It’s a glorious autumn day at the Empire Malting Company farm. The century-old red barn, clad in modern aluminum, features hand-hewn posts and beams that shelter ancient agricultural practices adapted to the 21st century. The spring barley harvested months ago is undergoing malting—a process of soaking seeds into germination, then drying, and kilning—before being packed and sent to discerning breweries and distilleries in Northern Michigan and beyond.