27 Story Idea? Email Paul.Nolan@Farms.com Better Farming | May/June 2024 The Hamill family has been farming near Penhold, Alta., for four generations – with the current generation bringing the farm and its story closer to consumers by adding a malthouse to their operation. “Hamill Farms is a fourth-generation grain farm. My great grandpa moved from Ireland with his family and the farm has carried on since,” says Matt Hamill. “Red Shed Malting is around nine years old now. When we got going, it was around the same time that the Government of Alberta relaxed the laws around starting a brewery. This was also when Olds College started their Brewmaster & Brewery Operations Management program. “We knew that craft beer was becoming a big thing, and we saw more opportunities for that to happen in Alberta. There were some barriers taken down, and there would be more trained employees.” Matt explains that after briefly UP CLOSE The Hamill family use a malt roaster to create specialty malt which adds unique aroma and flavour to beer and spirits. David Dinan, Hot Shoe Studio photo David Dinan, Hot Shoe Studio photo Red Shed Malting invited brewers and distillers from across Alberta to a field day at the farm in 2023.
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