As the year comes to a close, many of us find time to reflect on our achievements and progress. Let’s take a moment to celebrate the Craft Maltsters Guild’s accomplishments in 2024.
This year’s MaltCon2024 was a resounding success, held at the University of California, Davis. Over three days, attendees enjoyed engaging seminars, valuable networking opportunities, and the invigorating exchange of ideas that energizes our industry. The conference concluded with the 2024 Malt Cup, honoring excellence in craft malt. You can find the full conference wrap-up and a list of winners here.
Our Advanced Class in Malt Production proudly graduated another cohort of talented students. This traveling class aligns with MaltCon’s location, and the 2025 edition will take place in Denver the week before MaltCon 2025. Spots are still available—don’t miss out! For more information or to register, click here.
September brought the inaugural Craft Malt Month, strategically timed with the harvest season to amplify our agricultural message. This milestone event featured dozens of activities, media coverage, and social media buzz. Huge thanks to everyone who hosted fundraisers for the Guild—your efforts continue to make an impact, and we’re still seeing benefits roll in!
This year, we also hosted six webinars, all free for members. Topics ranged from water quality and malthouse safety guidelines to North American harvest reports. Members can access these webinars, along with a wealth of other resources, in the Members Only section of our website. Be on the lookout for our 2025 webinar series, and if there’s a topic you’d like us to cover, please let us know!
Our community continues to thrive. We’re proud to represent a growing network that includes:
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- 68 malthouse members across North America,
- 40 developing and international members, and
- 42 Allied Trade members and industry partners.
Your collaboration and support strengthen our mission and shape the future of craft malt.
Looking ahead, 2025 promises even more excitement with MaltCon2025, the Advanced Class in Malt Production, and the 2025 Malt Cup, all happening in Denver February 27 – March 1. Don’t forget to mark your calendars for the second annual Craft Malt Month in September, featuring even more opportunities to get involved and celebrate our craft.
Here’s to another incredible year ahead!
Cheers,
Steve Kurowski, Executive Director