcycling initiatives. Tracking these metrics ensures that we are always making strides towards reducing our carbon footprint and supporting thoughtful farming practices. In 2024, we’ve added the sourcing, sorting, and malting of regeneratively grown grains to our repertoire as the first-ever Certified Regenified™ malt house. 

Without further ado, here’s a review of our 2024 efforts…

 

Production

In 2024, we produced 3.5 million pounds of malt. This number was impacted by the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. While we were fortunate to avoid flooding and damage to our building, the loss of power for more than a week caused some of our product to spoil. 

We sourced 94 percent of our raw material from Southeastern farms in 2024. The remaining 6 percent was associated with contract malting projects, and sourced based on the needs of our customers. 

 

Emissions

We’re proud to report a reduction of 0.5 percent in emissions per pound of malt produced last year. These reductions were primarily driven by LED lights that we installed in our warehouse in late 2023. We upgraded all 141 of our light fixtures to LED panels, which resulted in a 64 percent reduction in power consumption associated with factory lighting. 

Malt With A Mission: Riverbend Malt House 2024 emissions reduction

 

Recycling and Upcycling

In collaboration with nearby farms, we upcycled 188,971 pounds of rootlets. This byproduct of our process becomes feed for very happy cows. 

Also in 2024, we diverted 12,600 pounds of polywoven plastic from the landfills through our malt bag recycling program.

 

Regenified™ Certification

We’re incredibly proud to share that Riverbend became the first malt house to become certified for regenerative farming practices in April 2024. You can read more about our status as a Certified Regenified malt house here. 

Step two: release a Certified Regenified malt. We sourced our grain, 2-row Avalon barley, from Harborview Farms in Maryland to develop our newest malt product. Regenified Southern Select yields aromas of sugar cookie, melon, and honey in the finished malt with rich mouthfeel, exhibiting a creaminess not often encountered in a Pale Ale style malt.

The next step is to craft a Certified Regenified beer, which our partners at Fullsteam Brewery accomplished last month. They brewed Reset: ESB, a beautiful Extra Special Bitter. Fullsteam plans to certify the entire brewery, and expand its range of Certified Regenified products for which Regenified Southern Select will be the base malt in all of their Reset Series of beers— classic styles made with 100 percent local malt.

 

Looking Ahead

In 2025, Riverbend intends to accomplish the following goals to support our Malt With A Mission ethos. They are as follows:

  1. We plan to expand the acreage of our Regenified crop purchasing to 10% of our total barley utilization.
  2. We aim to diversify our network of growers across the Southeast region.
  3. We are developing a comprehensive plan for long-term emissions reduction at the malt house.

Who’s with us? Let us know how our environmentally conscious malt products can support your company goals, and please reach out if you’re a grower or producer interested in becoming Certified Regenified.

 

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Riverbend Malt House Debuts Certified Regenified Malt

ASHEVILLE, NC— After becoming the first malt house to become third-party certified for regenerative agriculture in 2024, Riverbend Malt House is delighted to introduce Regenified™ Southern Select. This malted 2-row barley product is crafted from Southern grown Certified Regenified™ Avalon barley.

Regenified is a practice and outcomes-based land verification and product certification program. Its framework recognizes the impact farms and brands have by growing and sourcing regeneratively grown products, supporting practices that restore ecosystems, build soil and water health, and increase biodiversity.  Certified Regenified farms include Harborview Farms in Rock Hall, Maryland, the beautiful climate smart grain farm that grew the Avalon barley Riverbend malted to create this new product for sustainably minded brewers and distillers. 

Regenified Southern Select has aromas of sugar cookie, melon, and honey in the finished malt. Its mouthfeel is rich, exhibiting a creaminess not often encountered in typical Pale Ale style malt. This product is the first of what’s to come from Riverbend as more Certified Regenified™ grain becomes available. As a Certified Regenified malt house, Riverbend manages, stores, and processes certified grains to retain full traceability. 

This supply chain transparency is an important value at ag-centric Fullsteam Brewery in Durham, where they will soon can their first-ever Certified Regenified beer, Reset: ESB (Extra Special Bitter) . “Reset: ESB is packed with wonderful caramel and toffee notes,” says Jon Simpson, Director of Brewery Operations at Fullsteam. “The malt’s honey sweetness balances out the beer’s earthy hop bitterness. It’s rich, flavorful, and balanced- it’s everything I wanted in this classic beer style. Add in the environmental and positive global impacts and it’s just an all around win.” 

Fullsteam is also seeking  to expand its range of Certified Regenified products this year and intends to use more of the Regenified Southern Select as the base malt in all of their Reset Series of beers— classic styles made with 100 percent local malt. 

Brewers and distillers interested in using Regenified Southern Select can contact orders@riverbendmalthouse.com for samples and specs.

Contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com with media inquiries about Riverbend Malt House. 

 

ABOUT REGENIFIED 

Regenified is a practice and outcomes-based land verification and product certification program driving the growth of regenerative agriculture and the adoption of certified products. Regenified recognizes and certifies those who adopt regenerative practices, paving the way for a healthier planet and transparency across our food system. For more information, visit regenified.com. 

 

ABOUT RIVERBEND MALT HOUSE

Riverbend Malt House is on a quest to connect Southeastern family owned farms and fermenters. Co-Founders Brent Manning and Brian Simpson launched Riverbend, the first craft malt house east of the Mississippi River, in Asheville, North Carolina in 2010. Buoyed by a 70,000 foot production facility and state of the art equipment, Riverbend Malt House helps breweries and distilleries large, small, and in-between stand out with flavor, locality, and community in an increasingly competitive landscape— all the while challenging the status quo of corporate, big-agriculture malt. Learn more at riverbendmalt.com.

Winners Circle: Business of the Year Awards and Total Domination at the US Open Beer Championship

When it comes to beer and spirits competitions, the reign of craft malt is undeniable. In 2022, numerous brewers, all using Riverbend malts, clinched top honors in industry competitions across the nation. The following year, 2023, Tennessee-based Riverbend user Chattanooga Whiskey was crowned Craft Producers of the Year by American Whiskey Magazine, a testament to their quality and craftsmanship. This success story was echoed by many others who brought home a slew of distinctions. 

Now, we’re here to express our heartfelt thanks and admiration to the Riverbend malt supporters who emerged victorious in the 2024 industry competitions. Y’all’s dedication and passion have not only brought you success but have also enriched the craft brewing and distilling community. 

The 2024 Great American Beer Festival

Georgia brewers Cherry Street Brewing and Rock Solid Brewing both took home bronze medals at the 2024 Great American Beer Festival​​® (GABF) for That Coconut Porter and Beauty is in the Rye of the Beholder, respectively.

2024 John Barleycorn Awards

A big shout out to Chemist Spirits, who snagged the coveted double gold in the Barleycorn Awards for American Single Malt. This whiskey, made with Riverbend Dark Munich and Southern Select, is a testament to Chemist’s dedication to both tradition and innovation. It truly captures the essence of the South, further authenticated by the recent ratification of American Single Malt as an official whiskey category by the Alcohol & Tobacco Tax & Trade Bureau in December of 2024. Cheers to Chemist for their early adoption and dedication to this whiskey category. 

US Open Beer Championship

Cherry Street Brewing was named #5 on the top 10 breweries list for the 2024 US Open Beer Championship, taking home a total of six awards across gold, silver, and bronze. Fullsteam Brewery took home not one but two pieces of hardware with a gold medal for Hard Frost, a hard-spiced, brandy barrel-aged, native persimmon strong ale, and bronze for Reset: Blonde. Other winners include Akademia Brewing Co. and Mountain Layers Brewing Co., which took home silver with Just Give Me ALL The Bacon and Smoke Over Lublin, respectively. Also, the bronze winners were Gravel Road Brewing Co. and Harding House Brewing.

2024 Spirits Business of the Year Awards

Riverbend supporter Astraea Spirits was honored as a nominee in the gin category at London’s prestigious Spirits Business of the Year Awards! Astraea’s gins are proudly made with Riverbend malt, and to be included in this remarkable category is a true reflection of the distillery’s passion, craftsmanship, and innovation. 

2024 NCCBC Awards 

2024 marked the 13th anniversary of the North Carolina Brewers Cup competition. This year, 934 entries were submitted by 126 independent North Carolina craft breweries, including some genuinely innovative Riverbend malt users who, between them, brought home a total of 11 medals and 1 honorable mention. 

In gold hardware, shout it out to Lenny Boy Brewing, who snagged the distinction for Tropicalus and Raspberry Kaleidoscope. Other gold winners include 1718 Brewing Ocracoke with their 1718 – XPA,  Salt Face Mule Brewing Company for Mosey On Over, and Cellarest Beer Project for Cinder. 

Silver winners include Happy Valley Filling Station for Long Summer and Diatribe Brewing Co. for English Dark Mild. Bronze hardware came home with Fullsteam Brewing for Paycheck,  Happy Valley Filling Station for Everything Delightful #2, Bright Penny Brewing for On Wednesday’s We Wheatwine, and Cellarest Beer Project for Paramon. Cellarest also won an Honorable Mention for Haywood Haylife. 

Congrats to all of the NCCBC Award winners!

2024 NC Business of the Year: Weldon Mills 

Long-standing Riverbend customer Weldon Mills Distillery was named one of the four top small businesses of the year in the 2024 Small Business of the Year Awards, sponsored by Business North Carolina Magazine. We would like to congratulate and thank Weldon Mills for their commitment to and investment in local malt. 

It was an honor to share the stage with their team last month as one of the other three Small Business of the Year Award winners! We are proud and humbled to receive this recognition for the great work of our team at Riverbend Malt House!

Has your beer #madewithRiverbend won a competition? Local, regional, national, or international— we want to hear about it! submit your beers here to be featured.

Made With Riverbend: 2024 Beers Of The Year

2024 beers of the year made with Riverbend malt

Shawn, Brent, and Tyler in a field of barley at Biltmore Estate

The end of the year is a time of reflection for us, when we always wind up raving about the beers and spirits made with Riverbend that stood out to us the most. This year, some of our favorite creations came out of inspired collaborations between brewery friends; Craft Malt Month in September being the catalyst for several of them. Here are top picks from your friendly malt sales folks Brent, Shawn, and Tyler! 

 

Brent Manning

After reviewing my photos from the year, it turns out my favorite beers were found close to home for me in Asheville. In no particular order, here are my standout beers and spirits of 2024. 

 

Riveted Corset – Printshop Beer Co.

This Craft Malt Month celebration beer by Printshop Beer Co. is a classic hybrid lager recipe reimagined with a 100% local grain bill. This one was made with Riverbend Avalon Pilsner, Crystal 50, Double Kilned Munich, and Great Chit malt styles that created just the right amount of body to balance the hop character.

 

American Bitter – Whaley Farm Brewery

This beer hit perfectly after a late summer hike in the Black Mountains. Refreshingly light, but still displaying great complexity. NAME was made with Riverbend Southern Select and Double Kilned Munich offerings, and hopped with Oregon-grown East Kent Goldings and Loral hops.

 

Tastebud Theatre – Burning Blush Brewery

A beautiful example of an Italian Pilsner, with one of my favorite beer names of the year too. Bone dry, effervescent, and aromatic. Czech Saaz hops paired with a 100% Riverbend grain bill of Czech Pilsner, Flo-rye-da, Appalachian Wheat, and now retired Heritage Malt. 

 

Shawn Waggoner

It was tough to choose just a few favorite beers made with Riverbend in the Carolinas! Also in no particular order, here are some standouts.

 

Weight of Sound – Wild Heart Brewing & Southern Hops Brewing Company

This Dry-hopped West Coast Pils made with Riverbend Avalon Pilsner and Great Chit was a collaboration to support Pouring for Neighbors perfectly fuses the clean drinkability of a pilsner with the bright hop aroma and flavor from the Nectaron and Citra Cyro hops. 

 

Country Kush IPA – Sycamore Brewing

This rye IPA made with Riverbend Carolina Rye malt adds a hearty, spicy, earthy flavor that sets this IPA apart from other hazy IPAs. It’s also made with Great Chit, which adds mouthfeel to the great burst flavor you get with every sip.  

 

Fraggle Rogg Roggenbier – The Southern Growl & Fireforge Crafted Beer

This one’s another Craft Malt Month collaboration beer— a German style rye beer with spicy notes of pumpernickel and clove. It was made with Riverbend Base Camp, Carolina Rye, and Munich Rye malts. It was the perfect sipper for fall, and great for the cooler South Carolina weather ahead!

 

Tyler Adams

These are my top 3 beers made with Riverbend malt in 2024!

 

Czech’s Mix – Grand Central Brewhouse

This is one of those beers that has always stuck out to me. Yet, this year especially the brewers have really just fine- tuned this beer to hit my palate just right. It’s super crisp and brilliant, with a whipped cream head. What really sets it over the top for me though is its dry bitterness that is more elevated than the typical Czech-style Pilsner.

 

Lou Anne Aged Hop Saison – Barrique Brewing & Blending

Although I have been enjoying craft beer for a long time, it was not until experiencing mixed culture fermented beer for me to truly chase knowledge and understanding of what makes craft beer special. This beer throws me back to when I was chasing that pursuit of knowledge, learning about the aging process and the care that goes into it— an often forgotten part of the beer making process. This mixed culture is in the elite class of mix culture beer, and I expect nothing less from Barrique. 

 

Glacier Lookout – NOFO Brew Co.

This New Zealand Pilsner made with Riverbend Cumberland Pilsner, Hickory King Corn, and Great Chit malts is the direction in which I hope to see more Southern craft beer go. It lets fruity, juicy, and modern hops let their flavor flourish like an IPA or Pale Ale— but in a light lager. This beer brings such a refreshing light body and finish. I hope to see this beer style continue to grow. 

 

What were your favorite beers of 2024? Tell us in the comments, especially if they were #madewithRiverbend malt! 

 

Craft Malt Converts: Savage Craft Ale Works

Savage Craft Ale Works uses mostly Riverbend craft malt

In this competitive marketplace, making and serving beer is just one part of the consumer experience. We tip our hats to the newest Riverbend Craft Malt Converts Savage Craft Ale Works in West Columbia, South Carolina, where world-class craft beer is the star of the show, joined with other characters like location, community, food, and story. Now, they can add local ingredients to that cast of characteristics! 

 

The Switch To Craft Malt

Savage Craft is located in a beautiful old fire station. This family friendly community hub has a dog-friendly biergarten, and a 21+ rooftop patio, plus a full menu with tacos, lots of share-able items, and wine and cocktails too. You can find everything you’re looking for in a craft brewing establishment at Savage Craft— including mainstay beers made with local malt. 

“I’ve been peppering Riverbend malt into all of our flagship beers,” says Brandon Evans, Head Brewer at Savage Craft. Over the course of the last several months, he’s made the switch to Riverbend malt. 

Whenever a brewer switches malt providers, some of the biggest concerns are consistency and efficiency, Evans says. His previous provider sold 25 kilo bags (basically 55 pounds) bags, and ours are available in 50-pound increments. He reports that so far he’s done a 1 to 1 substitute for all malt bags in his recipes, “and I haven’t missed efficiency numbers yet. I’ve seen an improvement in everything from efficiency to quality.” 

Some of the other improvements Evans noted when he switched to Riverbend were freshness and cleanliness. “Something I noticed immediately when opening a bag was the freshness. Usually there’s a lot of junk in a bag of malt, and with Riverbend malt bags, he says, “We’re seeing these super clean kernels without a lot of friable stuff in the bottom.” 

 

Mainstays Made With Riverbend Malt

Savage Craft’s Purge Under Pilsner is a German-style Pilsner crafted using traditional German decoction methods. Crisp-finishing, golden-hued, and refreshing, Purge Under Pilsner is a 2024 South Carolina Brewers Cup Medalist in the Pale Malty European Lager category. 

Savage Craft recently replaced the European-sourced Pilsner malt in Purge Under Pilsner with our Tennessee-grown Cumberland Pilsner malt— the style of beer, Evans explains, that can have the most noticeable differences when evolving a recipe. “I’ve picked up zero off-flavors- no diacetyl, no sulfur, none of the young lager compounds that I’m expecting to have around 4 weeks”, which has cut a week off their lagering time. Evans “won’t promise it’s just based on one factor because we’ve changed our yeast over time to”, but he swears the malt plays a part. 

We agree! So many Craft Malt Converts like Savage Craft report more efficiency, more flavor, and better quality malt. Their investment in Riverbend Malt House uplevels their beers, ultimately contributing to an already exceptional customer experience. 

Visiting or roaming Columbia? Don’t miss some of Savage Craft’s other mainstay beers made with Riverbend malt, such as Galaxy Banger IPA, Carolina Light Cream Ale, V/Ale Cream Ale, CAE Hazy IPA, Canopy Surfer Sours, and Kandahar Candy Man Stout— to name a few. Visiting on a Sunday? Savage Craft serves top notch brunch!