Malting-Quality Grains
Tidewater Grain offers regional malt houses malting-quality barley, rice, wheat, rye, and corn.
Learn About Growing ContractsCoastal-Grown Landrace Rye
Seashore Black Rye
Seashore Black Rye is a distinctive coastal-grown rye raised in Eastern North Carolina for malt houses looking to work with a grain that carries strong varietal identity and regional character.
Grown, cleaned, and stored by Tidewater Grain Company, our rye offers malt houses a farm-direct option with traceability, consistency, and a unique coastal story. Held in food-grade cold storage to preserve germination and grain quality.
Seashore
Black Rye
Our Farm
Our farm is located on the mineral-rich Blackland soils of North Carolina’s Pamlico Peninsula, where famously high organic matter soil and coastal winds imbue our crops with trace minerals. These distinguishing conditions have allowed for us to revitalize heirloom grains such as Black Seashore Rye, Carolina Gold Rice, and Santee Long Grain Rice.
Tidewater Grain Company is proud to be the only certified heirloom seed breeder in the Southeast.
Our farm’s grain bins are equipped with the latest equilibrium moisture content technology, ensuring ideal storage conditions for all of our grains.
Each of our beverage grains passes through our 50,000 sq foot bespoke cold storage facility where the temperature is tightly controlled and never rises above 60℉. In one experiment, we maintained a germination rate of >90% on our malting-quality barley for over two years in this facility.
Growing Contracts
We offer malting-quality barley, rye, wheat, corn, and rice in 50 lb bags, 2,000 lb super sacks, and hopper-bottom truckloads. We are now accepting growing contracts for the Fall 2026 crops.
To inquire about pricing information or growing contracts, please reach out to Henry Richardson at henry@tidewatergrain.com.
Spring Crop
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toasted nuts, maple syrup, belgian chocolate
Introduced in 1971 by Adolph Steinbronn as a cross between Reids Yellow Dent and Golden Glow, Wapie Valley’s popularity is quickly growing among craft distillers.
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cherry, honey, vanilla, banana cream
Brought back to distilling fame through Scott Blackwell of High Wire Distilling and Glen Roberts of Anson Mills, Jimmy Red corn is known for its strikingly red kernels. Its high oil content contributes an exceptionally creamy mouthfeel to distillate.
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sweet, floral, earthy
Once grown along the Ohio River Valley for taste and productivity, this beautifully blue heirloom corn’s high protein content provides an excellent basis for barrel aging.
Fall Crop
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Pre-Prohibition Landrace Rye
dried fruit, warming spices, licorice, low bitterness
Tidewater Grain Company is the largest grower of Black Seashore Rye in the world. We offer distilleries a consistent, reliable source for this highly sought after landrace variety. Previously known as nearly extinct and almost impossible to source, Black Seashore Rye’s history in American distilling reaches back to the 18th century, predating Abruzzi and even Egyptian white ryes.
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Semi-Dwarf Hard Wheat
creamy, smooth, buttery
Developed by NC State University in 2009, Appalachian White Wheat boasts a healthy protein content and less tannins than other popular wheat varieties. Its tendency for strong gluten development coupled with its buttery flavor has established it as an emerging favorite for pastry chefs and distillers seeking a soft, approachable spirit.
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honey, walnuts, graham cracker
The most popular variety for flour mills in the Carolinas, Soft Red Winter Wheat contributes a sweet, soft and well-rounded flavor to spirits
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Malting-Quality Winter Barley
malty sweet, melon, honeysuckle
Developed by Virginia Tech University, this new variety of barley is quickly gaining popularity with both craft malt houses and farmers in the southeastern United States due to its high starch content, low protein, and disease resistance.
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Malting-Quality Winter Barley
warm bread, biscuit, sugar cookie
Loved by southeastern farmers for its winter hardiness and resistance to pre-sprout, this tried and true winter barley performs well in both the field and the mash tun.
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Heirloom Rye
black peppercorn, citrus, cinnamon
