Heyward Gualandi works for Root Shoot Malting (website, Instagram), a 5th-generation family farm in Loveland, Colorado. We sat down to talk about their investments that helped them leave the commodity-farming market, which is good for the business but also allows them grow more flavorful crops, which ultimately creates better tasting beer, whiskey, and food.

There is a lot of talk these days about the impact of terroir on agave and sugarcane distillates. Root Shoot wants us to know that whiskey and beer are influenced by it as well. We just haven’t farmed our grains in a way that has allowed the land to play as large of an impact. They and others are working to change that story. Working with a small farm also gives the brewer/distiller more control and visibility into the process as opposed to buying from a large wholesaler.

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As part of their commitment to the land and the future they’ve had a conservation easement placed on their land to ensure it remains farm land. Watch the short documentary produced about it and their farm.

* The grain flavor wheel that was mentioned.

* More on regenerative agriculture

* The Rye Resurgence Project

* For me, this conversation has many parallels with the interview I had with Blue Hill Farm.

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