The Finished Product
Finally, father and son make all
the deliveries of malted grain to their
customers. “It helps close the loop for us
and fosters relationships.”
One of those relationships is
between Haus Malts and BottleHouse
Brewery and Meadery, a Cleveland-based
craft brewer. BottleHouse was an early
Haus Malts customer. Jason Kallicragas
of Bottlehouse says Andrew started
visiting the brewery well before Haus
Malts opened, asking a lot of questions.
“We are approached all the time,”
he says. “We always suggest that if
prospective maltsters actually go into
business, they should come back and
see us. Starting a malt house is a large
undertaking and exhaustive process, but
Andrew and Craig kept coming by and
giving us updates.”
Kallicragas says the “strangest beer
we made with them recently was about
one-third malted millet, one-third malted
spelt, and one-third malted wheat. It was
a horrible brew day, stirring a 100-pound
pot of ‘oatmeal’ for six hours. But it
turned out well, and we named it Grisette
because it reminded us of an extinct style
of brewing from Northern France.”
Haus Malts also makes malted grains
for Kallicragas’s sour beer, which is aged
in oak barrels for one to three years.
“It’s always good to work with them. We
love what they are doing for the City,”
Kallicragas says.
Shaker residents welcomed the
BottleHouse operation to the Van Aken
District in February. Known as Craft Collective and located inside the Market Hall, it
showcases beer by other small area breweries, along with BottleHouse’s own offerings.
Kallicragas points out that many of the other brewers they plan to include at
Craft Collective are also customers of Haus Malts, so the opportunity to compare
and contrast will be even more interesting. “I look forward to seeing some familiar
Shaker faces at Craft Collective,” Kallicragas says, and commended the developer for
curating tenants to represent “a smaller artisanal feeling. We are excited to be here.”
Perhaps Andrew and Craig Martahus were at the right place at the right time.
Or maybe they saw an opportunity before others did. It’s also possible that they
made their own luck through study, hard work, discipline, and faith. Whatever the
combination, Haus Malts has developed a reputation for high standards, personal
service, and creativity. The Martahus team is truly a Shaker original. SL
Andrew Martahus, left, raises a glass with Jason Kallicragas of BottleHouse.
Photo by Dominic Sberna
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