The Craft Maltsters Guild Board of Directors is a group of individuals dedicated to holding craft malting to the highest standards. The members of the board of directors are elected by Member Malthouses of the Guild. The directors are responsible for oversight of the association’s activities and for creating policy on behalf of the Guild.
Board of Directors
President: Hillary Barile, Rabbit Hill Farms
Hillary Barile is a 5th generation farmer and head
maltster for Rabbit Hill Farms and Malthouse, a producer of NJ-grown ingredients for craft brewers and distillers. The family farm also grows sod and commodity grains on the 585 acres in southern NJ. Along with her brother, Hillary initiated the farm’s transition from vegetable farming to the production of malting barley with the construction of their craft malthouse in 2016. Since then, Rabbit Hill has focused on the production of base malts in their 1-ton floor malting facility with the goal of helping brewers and distillers explore what contribution grains can have to develop a regional flavor. As a former student of Environmental Chemistry and Farmland Conservation Planner, Hillary is particularly interested in finding strategies to build more environmentally and economically sustainable farm systems – starting with her own land. She lives on the farm with her husband and two sons.
Vice President: Brian Estes, LINC Malt
Brian Estes is Co-owner and Partnerships Director at LINC Malt, the Spokane Valley, Washington malting operation managed by the LINC (Local Inland Northwest Cooperative). A lifelong Eastern Washingtonian, Brian joined the Cooperative in 2017, first supporting the regional growth of its wholesale distribution enterprise, LINC Foods. Coinciding with an expansion of malt production in 2019, Brian has focused his work on building partnerships across the malting supply chain. He holds a special passion for building direct relationships between the farmers behind LINC’s malted grains and the brewers and distillers using them. Brian and his wife Sophie live in Spokane, an excellent place to call home and an easy jumping-off point for the endless fun to be discovered across the Inland Northwest.
Treasurer: Curtis Davenport, Admiral Maltings
Curtis Davenport co-founded Admiral Maltings in 2017 with Ron Silberstein and Dave McLean and is Admiral’s Head Maltster. Prior to opening Admiral, Curtis grew organic fruits, vegetables, barley, and wheat in Santa Barbara County, CA. Curtis began floor malting inside a converted shipping container in 2013 and has been a member of the Craft Maltster’s Guild ever since. Curtis and his wife, Maddie, live in Oakland, where they like to ride bikes, make wine, and eat pizza with friends.
Secretary & Editor: Phil Neumann, Mainstem Malt
Phil Neumann’s career in natural resources took a turn toward craft malt in late 2014. Steeped in a lifelong love of agriculture, he started pursuing a dream to use a malt house as a novel tool for landscape-scale conservation, connecting family farms to brewers and distillers, and consumers who want to help agriculture become more sustainable. Mainstem Malt was born in 2015 and continues to find its way through the endless opportunity and challenges of this industry. Phil is happy to call Walla Walla home these days, along with partner Alyssa and doggo Sofí. It’s pretty much paradise for grain nerds. When they’re not busy with food systems work, they enjoy a mix of outdoor sports, cooking, gardening, music, and relaxing with friends over the region’s never-ending stream of craft beer and spirits. Their door is always open.
Steve Clark,Troubadour Malting
After 15 years in the pharmaceutical industry, initially researching new drug formulations and later in project management scaling up manufacturing processes, working with regulatory agencies for drug approval, Steve Clark launched his own manufacturing malting business in Fort Collins, Colorado. He wants to strengthen the link between agriculture and consumers via continuing education.
Glen Fox, University of California-Davis
Glen Fox serves as the Anheuser-Busch Endowed Professor Malting and Brewing Science at the University of California Davis where he is in charge of the brewing program.With 30 years experience working in grain and malting science, and how quality relates to brewing efficiency and beer quality, Glen is an industry expert. He has worked in several countries, with different grains and brings a more diverse understand of grains not typically used for malting. His research includes new methods which better explain quality and make malting more efficient providing the craft brewing industry with more relative malt data. He is a member of different committees with ASBC, MBAA and EBC.
Jean Girardeau-Montaut, A VOS MALTS
Jean Girardeau-Montaut has a background as an engineer and has been a brewer since 2012. He was inspired by travels to the United States and Germany to study technical malting operations to launch his own malting house, A VOS MALTS, in June 2020 in Granges-les-Beaumont, southeast France. He credits these visits. and the many great relationships he has made as a Craft Maltsters Guild member, for increasing his malting knowledge and allowing him to launch his business. A VOS MALTS is the first French craft malthouse to operate in a 10-ton steeping tank and germination-kiln combo drum. From day one, the malthouse was also been equipped with a malt roaster. Jean’s mission with A VOS MALTS is to re-localize cereal and malt production, promoting agricultural biodiversity and allowing French brewers and distillers to re-discover malt’s sensory aspects so that they can create fresh products made with local flavor, strengthening their regional identity. Jean’s friends say he is a passionate person with endless curiosity who doesn’t let difficulty stand in his way. And, as everyone knows, passion crosses borders.
Craig Miller, Root Shoot Malting
Craig Miller is an Account and Production Manager for Root Shoot Malting in Loveland, Colorado. The Root Shoot team supports the region’s strong craft beverage scene by providing locally grown and malted grains from their 1700-acre farming operation. His goal for the Craft Maltsters Guild is to increase awareness for both the producer and the consumer about the benefits of using local craft malt. Prior to joining the team at Root Shoot, Craig started a craft brewery with his wife and a neighbor in Northern Colorado’s bustling beer market. He brings the perspective of a maltster, brewer, businessperson, bartender, sales-person, and imbiber to the Board of Directors. You can probably find Craig playing his role of swiss army knife at the malt house, enjoying a beer in a local taproom with his wife, Valerie, spending time with their two daughters, and enjoying a Colorado lifestyle.
Jason Parker, Copperworks Distilling Co.
Jason Parker is the Co-Owner and President of Copperworks Distilling Company, a craft distillery located on the downtown Seattle waterfront. Jason began his career in the alcohol industry in 1989 helping open iconic craft brewers in the Seattle area, including Pike Place Brewery, Fish Brewing, and Pyramid Breweries. Copperworks was launched in 2013 with co-owner, Micah Nutt (a long-time homebrewing friend), to explore the flavor possibilities of brewing a high-quality malt-based craft beer (without hops) and then distilling that into fine spirits. Besides barley-based beverages, Jason enjoys playing bluegrass mandolin, hiking, traveling with his girlfriend, and rock climbing.
Jon Simson, Fullsteam Brewery
Jon Simson is a craft malt advocate and Head Brewer at Fullsteam Brewery in Durham, North Carolina. He expanded the brewery’s use of craft malt, creating their own Plow to Pint series of beers, and hs since doubled the amount of craft malt used every year.
Jared Stober, Two Track Malting
Jared Stober is CEO of Two Track Malting in Bismark, North Dakota. He comes from a farm background, being raised on a 5th generation family farm, and has always been involved with agriculture and value-added ag products. Since forming Two Track Malting in 2015, they have experienced all the ups and downs of the industry and have been able to expand their products into 35 states across the country. Two Malt has developed their own barley variety which caters to clients unique needs through connections in the research and development sector.
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