GrainsWest Summer 2018

The Food Issue 2018 Grains West 34 FEATURE BY NATALIE NOBLE • PHOTOS COURTESY OF ORIGIN MALTING AND BREWING How an Alberta farm family built their own field-to-glass barley business N A SUNNY MORNING IN the Origin Malting & Brewing taproom in Strathmore, co-owners Meleah Geeraert and her husband, Kyle, took an uncharacteristic break from what has been a crazy work schedule. Meleah is a fifth-generation member of the Hilton family whose farmstead is located just down the road. While she handles digital marketing, office management and taproom operations, he handles product development. They’ve overseen off- the-hook growth in sales following the outfitting and August 2017 launch of their business, which they carried out in record time. Invoking their “farm- kid work ethic,” they manage the endless tasks commensurate with this undertaking while raising their two-year- old son, Easton, and a second child is on the way. They’re overworked but clearly O RIGIN STORY thrilled with their success thus far. One of the province’s few micro- maltsters, Origin embodies the field-to- glass philosophy so valued by Alberta’s craft beer industry. It is also one of the first farm-diversification projects of its kind in Alberta. “Our taproom is packed all of the time and people are really intrigued with what we’re doing,” Kyle said. “We’ve already reached the point where we have many regulars returning frequently.” In fact, the place has become such a social hub, with its many long picnic tables seated to capacity most nights, that they haven’t yet had to locate other means of distribution for their beer. Bestsellers include Full Sleeve IPA, Hybrid Theory kolsch and Legal Issues, a deeply delicious Scottish ale. Behind the bar, the malt house’s gleaming inner workings—steep tanks, germ and kiln vessels—are located in view of the taproom. Since the business launched, this customized malting equipment has roasted approximately 800 tonnes of malt purchased by Origin’s craft-brewer clients. It’s also been used to make Origin’s own brews, which now tally 80 batches in 30 styles totalling 70,000 litres. On Saturdays, staff members conduct tours of the malting and brewing areas of the facility. The pursuit of awards has not been an immediate priority given the sheer demand of getting this ambitious project running, but Origin earned four at the Alberta Small Brewers Association’s first annual Alberta Beer Awards. Among these honours, Last Post Brown Ale won gold in both the best of show and brown beer categories. “The beers we’ve won with are near and dear to our hearts,” Kyle said. “Those