Root Shoot Malting, a fifth generation farm and craft malthouse out of Loveland, Colorado completed a near sweep of the 2023 Malt Cup awards presented at the annual Craft Malt Conference in Portland, Maine.
The Malt Cup competition, hosted by the Craft Maltsters Guild, is the only internationally recognized competition for the burgeoning craft malting industry. This year’s participants encompassed 6 countries, 19 states, and 3 provinces with representation from over 34 malthouses worldwide. The 2023 Malt Cup was the largest competition to date with 90 total entries in four malt categories: Pilsen, Pale, Vienna, and Light Munich. Malt Cup entries were scored in three rounds by 200 judges including universities, brewers, distillers, maltsters, and cicerones across 35 locations throughout the country.
Root Shoot Malting received four medals, winning gold in the Pilsen, Light Munich, and Vienna categories. They received a silver in the fourth category for their Pale Malt, and also took home the traveling Malt Cup for the overall Best in Show with their Genie Pilsen malt. Root Shoot Malting is the only craft malthouse to win an award all five years of the competition’s existence and the only malthouse to medal in every category in a single year.
“It is an absolute honor to be recognized at this level through this competition,” says Michael Myers, Root Shoot’s head maltster. “Our small team is pouring passion, energy, and thought into every step of our process and we feel that translates through to the end consumer.”
Founder and lead farmer Todd Olander agrees. “We believe our farming practices are directly linked to this year’s wins,” says Mr. Olander. “Implementing regenerative techniques and encouraging soil health allows our barley to thrive. Award-winning malt starts in the field.”
Root Shoot Malting is proud to work in the craft malt community with other talented malthouses, including this year’s other Malt Cup medalists: Admiral Maltings, Hogarth Malt, Field Five Farm, Blue Ox Malthouse, Miller Malting Company, Gallatin Valley Malt Co., and Wyoming Malting Company.
Image courtesy @activebeergeek; From left: Hannah Turner, MSU; Michael Myers, Root Shoot Malting; Craig Miller, Root Shoot Malting; Lindsay Barr, DraughtLab
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