2012 Homebrew Seminars: Speaker Lineup

Wendell Banks,
Michigan Malt Company

By Steve Siciliano

We are very pleased to have added to our homebrew inventory Michigan-grown wheat that is being malted in the state’s only malting facility. Yesterday we met with Wendell Banks, founder and president of The Michigan Malt Company which opened in the Mount Pleasant area in 2007. Breweries currently using the locally grown and processed product include New Holland, Old Boys and Kuhnhenn. Brewery Vivant has plans to produce beers from the malted wheat as soon as its new grain mill is operational. Michigan Malt Company’s wheat malt is about 5 Lovibond and retails at Siciliano’s for $1.29 per pound and $47.00 for a 50-lb bag.

Wendell will be giving a presentation on the future of malting in Michigan at our homebrew seminars scheduled for Friday evening, May 4th at Johnson Park (in the enclosed shelterhouse). The following is the complete lineup for this year’s seminars: 

• Jim Macielak, Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
• Brett Mytys, local homebrewer on how to make stellar sour beers
• Wendell Banks, Michigan Malt Company
• Brian Tennis, Michigan Hop Alliance
• Paul Vander Heide, Vander Mill Winery and Brewery
• Kim Kowalski, head brewer, Mt. Pleasant Brewing Company
• A Belgian beer tasting conducted by Matt Polisei from Latis Imports

The seminars will go from 6pm to 930pm. Admission is $5.00 at the door. Please contact Siciliano's with any questions you may have.

Wendell & Corey (middle, right) from Michigan Malt Company
discuss their product with the boss, who pulled the trigger on the malted wheat,
buying all that the malters had to spare.