Root Shoot Malting has completed their 2025 harvest season, marking a dynamic first half of the year. The successful harvest is a reflection of their dedication to regenerative agricultural practices, awards for both their Root Shoot Spirits American Single Malt Whiskey and handcrafted malts, and the introduction of new malt and barley varieties.
The Harvest
With three million pounds of barley in storage, Root Shoot Malting’s grain quality is higher than ever, and protein levels are perfectly suited for the production of high-quality malts.
Winter barley varieties, including Magic and Thunder, are emerging as standout crops for Root Shoot Malting, producing high yields with excellent malting potential. Magic delivers high alpha-amylase and low turbidity while Thunder, in its second year on the farm, produced 11.4% protein, perfect for high extract malt. The trusted spring variety, Genie, maintained its reliable performance with 11.6% protein
Root Shoot’s Oland Heritage Wheat also impressed with an off-the-charts 16.2% protein, and their Huffman White Wheat averaged 13.9% protein with yields of 85-90 bushels per acre. Notably, no herbicides or fungicides were applied to their winter crops, and favorable weather allowed for a smooth harvest without. hail. Following the harvest, the Root Shoot team planted cover crops directly into the small grain crop residue to not only maintain soil health, but to add diversity and protect the soil from erosion and extreme temperatures.
“Every harvest is an opportunity to balance yield, quality, and soil health,” said Todd Olander, founder and farmer at Root Shoot Malting. “2025 has been an exceptional year, and we’re proud to deliver malts that reflect the care and dedication of our team, while continuing to pioneer regenerative agriculture practices on our family farm.”
The Spirits
The award-winning malts produced on the farm are not only fueling brewers and distillers nationwide, they’re also integral to Root Shoot Spirits. Root Shoot’s American Single Malt Whiskey earned the title “American Single Malt Whiskey of the YearWhiskey of the Year” at the 2025 London Spirits Competition, and second place at the 2025 International Spirits Award in the American Single Malt category. The internationally-awarded spirit is bottled-in-bond, aged 4 years in American white oak barrels, and made from 100% Colorado-grown, Root Shoot grains.
Released earlier this year, crafted in collaboration with Boulder Spirits, High Rye Straight Malt Whiskey is a limited release that showcases bold flavors of freshly baked rye bread, spice, apricot and ginger snap.
Root Shoot’s whiskeys are distilled just a few miles from where the raw materials were sown, grown and malted on Olander Farms, Root Shoot Malting’s 100-year-old farm. The result is a uniquely hyper-local, sustainable supply-chain journey where all ingredients travel roughly 30 miles from field to bottle.
The Malt
The malts used for crafting Root Shoot Spirits are available to brewers and distillers nationwide. Root Shoot Malting’s products have earned 15 major awards since 2019, including recent accolades from the 2025 Craft Maltsters Guild Malt Cup: Gold for Light Munich 4 Distillers Malt, Silver for Munich 10 Light Munich Malt, Silver for CaraRuby Caramel Malt, and Bronze for Munich Wheat in the Unique Malt category.
Root Shoot Malting keeps their lineup fresh with new malt innovations like Buck Naked Chocolate Malt, released earlier this year. Roasted in partnership with Troubadour Maltings, Buck Naked brings notes of chocolate, coffee and toasted bread, perfect for styles like black lagers, black IPAs, stouts and porters. Malted from Buck variety, this 6-row winter barley is hulless, resulting in a smooth, tannin-free character without astringency.
The farm and malthouse continue to innovate with six distinct pilsner malts, including the aforementioned new Magic Pilsner and Thunder Pilsner, each offering unique flavors and nuance to any beer.
Brewers and distillers interested in incorporating Root Shoot Malting’s hand-crafted malts into their recipes can learn more at rootshootmalting.com.
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