Introduction to the Blue Ox Malthouse
When community organizer and homebrewer Joel Alex decided to launch Maine’s first malting operation back in April 2013, he had a clear vision and mission. His establishment, known as the Blue Ox Malthouse, aimed to create a more robust, resilient, and equitable regional food system. With a focus on craft beer and spirits, Blue Ox Malthouse offers shorter supply chains and thoughtful farming practices, and the success of this approach has been indisputable.
Now, fast forward to over a decade later. The Blue Ox is getting ready to meet the growing consumer demand for truly local beers and spirits, while tackling the supply chain challenges that brewers and distillers experience. An ambitious transformation is underway, with plans for a significant expansion that will increase the operation’s malting floor space and processing capacity remarkably.
The Expansion of Blue Ox Malthouse
Construction is already in progress for the enlargement of Blue Ox Malthouse. The planned expansion will triple the facility’s malting floor space and boost its processing capacity by a whopping four-fold. With this expansion, supply chain difficulties often faced by Northeastern craft breweries and distilleries will be alleviated, allowing for a more robust and resilient supply.
New Space, Same Philosophy
Having completely outgrown the leased space in its existing facility, Blue Ox has now purchased the entire building. Once the renovation is finished, the upgrade will incorporate two malting floors with a total area nearing 8,000 sq ft. This isn’t merely about physical expansion. Alongside providing a more reliable and scalable supply alternative, the initiative also aims to keep the operation’s commitment to floor malting intact, while reducing the physical demands of the work. This way, Blue Ox will be able to widen its employment circle, hiring staff with varying physical abilities.
Dedicated to Quality and Variety
In addition to opening up possibilities for a more diverse array of malt products, the expansion will allow Blue Ox to work with a greater number of small farms, without any detrimental effects on the quality, consistency, or performance of its existing products.
Upon reflecting on this major step, Joel Alex, the founder of Blue Ox, says, “After ten years on the scene, Blue Ox Malthouse is undertaking this step to further our mission of connecting farms to locally produced beers and spirits in the Northeast region. We’ve never sought to be vertically integrated, but rather, to establish a mid-sized accessible market for rotation crops. Enriching our business with more capacity and improved equipment means we can stay devoted to our niche, while fostering opportunities for breweries and farms to embark on meaningful collaborations.”
Looking Ahead
Blue Ox Malthouse was founded with the aim of serving as a crucial liaison between the Northeastern agriculture sector and craft beer and spirit consumers. Now, with the expansion plans slated for completion in early 2023, Blue Ox Malthouse is continuing that mission, on a larger scale.
To celebrate the grand completion of the expansion, Blue Ox Malthouse is planning an open house gathering for their customers this winter. Joel Alex and his team are eager to invite the community on a tour of the upgraded malthouse, showing off the value it brings to the food and beverages enjoyed in Maine and beyond.
As Blue Ox Malthouse continues to grow and evolve, reaffirming their dedicated mission, it sets an example for businesses everywhere to strive for resilience, equity, and sustainability. The future looks promising, with Maine looking forward to more locally-sourced, community-supported craft beer and spirits.
An
The expansion plans for Blue Ox Malthouse are both impressive and inspiring. It’s wonderful to see a business focused on creating a more sustainable and equitable food system, while also meeting the demands of the growing craft beer and spirits market. The commitment to floor malting and reducing physical demand is also commendable. I have no doubt that Blue Ox will continue to make a positive impact in the community through its expansion.
Ands on the maltsters.
The expansion of Blue Ox Malthouse is not just about increasing production. It is a testament to the success and impact of their vision to create a more sustainable and equitable local food system. As demand for their products grows, so does their ability to support local farmers and businesses, and reduce the carbon footprint of the brewing and distilling industry. The Introduction to Blue Ox Malthouse showcases their dedication to their mission and sets the stage for even greater contributions to the craft beer and spirits community in Maine and beyond.