Admiral Maltings

What they do

Admiral Maltings is a malt producer based in Alameda, CA. They process barley into malt for use by breweries and distilleries. It was started by beer industry veterans Ron Silberstein and Dave McLean, along with Curtis Davenport, who has an extensive background in organic farming and small-batch malting. Their goal was to create unique malts that produce better beers and spirits.

The Admiral website shares that they “contract family farms in the Sacramento Valley and Tule Lake to grow no-till or organic barley,” which is turned into malt by hand using an artisanal, pre-Industrial Revolution method called floor malting. According to Admiral, their 20,000-square-foot floor malting facility is the first of its kind in California since Prohibition and the state’s only certified organic malting operation as of this writing. Overlooking the malt floor is The Rake pub, open for meals and special events.

Barley is often grown by regenerative and organic farmers as a cover crop in their crop rotations since it can do well with relatively little water and in a variety of soil conditions. Practices at each farm vary based on its region and ecosystem, with many suppliers being no-till and certified organic. Some farms employ dry farming with no irrigation. Admiral Maltings’ growth in artisanal malt sales can make cover cropping with barley even more attractive to farmers as Admiral increases barley purchases and creates a reliable income stream for producers.

For context, in 2022, the U.S. imported more malt (from Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Belgium) than it exported. By producing malt using regenerative processes in California, Admiral connects craft brewers with local farmers, creating opportunities that can benefit both.

Why we invested

As Admiral Maltings grows, it requires more working capital. The loan from the Regenerative Harvest Fund allows the company to source grain for its current production and continue producing malt at or near capacity each month, which can help increase total revenue.