For the last six months, we've Followed FullsTeam all over the place. This month, we're introducing a new occasional series in which we chat/pow-wow/hang out with one of our awesome co-conspirators. It might be a collaborator, a farmer, a forager, a vendor... anyone who helps us do what we do.

Earlier this week, we had a pretty silly time hanging out on Google+ with the guys at Riverbend Malt House in Weaverville, NC. Brent and Brian are using local wheat, barley, and rye and a traditional floor malting process to produce the first 100% local, organic malt in North Carolina. We use their value-added agricultural products in our El Toro and One Hop Rye.

Watch for more about the malting process, the nuances of barley varieties, and their vision for building a local beer economy.

And, because we couldn't do a newsletter without including at least one of FullsTeam's antics, here's a quick photo essay of Chris unloading a skid of Riverbend Malt House grain that arrived yesterday morning.

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The forklift.

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The grain truck.

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The Riverbend Malt House grains:Pale Malt barley and Carolina rye.

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Our reluctant star.

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The approach.

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The entry.

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Steady now!

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Like a pro.

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"Look, Ma! I got the grains!"*

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Life as a Fullsteam brewer sure is grand.

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Soon this will be sweet, sweet El Toro.

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Thanks, Riverbend Malt House. We think you're swell!

*You'll want to click to enlarge this picture. Chris's expression is one-of-a-kind.