RED DEER, Alta. – If a farmer wants to know what it takes to make good beer, a trip to the local brew pub might be a good place to start.
Beer is a popular drink and for maltsters, the world is at their doorstep. They have customers who want 50-kilogram bags of malt and others who take 15,000 tonnes at a time.
“The world is our market because almost everyone in the world drinks beer,” said Bob Sutton, of Westcan Malting. He told the recent Alberta Barley Commission meeting to “know your customers’ needs by knowing their business.”
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With heavy consolidation in the last five years among beer makers, Sutton predicts there will be two major brewers in each market of the world.
These big brewers are running flat out and don’t have time to try a new variety of barley or talk directly with suppliers.
Smaller companies and brew pubs may be a better bet, said Sutton. It’s time more varieties are introduced and smaller brewers are willing to try new varieties to produce specialty beers.
Malt is sold by barley variety and many Canadian brewers are hesitant to try something beyond Harrington barley.
They also want to make sure the malt they receive is clean and no blending has taken place.
“Brewers like the taste of certain varieties. It’s critical they get a pure lot,” he said.
