2024 Malt Cup

The Malt Cup expands to six categories in 2024!

Pilsen, Pale Malt, Light Munich, Vienna, Wheat Malt and Caramel Malt

Entry submission window runs from Sunday September 24 to Friday October 13 at 3pm 

The Malt Cup is the only malt competition in the world.

This one-of-a-kind international event allows maltsters to receive valuable analytical and sensory feedback on their malts. 2024 is the 6th annual Malt Cup and this year’s participants not only have the chance to win accolades but will also receive:

  • A full report of Certificates of Analyses (COAs) for entries in each category participated in. Entries are blind coded so maltsters can ID the data for their own malt, while getting a comparison to the malts across the full entry field. Malt COAs are provided by the competitions official partner, Montana State University’s Barley, Malt, & Brewing Quality Lab. The COA data is valued at over $100 alone, while the ability to review the data from the full competition field is priceless. Note: All entries remain anonymous.·
  • Sensory feedback report (for malts passing the scrutiny of the analytical round). Entries which advance are sent around the country to judge panels made up of industry professionals, including maltsters, brewers, distillers, researchers, journalists, and Cicerones. The Malt Cup is proud to partner with the Beer Judge Certification Program to source high quality judges for the competition. A comprehensive sensory report is generated for each malt and provided back to participants.·
  • Sensory and COA feedback (for malts advancing to the Best of Show judging). Entries which advance to the final round will receive additional feedback including evaluations of the malt COAs, raw malt, and wort.·
  • Winning malts (Gold, Silver, Bronze), in each category will receive a beautiful handmade medal. The competition has partnered with Aaron Maki of Old Hand Design to provide these hand crafted awards.·
  • Best of Show trophy. Of the Gold winning malts, the single highest scoring entry will take home the traveling Malt Cup. Each year this trophy represents bragging rights for the top malt and malthouse.

Nowhere else can maltsters get this level of feedback for their malt. Everyone is a winner in this competition – and some get some bragging rights to boot!

Intent of Competition 

The Guild’s overarching goals with the Malt Cup are as follows:

  • To enhance the quality of malt by providing entrants constructive feedback on the quality and flavor of their malt. 
  • To recognize Craft Maltsters Guild members who exemplify the Guild’s mission of upholding the highest quality standards. 
  • To provide the malting industry with a recognized, credible malt flavor, and quality mark.

Find entry guidelines, malt style categories, judging criteria, and methodology can be accessed through the BAP website, where you can sign up to be a judge or steward at the conference.

Learn more about what it’s like to be a Malt Cup judge.

Maltster Testimonials

“I really think this gives credibility to the products that we are making.  It elevates our operation and excites customers by using the best raw materials for their own operation.  We have seen an increase in sales related to our winning products but most importantly it secures a level of trust between partners.  We have something tangible to prove that we are making the best products we can.  The Malt Cup truly excites me to achieve more and challenge us to make the best products we can.”

~ Mike Meyers, Root Shoot Malting

“As a relatively young malt house in the Southeast, we believe the ability to showcase a medal from the 2019 Malt Cup afforded us a newfound credibility in potential customers’ eyes. We are humbled by the opportunity to amicably compete alongside the many talented malt houses in this guild.”

~ Mark van Wagenberg, Carolina Malt House

“I see the true benefits in ongoing malt quality testing and the Malt Cup gives us unique comparative analysis which is the value of the competition. Winning is nice but the value is in the data comparison and a sense on how we are doing among our peers regardless of who that peer actually is.”

~ Sebastian Wolfrum, Epiphany Craft Malt

Many thanks to the volunteer judges and industry partners who make this competition possible!