Voyager Craft Malt picks up gold award from American event

Voyager Craft Malt, who grow, source, and process the essential ingredient in beer and whisky-malt, has been announced as Malt Cup winners in the Pale Ale category for 2022 in Bozeman, Montana in the United States.

This is the first time the gold award has been awarded to a maltster outside of the USA and represents a significant achievement for the small Whitton-based maltsters.

The competition had 58 entries from malthouses around the world compete through a rigorous analysis process over several months, where their malts were judged through a combination of lab and sensory panel evaluations.

Voyager co-founder Stu Whytcross was blown away by the award.

"We're absolutely stoked to have taken out this award with our Organic Veloria Pale Ale malt," he said.

"We know the high-quality of malts we were up against, particularly from the USA, so to have made it through to the final rounds is an honor in itself; so to win it gives us tremendous satisfaction.

"We get a great sense of pride and enjoyment when beers or spirits that contain our malts win awards, but the Malt Cup is awarded on the quality of the malt alone, so it gives us and our growers, a great sense of achievement to take out the gold.

"I'd like to think that it also serves as great recognition for the many brewers and distillers around Australia that have chosen to use this malt to produce quality beers and spirits."

Mr Whytcross said the quality of the barley used was a major factor in malt quality, meaning the award was a nod to growers as well.

"Making great malt, starts with amazing barley," he said.

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"The Riverina has such a great climate for producing quality barley year in, year out."

Now in its third year, the Malt Cup is the only competition of its kind and gives maltsters from around the world the opportunity to receive valuable feedback on their malt products from a panel of more than 50 judges.

Established by the Craft Maltsters Guild competition aims to improve the quality of malt by providing entrants constructive feedback on the quality and flavour of their malt, recognise malthouses upholding the highest-quality standards and provide the industry with a recognized, credible malt flavour and quality mark.

Veloria is the name given to Voyager's pale ale style malt, one of their most popular malts, used extensively by brewers and distillers around the country.

Another factor making the win fulfilling for Voyager was the particular parcel of Schooner barley that took the title.

This was grown on the regenerative farm of Chris and Samantha Greenwood in Coleambally.

"It makes the award that little bit more satisfying and reinforces our commitment to move towards sourcing all our grain from regenerative agricultural practices," Mr Whytcross said.

Visitors to the Whitton Malt House - an award-winning tourism facility and restaurant situated alongside Voyager's processing facility - can try a vast selection of craft beers and whiskies that have been made with this gold medal-winning malt.

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