Riverbend Malt House is looking to lead in sustainable malting with the launch of its Regenified™ Southern Select, a malted 2-row barley crafted from Certified Regenified™ Avalon barley grown at Harborview Farms in Maryland.
Fullsteam Brewery is embracing the movement in innovation with a new Reset: ESB, the first-ever Certified Regenified beer, which highlights the malt’s honey sweetness and caramel depth.
The mission at the brewery to craft Southern-inspired “plow-to-pint” beer that connects people to the land and to each other, said Jon Simpson, Director of Brewery Operations for the Durham, North Carolina brewery.
“Building on that, we see ourselves as stewards of the land,” he said. “Regenified’s message: ‘Heal the soil. Heal the water cycle. Heal the planet and its people,’ really resonates with us.
“We see regenerative farming as the solution to many problems that are manifesting both locally and globally.
“We are happy that we are contributing to building a better existence for all of us.”
As the first malt house to achieve third-party certification for regenerative agriculture, Riverbend says they are committed to full traceability and eco-conscious sourcing.
“Regenerative malt is definitely in its infancy,” points out Brent Manning, co-founder at Riverbend. “We have some education that needs to take place with the consumer that will hopefully spur demand.
“Beers brewed ‘true to style,’ like the Reset: ESB Fullsteam just released, are a great way to clearly and concisely deliver the value proposition. This approach minimizes distractions from adjuncts and offers just enough backstory to inspire a deeper dive into the subject.”
Sean Lily Wilson, CEO at Fullsteam, said that one of the brewery’s missions is to “normalize” brewing with local (or sustainable) ingredients.
“We intentionally align Reset, our true-to-style Certified Regenified beer series, at a non-premium price point,” he said. “We don’t want to position these as ‘special’ or ‘out of the ordinary.’
“The more we consider them every day, the better chance sustainably minded beers can become mainstream, and that’s ultimately better all around.”
BREWER: What marketing strategies have worked best for communicating the value of regenerative ingredients? How will Fullsteam plan to highlight regenerative malt on the packaging or in the taproom to drive consumer interest?
WILSON: It’s early — perhaps too early to know. We’re in the stages of answering “what’s that?” when people see the word Regenified. It’s a long process, and it’s articles and interviews like this that help.
BREWER: Does brewing with this significantly affect your production costs or margins in alignment with similar brands you have made in the past?
WILSON: We’re realistic. We know that beer drinkers aren’t really willing to pay more for sustainability — at least not yet. So we’ve kept the price the same with other beers in the Reset category, and watch our cost of goods to make sure we balance more expensive malt with other ingredient costs. In other words, we won’t be brewing a juicy imperial hazy Regenified beer anytime soon.
BREWER: Are there any brewing process adjustments needed when using this malt? What is the sensory impact of Southern Select in the finished beer, and how does it compare to other craft malt options?
MANNING: No changes or adjustments are required to work with our Regenified Southern Select. This malt is produced using a barley variety called Avalon that was grown at Harborview Farms in Maryland. When kilned like a Pale Ale style malt, this variety delivers a nice mix of sugar cookie and melon character. Our standard Southern Select is made with a blend of 2-row varieties grown in the Southeast and has more baked bread and honeysuckle notes.
READ MORE: Ways to Excite in Your Use of Craft Malt
BREWER: How have consumers responded to Reset: ESB and the Certified Regenified branding so far?
SIMPSON: The response has been overwhelmingly positive. The malt itself was a delight to work with and really leant itself to the style. That makes it easier to start a discussion about what makes this beer so special. Prominent display of the Regenified seal on the label also helps initiate the conversation around regenerative farming. It definitely encourages the consumer to go out and learn more.
BREWER: Do you offer marketing support or co-branding opportunities for breweries using your Regenified malt?
MANNING: Absolutely! We love helping our customers tell their stories. This can take the form of co-branding on can designs or development of a campaign on social media. Our hope is that these efforts amplify their messaging, helping to create a “halo effect” around the brand.
BREWER: Would you recommend other breweries experiment with Certified Regenified malt, and if so, what styles do you think showcase it best?
SIMPSON: We would absolutely recommend other breweries give Certified Regenified malt a try. Certified Regenified Southern Select would be a good addition to any malty forward style of beer, but it can be pretty much used as a base malt across the spectrum on styles.
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