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About Briess: Briess celebrates
130 years of malting tradition

In 2006 Briess Malt & Ingredients Company celebrated its 130th anniversary. Started by Ignatius Briess in 1876 in Moravia, Czechoslovakia, Briess Malt & Ingredients Company has grown into an innovative, leading manufacturer of specialty malts for the brewing industry and a trusted supplier of specialty ingredients for the brewing, food and petfood industries.  From its uniquely specialized facilities in Wisconsin, Briess produces more than 50 styles of malt, more than any other malting company in the world. Briess is also the only vertically integrated malting company in North America, producing and drying malt extracts from its own malt. Briess malts and ingredients are all-natural, Kosher Certified and non-GMO.  Briess has been certified to produce organic ingredients since 1990, and is committed to producing all-natural, wholesome ingredients that deliver unique flavor, color and functionality to solve brewing and food manufacturing challenges alike.

The History of Briess--A Timeline of Growth and Innovation

1876--The Briess malting tradition begins
Ignatius Briess, a grain exchange by trade, begins malting barley grown in his homeland of Moravia, Czechoslovakia.

1894--Rudolf Briess expands business worldwide
Ignatius's son Rudolf Briess begins exporting malt for brewing and also develops ingredients for bakers, including Maltoferm(tm) and Maltomonopol(tm).

1930s--Eric Briess moves the family business to the U.S.
After war disrupts the family malting operation in Czechoslovakia, Ignatius's grandson Eric Briess moves to the United States. Here, he continues the family business by sourcing domestically produced malt and supplying customers whose sources of malt were cut off as a result of the war.

1950s--Relationship formed with Chilton Malting Company
The Briess family strengthens its export business by establishing a relationship with Chilton Malting Company in Wisconsin. Soon after, specialized drying equipment is installed for the production of specialty malts.

1971--Roger Briess continues the tradition
Ignatius's great-grandson and fourth generation maltster/brewer Roger Briess takes over the family business when Eric Briess dies.

1978--Chilton Malting Co. becomes Briess Malting Co.
Chilton Malting Company becomes Briess Malting Company, a division of Briess Industries, Inc. Envisioning the potential of the young American Craft Beer movement, Roger Briess has additional drying equipment installed in the Chilton malthouse for the production of rich, full-flavored specialty malts.

1980--Milling operation added
To fill the need for preground malts by the rapidly expanding American Craft Brewing movement, a mill is installed.

1980s--Production of malt extract is resumed
Briess Malting Company becomes North America's only vertically integrated malting company when it resumes the production of Maltoferm(r) Malt Extracts for baking and other food applications. To supply the growing number of extract breweries in the United States, the company develops and introduces CBW(r) Concentrated Brewers Worts--a line of brewer's grad malt extracts.

1990--Insta Grains(r) plant built
Recognizing the need for all-natural ingredients by food manufacturers, Roger Briess builds a modern manufacturing plant for the production of heat treated grains. Eventually, roasting equipment, dry blending equipment and additional mills are installed. Today the plant produces a wide variety of value-added grains including Insta Grains(r) reduced cook-time grains, Pregelatinized Flakes, and Briess(tm) Toasted Grains. The company also performs dry blending for food manufactures.

1997--Second roasting operation built
A second roasting operation is built at the company's manufacturing location in Waterloo, Wisconsin. The roasters, like their counterparts in the Chilton Malthouse, are capable of producing a wide range of specialty malts for brewing.

2001--Monica Briess continues the family business
Monica Briess, wife of Roger Briess, takes over the family business after the unexpected death of Roger on April 25, 2001. The couple has two son, Craig and Colin.

2002--State-of-the-art extract plant commissioned
Reinforcing its commitment to the production of malt extracts and natural sweeteners, the company commissions a new, state-of-the-art extract production facility at its Chilton, Wisconsin, location in February 2002.

2003--Briess Malt & Ingredients Company is born
To better reflect its position as a supplier of value-added ingredients to both the brewing and food industries, the company name is expanded to Briess Malt & Ingredients Company, a division of Briess Industries, Inc.

2005--Extract plant dryer commissioned
Commissioning a new dryer in March 2005 gives the company total control, under one roof, of the production, extraction and drying of malt extracts and natural sweeteners.

2006--130th Anniversary Malt released
To celebrate 130 years of malting tradition, Briess releases a 130th anniversary malt. Produced in its Chilton Malthouse from 2-Row Moravian Malt, Briess(r) Anniversary Malt is a light-colored, pilsener style malt reminiscent of malts originally produced at the family's Czechoslovakian malthouse. Moravian is historically the preferred barley for lager beer, and Briess(r) Anniversary Malt holds true to that tradition. It has a clean, delicately malty flavor with subtle sweetness. It produces smooth wort with low astringency. Low in protein, it is characterized by very plump kernels.