We won big at the 2025 Craft Malt Cup! Read on to see why this has us grinning ear to ear.
The Craft Malt Cup remains the world’s only malt quality competition. This year’s malt cup expanded to 8 categories and entries came from 34 malthouses, 112 entries, with 41 grain varieties. Malt Cup entries are scored in three rounds and this year judged by 97 judges across 14 locations, a process facilitated by the Montana State University’s Barley, Malt and Brewing Quality Lab.
The first round is the analytical portion, where your malt must perform to specifications within the malt category, if you make it past that round your entry is advanced to the sensory stage where it is sent around the country to participating judges made up of industry professionals including maltsters, brewers, distillers, researchers and Cicerone’s. These judges will perform hot steeps to evaluate the malts and rank them on quality. The top few that meet the flavour and style profiles best will move forward to the final round. In the final round the judging panel come together in person to evaluate the analytical data and perform hot steep worts to select the top three malts that best represent the style category.
Joe has been a judge for Malt Cup for the past few years with his background in malting, judging and being a Certified Cicerone so this was only our second year entering malts into the competition and a first for many of our malts being entered including our Pilsner malt.
Penhold Pilsner- GOLD in the Pilsen Malt Category
Parkland Pale- SILVER in the Pale Malt Category
Biscuit- SILVER in the Unique Malt Category
These medals will be added to our growing accolades at the malt cup:
2024 Caribou Malt- SILVER in the Caramel Category
Big thanks to the Craft Maltsters Guild for hosting the world’s only malt competition that sets the standard for malt quality in our industry. To our fellow maltsters, thankyou for building a community of collaboration and excellence to grow our industry to create the best craft malt for brewers and distillers!
