craft maltsters

What craft maltsters does

The Craft Maltsters Guild is a non-profit industry trade association founded in 2013 by eight craft malthouses to promote and sustain the tradition of craft malting in North America. The Guild defines craft malt using explicit criteria — Small (5–10,000 metric tons of annual production), Local (50%+ of grains sourced within a 500-mile radius), and Independent (76%+ majority ownership) — and operationalizes that standard through the Craft Malt Certified™ Seal launched in September 2019. Its core offerings include the annual MaltCon conference, the Malt Cup quality competition (co-managed with Montana State University's Malt Lab and DraughtLab), the Craft Malt Finder online directory, the Craft Malt Month consumer campaign launched in September 2024, and applied research partnerships with universities including Virginia Tech, UC Davis, Oregon State, Hartwick College, and Glynwood.

The Guild serves craft malthouses (100+ members), craft breweries (300+ of which have signed onto the Pouring For Neighbors initiative), craft distillers, and small-grains researchers across North America, with growing international reach into Australia, the United Kingdom, Norway, and Ireland. Revenue is generated through three primary streams: recurring membership dues from malthouses, allied trade members, and individual members; conference and event registration fees (e.g., $300 member / $500 non-member early-bird pricing for the 2022 virtual MaltCon, which drew 233 attendees); and certification fees for the Craft Malt Certified™ Seal program. The organization is incorporated in Massachusetts, maintains a contact address in Shiloh, New Jersey, is governed by an elected Board of Directors, and transitioned executive leadership from Jesse Bussard to Steve Kurowski in late 2024.

Name

craft maltsters

Legal name

Craft Maltsters Guild

Website

https://craftmalting.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Craft Maltsters Guild is a non-profit industry trade association founded in 2013 that promotes and sustains craft malting in North America. It serves 100+ craft malthouses, hundreds of craft breweries and distillers, and small-grains researchers through the Craft Malt Certified™ Seal, the MaltCon conference, and the Malt Cup competition.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industry Trade Association - Malting

NAICS

Malt Manufacturing (311213)

SIC

Malt Beverages (2082)

akta.pro primary industry

Malting Barley Production (Brewing/Distilling Supply) (AFAGAAAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Craft Distilleries & Microdistilleries (THAFALAH)

Keywords

• Craft malt association
• Malt certification programs
• Malting industry conferences
• Craft beverage education
• Malt quality standards

Headquarters

HQ city

Shiloh

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: The Guild generates revenue through membership fees from craft malthouses, allied trade members, and individual members. Membership provides access to resources, certification programs, and community events.
2. Conference and Event Revenue: Revenue from MaltCon annual conference registration fees, including virtual and in-person attendance options, and the Malt Cup competition entry fees.
3. Certification Fees: Fees for the Craft Malt Certified Seal program participation, available at company level or individual product level.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Craft Maltsters Guild is a non-profit trade association that supports craft maltsters and the broader craft beverage industry. It was founded in 2013 by eight craft malthouses and offers certification, conferences, education, and community-building programs to advance the craft malting industry.

Product overview

The Craft Maltsters Guild is an industry trade association, not a technology product company. Its offerings consist of member services and programs including: the Craft Malt Certified™ Seal certification program (launched September 2019); the annual MaltCon conference and trade expo with the four-day Advance Class in Craft Malt Production; the Malt Cup annual quality competition with sensory judging; the Craft Malt Finder directory; and Craft Malt Month (annual September celebration). The Guild defines Craft Malt as small (5 metric tons to 10,000 metric tons per year), local (over 50% grains grown within 500-mile radius), and independent (76% majority ownership).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Craft Malt Certified Seal: A certification program launched in September 2019 designed to provide differentiation for Guild Member Malthouses and the brewers and distillers they work with. A brewery or distillery can participate at a company level or through individual products.

Products and services

• Craft Malt Certified Seal
• MaltCon
• Malt Cup
• Craft Malt Finder
• Craft Malt Month
• Advanced Class in Craft Malt Production
• Membership

Quantifiable outcome

• Malt Cup competition provides Certificate of Analysis valued at over $100 per entry
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Virginia Tech Small Grains Breeding and Genetics ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Long-term research partnership for developing malting barley varieties specifically bred for Eastern U.S. climate. Collaborated on Avalon barley variety, the first publicly released winter malt barley for the Eastern US. Dr. Nicholas Santantonio and researchers provided variety analysis and harvest data supporting craft malt operations.
• Montana State University Barley, Malt & Brewing Quality LabcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHannah Turner, Lab Director, co-manages the Malt Cup competition and provides Certificate of Analysis testing. The lab provides quality testing services and educational outreach including field days and facility tours for the craft malt community.
• Canadian Malting Barley Technical Centre (The Malt Academy)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAwarded 2022 Soles of Malt Award. The Malt Academy in Winnipeg developed North America's first malting workshop and provides research and testing services. Has trained graduates who shaped the North American craft malt movement.
• University of California DavisminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Maany Ramanan conducted doctoral research on malting barley quality in California trials. Research focused on genotype and environment interactions affecting barley quality for craft malt applications.
• DraughtLabcoreTechnology or IntegrationSensory software company co-manages Malt Cup judging using the Hot Steep Method, the first malt sensory method validated by the American Society of Brewing Chemists (ASBC). Lindsay Barr, CSO, oversees sensory evaluation rounds.
• Hartwick College Center for Craft Food & BeverageminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership on malt quality topics including gibberellic acid use in malting. Contributed research on 2021 cereal crop issues including pre-harvest sprout damage mitigation.
• Glynwood Center for Regional Food and FarmingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJune Russell, Director of Regional Food Programs, delivered keynote at 2022 Craft Malt Conference. Glynwood works on regional grain economy development supporting craft malt supply chains.
• Oregon State University Barley ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration on barley variety development. OSU's Small Grains Breeding Program contributes to craft malt quality through regional variety adaptation research.
• Crafted For AllminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerDEI consulting firm engaged by the Guild for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion mission development. Principal Dr. J Jackson-Beckman led DEI training and town hall facilitation.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Brewers Association: The US trade association for craft brewers—the same end-customer segment the Craft Maltsters Guild serves. Both operate as member-driven non-profit associations with conferences, advocacy, and quality programs (e.g., the BA's seal of independence mirrors the Guild's local/independent craft malt definition).
• American Craft Spirits Association: Trade association serving craft distillers—a core Guild member segment. Operates with a parallel structure: membership dues, annual conferences, and certification/distinction programs aimed at the craft spirits producer community.
• American Malting Barley Association: US trade association representing malting barley interests across breeders, growers, and maltsters. The most direct upstream analog to the Guild's craft malting mission, focused on the broader malting barley supply chain.
• Master Brewers Association of the Americas: Professional association for brewing professionals that runs educational programming, technical conferences, and quality-related initiatives—structurally similar to the Guild's MaltCon and Malt Cup offerings, but for brewers rather than maltsters.
• American Society of Brewing Chemists: Scientific society that validates brewing analytical methods including the Hot Steep Method used in the Guild's Malt Cup. Highly comparable in mission (technical standards, quality benchmarking) and audience overlap.
• Canadian Malting Barley Technical Centre: Winnipeg-based malt research and training center that was a 2022 Soles of Malt Award recipient and has trained many North American craft maltsters. Operates adjacent R&D, training, and technical service capabilities that complement the Guild's community programs.
• National Barley Growers Association: US association representing barley producers—an upstream constituency whose members supply raw grain to the craft malthouses the Guild represents. Operates in a parallel fashion: advocacy, conferences, and grower-focused education.

Broad incumbents

• Distilled Spirits Council of the United States: Larger trade association representing the broad distilled spirits industry. Overlaps with the Guild on the distillery member segment but operates at a national lobbying scale well beyond the Guild's craft-focused scope.
• Beer Institute: National trade association for the broader US beer industry, including major brewers. Overlaps with the Guild on advocacy for the brewing value chain but does not specialize in the craft malt segment.

Regional players

• Independent Brewers Association: Australia-based independent brewers association. Geographically distinct but highly comparable in function—membership-driven trade body supporting craft beverage producers—and represents a model the Guild could leverage for international expansion.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CraftMalting
• Facebookfacebook.com/CraftMalting
• Instagraminstagram.com/craftmalting
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/craft-malting

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about craft maltsters