A new revolution – Beer straight from the farm

When it comes to beer brewing, it requires many ingredients like barley, hops, yeast etc. Depending on the location brewers import theses ingredient from different parts of the world. In microbrewery also, the amount of ingredients changes but the location of import did not.

But now the story is changing in two ways. People who grow barley and hops are coming into brewing and people who are in brewing are growing their own barley and hops.

Let me share a very interesting story of a farmer who turns to a brewer to sell his Beer direct into the market. He, Mark VanGlad, used barley and hops which are grown in his own farm, Stamford, New York.

After a legislation passed in 2009,that allows smallscale breweries (microbrewery) in New York to sell at directly into the markets. Today, on 6th may, Mr. VanGlad’s Tundra Brewery has become the first to sell beer direct in the market. The Beer has an alcohol content of 4 to 5 percent. The pale ale is the first

of three beers that he plans to sell at the market. The next will be a red ale made with local honey, followed by a gluten-free sorghum beer.

To make beer from barley, it must first be malted — soaked in water to germinate, dried with hot air, cleaned and then roasted to the desired darkness. At first, Mr. VanGlad couldn’t find a malt house willing to process a small batch of barley. Then he found the ‘nano-malt house’, Valley Malt to malt his barley.

Two years after his graduation in 2008 Mr. VanGlad got his microbrewery licenses for Tundra Brewery. He grew five to six acres of barley last year on his family’s farm, and planted another similar batch of barley. He has also grown two small plots of hops and he plans to plant another acre this year.

Most of the microbreweries in New York import the barley and hops from Europe or elsewhere in America. Local grain production has increased somewhat in recent years, but it is still far from fulfilling the requirements. Mr. VanGlad’s success using local grains could go a long way to showing others what’s
possible.

In India also concept of microbrewery is generating awareness. People are coming to set up their own brewery as Brewpubs or big farmers are also getting aware set up their own microbrewery. Still a lot of distance is to be covered. But it will happens soon and for sure!

This year Mr. VanGlad has produced three 600 liters batches of pale ale. He built his brewery from stainless still milk tanks that he bought second hand.
Today, 6th May 2011, is his first day to see his Beer to strangers into the direct market.

All the best to Mr. VanGlad!

You can read the complete story here.