As the malt industry harvest season concludes, Capital Brewing Co has partnered with Voyager Craft Malt, aiming to transition to local sourcing, lower emissions production and more sustainable brewing practices.
Conscious purchasing is becoming a higher priority for consumers, and the food and beverage industry is recognising the growing importance of sustainability after one of the hottest summers in recent years.
Canberra-based Capital Brewing has been a leading force for this push, becoming the first Australian brewery to be certified carbon neutral in 2022, under the federal government Climate Active certification. It is also one of the only breweries in Australia to be B Corp certified. The company outlined some of its sustainability goals at the time on the Food & Drink Business podcast.
The new regenerative agriculture partnership will see Capital Brewing transition key malt inputs away from European imports and toward Australian grown, regeneratively farmed grain supplied by Voyager Craft Malt, in regional New South Wales.
The shift followed a review of Capital Brewing’s environmental footprint, which identified imported malt as a major contributor to embodied emissions through freight.
By sourcing malt locally from Voyager, Capital Brewing has eliminated the need to import approximately 28 tonnes of European malt, significantly reducing ingredient miles while maintaining, and in many cases improving, quality and consistency.
Voyager Craft Malt works directly with growers using regenerative farming practices that prioritise soil health, biodiversity and long term productivity. Co-founder and director, Stu Whytcross, said the partnership demonstrates how beer can support more sustainable agriculture.
“This partnership is about more than just malt, it is about showing that beer can be part of the solution,” said Whytcross.
“Working with growers who are regenerating their soils and reconnecting that grain to people through great beer is one of the most powerful ways we can tell the story of Australian agriculture. Capital Brewing is leading by example, and we are proud to be alongside them in building a more resilient, transparent and local supply chain.”
Capital Brewing managing director, Laurence Kain, said the timing reflects the natural alignment between farming cycles, brewing and consumer behaviour.
“This is the point in the year when the connection between farm and beer is most visible,” said Kain.
“The grain that will become next year’s brews has just come off the paddock, and people are starting to think more carefully about what they buy, who they support and the impact those choices have.
“Moving to locally produced, regeneratively farmed malt allows us to reduce freight emissions, support Australian growers and invest in farming systems that actively improve the land. It is about making better decisions all the way through the supply chain.”
Capital Brewing has set a goal for 15 per cent of its malt to be organic and regeneratively farmed by 2027. The company absorbs a marginal increase of one to three cents per kilogram for regenerative malt, a cost Kain said is negligible compared to the environmental benefits.
“At our current volumes, it is an additional cost of around eight hundred and forty dollars a year. For the impact it delivers, it is an easy decision,” he said.
The company also uses regeneratively farmed barley in its beers, grown by certified organic producers in regional New South Wales.
