Asheville, North Carolina-based Riverbend Malt House came home from MaltCon2024 with new hardware last month. The Craft Maltsters Guild awarded silver to Riverbend’s malted wheat in the new Wheat category of the Malt Cup, a malt quality competition that rigorously judges entries from all over the world.
2024 is the seventh year of the Malt Cup, which recognized craft maltsters for the quality and consistency in six malt varieties. Entries were submitted from 26 malthouses in five countries, and evaluated in three rounds by 70 industry judges.
Riverbend’s Appalachian Wheat malt, popular among both brewing and distilling customers, received the silver medal in a brand new Wheat category. This malt is produced using soft red winter wheat grown in Tennessee and kilned with elevated temperatures to enhance aromas of freshly baked bread and toast. It’s a versatile style that augments grain bills across categories— from Lager to IPA to Wheated Whiskey.
“Appalachian Wheat is like fresh baked bread,” says South Main Brewing co-owner and head brewer Nic Farley. “We use it in many of our beers for which we want a good haze, or to improve head retention.”
South Main and many other producers such as End Of Days Distillery, Fullsteam Brewery, Lookout Brewing and Weldon Mills use Appalachian Wheat to craft their mainstay products.
“This product has been a part of our lineup since the early days and we are excited to take home a medal for it,” says Riverbend Malt House co-founder Brent Manning. “We initially experimented with several heirloom varieties, but after several years of testing and trials we recognized that our process was driving more of the flavor than the variety itself. Definitely a surprise to both us and our customers!”
The flavor and performance of this malt have helped Appalachian Wheat take part in numerous trends over the years. From Hefeweizen to Gosé to NEIPA, this malt has stood the test of time.
Order Appalachian Wheat or any other of Riverbend’s malts for brewers and distillers, email orders@riverbendmalt.com.