BUTLER — CNC Malting Company (CNC Malt) announced recently that it is has been awarded funding under the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) to implement a Grain Drying System to Increase Quality and Production of Pennsylvania Malting Barley. CNC Malt is one of 18 awardees under the PLCB effort to develop and promote Pennsylvania beer industry. Under the same funding, Penn State College of Agricultural Science has been awarded funds for Craft Beer Value Chain Development: Expanding Hops Processing in Western Pennsylvania, and CNC Malt is excited to partner up with Penn State Extension in this venture.
“CNC Malt would like to thank the PLCB as well as the Pennsylvania Malt and Brewed Beverage Industry Promotion Board for their effort to grow and strengthen the craft beer industry in Pennsylvania.
“Our malthouse is essentially the handshake between the farmers and the brewers, the crucial link of the quality supply chain connecting the local farmers to the brewers and distillers, ensuring local quality grain is available and malted to specification to meet the growing demand of the craft beverage industry. All grains come through us. This keystone position allows us to disseminate the needs and gaps of each link in the beer chain and provide support to each through the others. The award of the Grain Drying proposals funds enable us to ensure the full flavor profiles of PA barley are available to all levels of the craft beverage chain while ensuring the low-cost drying cycles will not decrease the premiums earned by our local farmers.” Brendan and Oana Carroll, Owners
Brendan Carroll purchased the former Clearfield Township Elementary School in Butler Countyin June 2016. Since then, the 30,000 sq. ft school building has been going through a lot of transformation and remodeling in what today is a craft malthouse, processing locally sourced grains into malt for Western Pennsylvania craft beverage industry.
The old school setting is fitting the old-style traditional floor malting process. While large industrial malthouses can produces large quantities, at CNC Malt the malting process is done in small batches, by hand, using traditional floor malting germination techniques for more intense and complex flavor and using local grains, to preserve the unique Pennsylvania flavor.
“Our goal is to create something unique that represents the true flavor of Pennsylvania, by bringing terroir in every pint and creating a localized supply chain that connects us to the local agriculture and consumers. Supporting each other helps us grow sustainable, locally adapted grain varieties with distinct flavor that translates in the final craft beverage that we can all enjoy,” Brendan Carroll said.
