Farmers open malting business in Williston
Farmers Paul Weyrauch, left, and David Anfinson opened ND Malting and Hops in Williston last May. Courtesy Photo
Nearly five years ago, two North Dakota farmers had an idea to market their barley crop to beer brewers. A local surplus of barley and shortage of malt presented favorable market dynamics, and the pair were willing to bet on themselves, their barley and beer.
Last May, David Anfinson and Paul Weyrauch opened ND Malting and Hops in Williston. With a focus on quality and traceability, the business offers custom-grown grains and malts for breweries and distilleries.
The malting facility, which is served by Mountrail-Williams Electric Cooperative, gives the farmers complete control of the supply chain, from the seeds they put in the ground to the malts they deliver to customers. And it’s all done right here in North Dakota.
The process starts on the agricultural side. Anfinson and Weyrauch use a barley variety designed by North Dakota State University. They plant, grow and harvest the barley themselves on 500 to 1,000 acres.
“North Dakota and ag go hand in hand. And I do think it is one of the things North Dakota does well,” Anfinson says.
The harvested barley is then brought directly to the malting facility. It is never stored in flat-bottom bins and never touches the ground.
After the barley is cleaned, it goes through a color-sorter, which is “unheard of” in the malting business, Weyrauch says. The color-sorter sifts out barley that is a shade too green, black or brown, allowing only the best kernels to become beer.
“We are just trying to make the best of the best,” Weyrauch says.
Unlike ND Malting and Hops, most large-scale malting facilities can’t be picky with their barley. The farmers always harvest more than they’ll need to guarantee each customer is getting the best grains, and any barley that doesn’t make the cut becomes cattle feed to ensure little waste.
The cleaned and sorted barley is then steeped in a tank with circulation and aeration, which helps retain its quality. When the kernels get to a desired moisture level, they are moved to germination then kiln-dried, cleaned again, packaged, put on pallets – by a helpful robot – and sent to customers across the state and nation.
“I would argue that our standards are as high as they get. We will take our time to get it right,” Anfinson says.
ND Malting and Hops products can be found in many craft beers throughout the region, including at Busted Knuckle Brewery in Williston, Atypical Brewery and Barrelworks in Minot and Pleasant Prairie Brewing and Taproom in Scobey, Mont.
And, they’ve even made it to the big leagues. This year, some of their North Dakota raised and processed grain will head south to Arizona, where it will be brewed and served at Major League Baseball’s spring training.
The business is firm in its commitment to quality over quantity, and the farmers hold their crops to the highest standard, as any North Dakota farmer would.
“We are farmers first. This is a secondary project,” Anfinson says.
Visit ndmaltingandhops.com to learn more. Business inquiries can be sent to orders@ndmalting.com or call 701-875-5555.
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Kennedy DeLap is interning with North Dakota Living. She can be reached at kdelap@ndarec.com.
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