At Simpsons Malt, we are really proud of the strong relationships we have developed with some truly awesome distributors all over the world.
The brewing community is growing internationally and that means a global demand for our premium quality malts! To reach our customers all over the world, we rely on our passionate and knowledgeable distributors.
Morten Virkus is co-founder of Baltic Brewing Supplies, who distribute our malts to the Baltic region and beyond. We caught up with him to talk malt, beer and brewing.
Find out what Morten had to say about changes in the Baltic brewing industry, his favourite malts, and novice brewers…
What countries do you distribute Simpsons Malt in?
“All of the countries by the Baltic Sea. All three Baltic nations (Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia), Finland, Poland, and recently, parts of Sweden too. We also have customers in Russia, so we cover quite a large territory.”
When did Baltic Brewing Supplies start working with Simpsons Malt?
“Day one! We have been working with Simpsons Malt since the day we started – that’s still a core part of our business and it’s growing fast.”
What kind of customers do you have?
“At Baltic Brewing Supplies we currently work exclusively with professional brewers. However, we have recently bought a homebrew shop and are looking into opening another one later this year, so we are getting into the homebrewing side of business too.”
What has been the biggest change you’ve noticed in the brewing market over the last few years?
“I’ve noticed that brewers are brewing lighter beers these days that are lower in alcohol and perhaps more hop-forward. This means there’s less room for errors and the quality of the ingredients plays a greater role than ever. Competition is intense and using higher quality ingredients like Simpsons Malt malts is the first step towards making better beers and standing out.”
If you could only drink one beer style for the rest of your life, what would it be?
“I really like a hoppy pale ale. Mainly because it’s not that easy to make a good, clean and well-balanced one. In my opinion at least, this is what separates skilled brewers from the rest.”
What’s your favourite Simpsons Malt malt and why?
“Definitely Golden Promise – most of my favourite beers are made with it! It’s the most versatile malt that can be used in every beer style.”
What’s your advice to total brewing novices who want to learn how to make beers?
“Don’t take what they say online as 100% truth! Homebrew forums can have misleading information. Get to know your ingredients and then just wing it. If you know what each ingredient does, you should be able to make a recipe that matches your own expectations.”
Where is the best place you’ve ever cracked open a cold beer?
“That’s a tough one. It’s nice to have a cold one after a long day of cycling, especially if the surroundings are breathtaking (I’ve just recently returned from a trip to the Alps).”
Do you want to discuss your next Simpsons Malt order? Get in contact now! For orders in the Baltic region, Finland, Poland and parts of Sweden, visit the Baltic Brewing Supplies website.
Enjoyed this discussion? Find out what NextHop CEO Jàn Hrnko told us about the Slovakian and Czech brewing markets.