A bag of Low Color Wheat Malt from Great Western Malting, one of Soufflet Malt's heritage brands, displayed alongside brewery equipment. Great Western Malting is a Soufflet Malt Heritage brand.

THE SPIRIT OF AMERICAN MALTING FOR MODERN CRAFT PIONEERS

About Great Western Malting

United States | Founded in 1934 

Great Western Malting is a leading American maltster, with operations rooted in the Northwest region since 1934. As the oldest malting company in the western United States, it combines agricultural expertise with large-scale production capabilities to serve brewers, distillers and food producers across North America and beyond. 

Barley is sourced from a network of growers across Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and California. These regions provide diverse growing conditions that support consistent crop performance and high-quality malt production. 

American-Grown Barley, Northwest Character

Growers work with globally recognised barley varieties, cultivated in the Northwest’s distinctive terroir shaped by volcanic soils, arid climates and mountain-fed water sources. Great Western Malting maintains long-standing relationships with independent farmers who share a commitment to quality, consistency and responsible agricultural practices. The combination of distinctive regional terroir and modern malting practices ensures that the character and performance of American-grown barley are reflected across a broad range of malt solutions.

Our
story

1934

Great Western Malting was founded by a group of Northwest brewing and grain industry leaders.

1960

Merged with California Malting to form Great Western Malting Co., expanding to plants in Vancouver and Los Angeles.

1981

Opened a new 90,000-tonne malt plant in Pocatello, Idaho.

1995

Acquired by ConAgra Foods and Tiger Brands, joining a global malt network including Canada Malting Co. and Bairds Malt.

2006

ConAgra Malt was acquired by Castle Harlan and CHAMP Private Equity, forming United Malt Holdings.

2009

United Malt Holdings was purchased by GrainCorp, creating GrainCorp Malt and expanding operations across four countries.

2020

United Malt was formed through a demerger from GrainCorp, becoming one of the world's largest malt producers.

2023

United Malt was acquired by InVivo Group and merged with Malteries Soufflet to form Soufflet Malt, the world's largest malting company.

2024

Great Western Malting celebrated 90 years of malting heritage.

Our malts

Consistent malt solutions for brewing, distilling and food production

Great Western Malting offers a comprehensive portfolio of malted barley and specialty grains designed to meet the technical and sensory requirements of modern beverage and food producers.

Our malts are well-suited for a wide range of applications, including modern American beer styles such as West Coast IPAs, Hazy IPAs, Imperial Stouts and American-style lagers. These styles, known for their bold hop character, layered flavor and drinkability, require versatile malt profiles and consistent, high-performing ingredients to support innovation across brewing and distilling.

 

In addition to traditional base malts, the portfolio includes specialty grains such as wheat that support evolving product development needs, from enhancing mouthfeel and foam stability to driving flavor complexity.

To support a stable and continuous supply, Great Western Malting utilises both spring and winter barley varieties, a dual-cycle sourcing approach that is less common in traditional malting regions:

  • Spring barley: Planted in April, harvested in August 
  • Winter barley: Planted in October, harvested in July 

This approach enhances supply continuity, improves production efficiency, and helps ensure year-round availability.

Discover our range of malts

Our certifications

To ensure analytical accuracy and alignment with industry methodologies, Great Western Malting participates in established technical programs and organizations, including:

  • Malt Analysis Proficiency Testing Scheme (MAPS) 
  • American Society of Brewing Chemists (ASBC) 

Quality and safety standards include:

  • HACCP-certified food safety systems 
  • Safety Data Sheet (SDS) documentation for malt handling 
  • Kosher-certified production at select facilities 

These frameworks ensure that all products meet the expectations of brewers, distillers and food manufacturers across global markets.

How to buy

Great Western Malting products are available through multiple supply channels to meet a range of operational needs:

  • Bagged malt: Distributed through Country Malt Group, providing localized access, inventory availability and customer support for North American craft brewers, distillers and beyond.
  • Bulk malt: Supplied directly to large-scale brewing, distilling and food production customers locally and worldwide 

With a logistics network that includes rail, truck, bulk vessel and container shipping, Great Western Malting ensures efficient, scalable distribution across both regional and international markets.

Contact Great Western Malting