SigMT

SiG MT 52 "You can take the same barley and turn it into many different malts, depending on how you malt it," Pfeifle says. A 2001 Montana State University College of Engineering graduate, Pfeifle says he fell in love with cra beers while working as a semiconductor engineer in Scotland. "I was exposed to different beer than what was popular in college," he recalls. "I then gravitated toward cra beer and a home brewing hobby." Aer eight years of engineering, Pfeifle and his family returned to the farm, where he began pursuing the malt processing opportunity while growing malt barley for macro brewers. e Pfeifle family farm has been growing malt barley since the early 1980s, according to Phil Pfeifle. "When Ryan brought up the idea of malting the barley, I said 'go for it,'" says Phil Pfeifle. "I Knew he was capable of it." In 2015, Ryan Pfeifle built his first malting drum, from an old beer keg and a stainless-steel sink, a design he created based on smaller and older malting facilities he had visited. "I needed to do it on my scale, where I could try new things," he explains. "If I lose a batch, I can give it to my neighbor's pigs, and I am only out 3,000 pounds (or 60 bushels) of barley." With continued research and engineering, Pfeifle built an improved malting drum that conserves energy and water, while providing a more even malt and can be operated remotely using his smart phone. "I am too cheap to buy equipment when I know I could build my own to do exactly what I want," he says. "I am constantly redesigning and thinking of ways to program it to make it easier for me." e current system uses half the water and propane, with an air exchanger that preheats the air and sensors that monitor the temperature and moisture levels. In addition to the drum, Pfeifle has a grain cleaner and bagging machine to complete his facility. "Ninety-five percent of the grain I malt, I grow myself," he says. "And 97 percent of the barley we grow goes to Coors, which has elevators just beyond our back yard." Currently, Pfeifle uses Buzz, Oydessy and Unitan barley varieties for his malting venture. Pfeifle says he is likely the only farmer in the world growing Unitan, an older grain variety his grandfather once grew. "Unitan was a barley Montana State University released in 1957," Pfeifle says. "I found some in a seed bank in Idaho, where I got 50 kernels; I planted them by hand the first year." Unitan is a six-row malt barley that grew well in north central Montana, but, it was phased out due to dormancy. "Dormancy was good for the farmers because the grain wouldn't sprout in the field, but it had to sit for six months before malting," explained Pfeifle. "Breeders have removed dormancy from barley so The 106-year-old Pfeifle family farm dedicates spring and summer months to growing and harvesting malt barley and wheat and the cooler months to malting barley and other grains. "I build my inventory in the fall, winter and early spring because when it gets to 70 degrees I can't malt," says Ryan Pfeifle. INSURANCE? ARE YOU PAYING TOO MUCH FOR YOUR HOME AUTO PROPERTY FARM/RANCH BUSINESS COMPARE OUR RATES! GET A FREE INSURANCE QUOTE TODAY! FOR A FREE INSURANCE QUOTE CALL 406.622.5033 WWW.PIONEERAGENCY.COM IONEER NSURANCE GENCY, NC. P I A I

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