For too long, craft brewers and distillers have been denied a seat at the table in terms of sourcing quality malts, due to a supply chain controlled by corporate brewing conglomerates focused on yield over flavor – which has subsequently limited the true potential of craft producers.
So now we – along with our craft brewing and distilling collaborators – are stirring things up. With an engaged, personal approach focused on partnership, our mission is to give craft producers more of a voice (and more choice) in the development of new products and flavors. Whether a startup entrepreneur or an industry leader, our aim is to work with those who both appreciate tradition and embrace innovation.
Herein lies the freshest approach to exceptional malts.
Our aim is to work with those who both appreciate tradition and embrace innovation.
Meet the Team
When the sun comes up over the Big Snowy, we’re already hard at work: on a constant mission to help craft more flavorful beer, spirits and foods.
Our people have big ideas and a bold vision to transform the craft malt business. We’re curious minds and tenacious problem-solvers, intent on doing good business with good people. Steeped in skills and experience, our team shares an unapologetic ambition to create and share the world’s best malts.
Jen
Co-Founder
Jen O’Brien, Co-Founder of Montana Craft Malt, is a woman on a mission. A proud Montana native with an affinity for agriculture, she came to MCM to carry on the legacy of her father, Ron Ueland, the founder of the company. Jen's...
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Co-Founder
Jen's background includes extensive experience in business analysis, sales operations, and brand strategy. A University of Washington graduate, Jen has a degree in accounting with a marketing emphasis. She began her career as a business analyst at The Washington Post from 2000 to 2003 before spending almost a decade at Google in global sales operations and business development. During her time at Google, Jen gained valuable experience guiding large brand names to establish and manage brand positions across technology, healthcare, and professional services industries. After leaving Google in 2012, Jen founded her own brand strategy consulting firm, where she continued to guide companies in managing and establishing brand positions.
It was Jen's love for her home state and her commitment to her father’s vision that brought Jen and her family back to Montana. Taking on the leadership of Montana Craft Malt, Jen has dedicated her efforts to growing the company's business and building its quality reputation both domestically and internationally while preserving the values that make Montana such a special place. Her approach has led to a strong and tight-knit organization that contributes to the local economy and is fully integrated with the surrounding community.
Despite her busy schedule, Jen still finds time to enjoy the outdoors and spend time with her family. For her, it's all about balance, and finding ways to recharge and stay connected with the people and places she loves.
Jake
Sales Manager
As Montana Craft Malt’s Sales Manager, Jake serves as an ambassador to the brewing community, dedicated to spreading the word about MCM’s top-quality malts and providing exceptional service to his customers. Jake has deep roots in Montana, where he is a fifth-generation...
Read MoreJake
Sales Manager
Jake has deep roots in Montana, where he is a fifth-generation farmer, owning a successful hop farm in Bozeman. With over eight years’ experience in the brewing sector, Jake is well-versed in all aspects of beer production from grain to glass. He brings an engineer’s mindset to his craft, always looking for ways to improve and innovate in the industry.
When Jake is not working, he enjoys spending time with his family, hunting, gaming, and exploring the beautiful outdoors of Montana.
Mike
Plant Manager
Meet Mike Clark, our Plant Manager. With over 13 years of experience in the mining industry, Mike is a seasoned professional who brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to our operations. As the Plant Manager, Mike is responsible for overseeing all...
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Plant Manager
Before Mike’s mining career, he was a diesel mechanic in the Army for six years. Throughout his career in mining, he helped mine sites achieve remarkable safety records and meet production goals over and over. Mike has demonstrated a strong commitment to continuous improvement. He consistently seeks innovative solutions to enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and minimize environmental impact.
But Mike's role goes beyond just overseeing production. He is a true leader, inspiring and motivating our dedicated team to reach new heights of excellence. Mike fosters an environment of collaboration and innovation, constantly pushing the boundaries of what is possible in craft malt production.
When Mike is not busy overseeing operations, he enjoys spending every moment he can with his wife and kids. He loves to explore the great outdoors and is an avid hunter.
With his extensive experience, unwavering dedication, and strong leadership qualities, MCM can be confident in its ability to achieve operational excellence, maintain a strong safety culture, and drive sustainable growth in the malt industry. Ensuring that every sip of beer brewed with our craft malt is an experience to be cherished.
Bryan
Director of Malt Operations
Being the Head Maltster for MCM since 2020, Bryan has molded his role into Director of Malt Operations. He is responsible for malt quality, developing new products, production output set forth in budgets, maintaining consistency in all products, and giving instruction and...
Read MoreBryan
Director of Malt Operations
Bryan's journey began at Argilla Brewing Co in Newark, Delaware, where he worked as a brewer for three years. From there, he moved on to a four-year stint at Cargill Malt in Spiritwood, North Dakota where he became a maltster. His next stop was Stone Path Malt in Wareham, Massachusetts, where he spent three years honing his craft.
Outside of work, Bryan keeps himself busy with a variety of hobbies. He enjoys playing tennis, pitching in to help Jake Teselle at his hop farm during the summertime, working the canning line at MAP Brewing, grabbing a beer with his friends and colleagues after work, and visiting breweries both locally and wherever his travels take him.
With 10 years of experience in brewing and malting, Bryan brings a wealth of knowledge to his new role as Director of Malt Operations. He also holds a finance degree from Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Bryan is a proud member of the Master Brewers Association of the Americas (MBAA), having joined the association in 2016.
Alayna
Office Manager
Alayna, Office Manager at Montana Craft Malt, has had an eclectic career path. She has worked as a pizza cook, casino runner, bartender, car saleswoman, and even a UPS package delivery driver. It was a coworker's departure from UPS to become an...
Read MoreAlayna
Office Manager
Alayna has an Associate of Applied Science in Accounting and Business Technology/Business Technology from Helena College University of Montana and a Certificate of Applied Science in Entrepreneurship. She puts her education to work handling MCM’s administrative functions, logistics, and marketing.
Off the clock, Alayna enjoys attending live music events, spending time with her dogs in the outdoors, and cooking. She periodically cooks celebratory dishes for the MCM crew in honor of the hard work they do. Alayna is thrilled to be working with an amazing team and looks forward to a bright future with Montana Craft Malt.
Kody
Office Dog / Door Greeter
Kody is our oh so loyal office dog of Montana Craft Malt. His daily duties are sleeping under mom's desk and only waking up to the sounds of new guest coming through the front door, begging for treats from our mail delivery drivers, and checking the break room floor for surprise goodies from our employee's lunches.
Kody
Office Dog / Door Greeter
Where the Magic Happens
From saloons that quenched the silver mining era to our rebellious relationship to Prohibition and early embrace of the independent craft beverage movement, Montanans have always enjoyed a great life with a great drink.
Our state-of-the-art facility produces 10,000 tonnes of malt annually, with the capacity for full production scale as well as small batch trials. Spanning more than 50,000 sq. ft. on nine acres, we are strategically positioned at the intersection of two interstate highways and a railway spur, assuring the supply chain from our growers through to our customers.
We have the scale and flexibility to produce the small batches innovative producers desire, while assuring a consistent and ready supply of staple products.
And our forward-thinking spirit is built right into our facility in our Innovation and Resource Center, which, in conjunction with the Montana State University Barley and Malt Quality Lab, serves as a precision test kitchen for customers and collaborators to work with us to coax new malt flavors from premium quality grain.
Located in Butte, Montana Craft Malt embraces our Western heritage, and our locale’s worthy relationship to good beer and whiskey.
Why Montana?
Today, Montana maintains its heritage as being among the best climates on the planet for growing barley. Montana sees minimal crop disease, and benefits from the pristine aquifers that find their sources in the Rocky Mountains. Our growers employ sophisticated techniques – with the help of experts from Montana State University’s Barley Breeding Program – to innovate and expand their farming operations.
And what does all that mean for beer and spirits enthusiasts? Our engaged brewer and distiller network is pushing the proverbial pint forward in offering some of the most nuanced and refreshing concoctions you’ll find anywhere around here.
from butte to billings, towering grain elevators loom above small towns and rambling cities. These stately structures tell the story of Montana's history as the world's foremost producer of barley and wheat.