MASHOUT MAGAZINE

In craft beer, people often talk about hops, yeast, and brewing techniques, but every great beer starts with malt. Over the last several years, Montana Craft Malt has built a reputation that goes beyond simply supplying grain. They have become a trusted partner for brewers who value quality, consistency, and a connection to where their ingredients come from.

Whether it’s a homebrewer ordering a few pounds or bags for a garage brewery or a professional brewer producing beer on a larger scale, the feedback is often the same. The malt performs, the people are easy to work with, and the connection to local agriculture feels genuine.

What makes Montana Craft Malt so special? I worked with Montana Craft Malt to collect some real feedback. Reaching out to a local Montana homebrewer, Jack’s Abby Brewing owner and brewer Jack Hendler, who is a longtime customer of Montana Craft Malt. Also reaching out to the Montana Craft Malt team. Together, their perspectives help tell the story of the people, process, and philosophy behind the malt.

What first led you to Montana Craft Malt, and what keeps you coming back?

“I initially looked into Montana Craft Malt after finding the company’s products on sale online. I decided to contact the company to ask whether I could support MCM directly by purchasing homebrew sized amounts of grain. They got back to me quickly and were enthusiastic about getting their products into my hands.

I use them as much as I can in every homebrew because I love supporting local businesses within Montana whenever possible, and their products are very high quality at reasonable prices. They often deliver to me directly if they happen to be coming through town, and they’ve even thrown in a shirt and an aluminum tacker sign for me in the past, which is so cool.

I am a repeat customer because it’s obvious they truly care about their products, their customers, and their community.” — Andy G.

Once you started brewing with Montana Craft Malt, did you notice any differences in the brewhouse or in the finished beer?

“I have noticed a difference in my beer when using local malt from MCM. Freshness is certainly something to be highly regarded. Those subtle malty notes are slightly more refined, which matters a lot for the perception of a drink, even subconsciously.

Munich Light and Vienna from MCM have exactly the ideal bready character one would hope for, and the Bavarian Pilsner is easily my favorite local base malt.” — Andy G.

Are there any beer styles where Montana Craft Malt really shines for you?

“There is a certain style of beer where MCM products truly shine. I would highly recommend a simple Czech Pilsner because, if executed correctly, malt quality makes or breaks the style. The simplicity of the style is exactly what makes it so difficult to execute exceptionally well.

Not long ago, I brewed a 5.5% ABV pils using 95% MCM Bavarian Pilsner and 5% MCM Dextrin Malt alongside locally grown Saaz from the Flathead Valley, bittered to 13 IBU. I am positive the beer turned out better than it would have if I had used more generic ingredients. The body is perfect, finely supported by dextrins. The pilsner malt character is bready and clean, yet still subtly complex. The malt quality in this lager took it from an 8 to a 10.

I’m also confident MCM stands out particularly well in ales, especially lower bitterness styles. From a hefeweizen, where MCM Pale White Wheat is game changing, to an English Barleywine, fresh and local malt gives a beer that extra edge that turns a good beer into a great one.

None of this is to say MCM wouldn’t do well in an IPA. In fact, I’m certain it’s an excellent choice.” — Andy G.

Homebrewers get to see firsthand what a malt brings to a beer, but they’re not the only ones putting Montana Craft Malt to use. I spoke to Jack Hendler, owner and brewer at Jack’s Abby to talk about how the malt performs when consistency and repeatability matter every day.

What led you to bring Montana Craft Malt , and how has it influenced both your brewing process and the character of the beers? I’m especially interested in how Steffi have affected your recipe design, mashing approach, and the flavor, body, foam, or overall performance you see compared to other malts.

“For whatever reason, hops have been well marketed, and brewers are loyal to the varieties and flavor profiles they provide. Less excitement surrounds malt. I doubt most professional brewers know the malt varieties in the two-row they purchase. Marris Otter and Golden Promise would be two ale varieties marketed for their unique character. Generally the style vs variety of the malt is highlighted, ie crystal, caramel, roasted etc.

We’re huge fans of the malt MCM is making and believe it’s important to the quality of beer we’re making. Brewhouse operations are important to a beer’s character; we use decoction and multi-step infusion programs to best create flavor.

Frankly, the German malt imported to the US is designed for single infusion mashing. They do this for a reason. Most users of imported German malts in the US use infusion mashing. Unfortunately they’ve commoditized European malts for the US market. When decocting or multi step infusing with these malts we get poor foam, decreased body and less flavor.  MCM has provided malt that gives our beer amazing character. We use a significant amount of Steffi Malt, which aligns well with our mashing philosophy and provides unique beers.“

Personally, I’ve become a big fan of Montana Craft Malt’s Steffi Pilsner Malt. It started as something I wanted to experiment with after speaking to Jack back in February of 2025 when I read his book, Modern Lager Beer. I had tons of questions for him and he was kind enough to answer them all and provide great information. What I appreciate most is the combination of consistency and character. Steffi provides a clean, crackery malt foundation while still contributing enough depth to keep the beer interesting. In styles where the malt really needs to shine, especially European lagers,

I don’t want top just focus on the brewing side, I also want to hear from the people helping make it all happen. While brewers see the finished product, there’s a lot of work that goes on before a bag of malt ever reaches the brewery.

From your perspective, what separates Montana Craft Malt from other maltsters?

“Our product is consistent. Brewers can depend on brewing the same beer every time with our malts. We also have a quick turnaround from grain leaving the field to malt procurement, allowing breweries to work with malt that is fresh off the kiln.”

What is something brewers or beer drinkers may not fully appreciate about the work that goes into making malt?

“The work and the science that go into it all. Hundreds of man hours spent perfecting recipes and caring for every step of the malting process are one thing. The work that goes into testing and bagging the product is often an afterthought. Each batch of malt passes through multiple teams before it arrives at a brewery’s doorstep. We put the time and effort into what we produce so our customers can depend on getting the same product every time.“

What makes you proud to be part of the Montana Craft Malt team?

“The camaraderie that comes with being part of such a small team is special, and it’s a career we’re proud to be a part of. Outside of the brewing and distilling world, most people don’t really know what malt is. ‘Oh, like malt shakes!’ is usually the response. We almost always have to add something like, ‘We provide the main ingredient that goes into whiskey and beer.’ Our product contributes to people’s good times, whether they’re enjoying a craft beer or a glass of whiskey. That’s something we’re proud to be a part of.”

What’s an article about malt if I don’t get ask the maltster themself? I spoke with the maltster responsible for turning barley into the foundation of great beer.

When you’re evaluating a batch of barley, what tells you it’s on track to become the malt you’re aiming for?

“Two words: protein and moisture.“

“It all starts with the raw barley. We target protein levels around 10.5 to 12%, which gives us an idea of how the grain will perform throughout steeping, germination, and kilning. During germination, we monitor growth, aroma, visual indicators, and moisture content to ensure we’re on track for the desired end product. Moisture must remain between 46% and 48% to ensure healthy growth without stressing the kernel. If protein levels come in above 12.5%, we adjust the germination length closer to six days, which is one to two days longer than a typical batch. If moisture is too low, modification stalls. If it’s too high, we risk anaerobic conditions or over modification.”

Barley can vary from season to season and grower to grower. How do you maintain consistency across different lots?

“We achieve consistency across different lots by taking measurements from several tests we perform in house. We first determine the known protein content of a lot, then perform a germination test with 100 kernels to understand water sensitivity. Collecting this information gives us a starting point for how the barley will perform throughout the process. From there, we closely observe and monitor growth, hydration, and moisture content daily.”

Of all the steps in malting, which has the biggest impact on how the malt ultimately performs in the brewhouse?

“Steeping and germination have the biggest impact on the enzyme activity within every kernel of grain. We focus on ensuring each batch receives enough water to maintain the correct moisture content of 46 to 48% while also maintaining the proper air on and air off temperature schedule needed for growth and modification. Temperature control is critical. Steep temperatures range from 62 to 68°F, while germination temperatures run between 62 and 70°F. This controls acrospire growth and starch conversion. If temperatures spike, you risk damaging cell walls too early or causing uneven modification of starches into sugars. Incorrect moisture or temperature can greatly affect a batch, leading to either over modification or under modification.”

As brewers, we spend a lot of time talking about recipes, hops, yeast, and fermentation, but malt often gets taken for granted. Hearing about everything that happens before the grain ever arrives at the brewery gave me a whole new appreciation for the process. There’s a lot more going on behind the scenes than most of us realize.

After learning more the work that goes into making malt, I wanted to zoom out and look at the bigger picture. I wrapped up my conversations with Montana Craft Malt owner Jen by talking about her vision for the company, how she sees the craft malt industry evolving, and what excites her most about the future.

Looking back to the beginning, what was the original vision for Montana Craft Malt, and how has it evolved over time?

“The vision has always centered on people and place: growers, creators, and artisans, and aligning the best opportunities to connect them through Montana’s premium grains. The vision hasn’t changed. It’s simply been reinforced with every batch of malt produced at MCM.”

Innovation can mean different things to different companies. What does it mean at Montana Craft Malt?

“Innovation is more than product. It’s a forward leaning mindset that informs who we are, how we hire, how we run our facility, how we experiment, and how we connect with suppliers and customers. We’re always looking for creative ways to optimize, improve, and explore.”

Looking ahead, where do you see the biggest opportunities for craft maltsters in American brewing?

“Craft brewers have a huge opportunity to better leverage domestic ingredients. For decades, brewers have sought out European ingredients for unique colors and flavors, but when the entire industry does it, the market becomes a sea of sameness. Not only are domestic ingredients less expensive, but domestic suppliers are highly accessible and continue to push the envelope on innovation. Domestic maltsters are bringing brewers into the recipe development process and producing new and exciting grains, all grown right here on local soil.”

That really puts things into perspective. It’s cool to see domestic maltsters not just supplying grain, but actually working with brewers and helping push new ideas and ingredients forward right here at home.

A big thank you to Montana Craft Malt for taking the time to share their process and perspective, and to everyone who contributed to the conversations that made this possible. We’re also grateful for the partnership that Mashout Magazine and Montana Craft Malt have built together, which gave us the chance to share a closer look at the people and process behind the malt. It’s always appreciated when people are willing to go into this much detail about what actually goes into making malt, and we’re thankful for the time, insight, and openness shared throughout.

Other great articles featuring Montana Craft Malt:
Montana’s Craft Malt: Tradition Meets Innovation
From Field to Fermentor: Believing in American Malt
Malt Matters: Comparing Briess and MCM in a Blonde Ale by Grounders Brewing

By Jordan, Billy’s Tavern Homebrewing

Jordan is a California native. When he is not brewing he can be found drinking beer with friends, duck hunting, and getting lost in a good book or video game. When he is not out on an adventure with his wife, he can be found at home with his two lovable dogs. Stay up to date by following him on Instagram.