Barley

There’s no beer without the farmers who grow its ingredients, and there’s no sugar-coating the impact of beer’s current pullback on what they need from those farms. Here we map the year-over-year changes in barley and hop production based on data from the USDA.

As the climate changes, so does our malt. With the weather in barley-growing regions more prone to extremes than it once was, brewers are often facing lower efficiencies, higher finishing gravities, or stubborn lauters—unless they’re ready to adjust.

The farming practices are still new and not always clearly defined, but supporters of regenerative agriculture make the case that it could lead to better grains, better beer, and happier farmers.

From the barley farmer’s rain forecast to adjusting your grain bill, here’s how malt develops its protein content and what that means for your beer.

Despite recent troubles with input costs and supply chain, the vibes coming from the malt market seem relatively calm and upbeat. Hey, let’s not jinx it.

A poor harvest in North America last year is combining with hot weather and war in Europe to constrain supply and raise prices. However, there are reasons to be optimistic. Here’s what you need to know to stay on top of your malt supply.

Some brewers are turning to heritage barley varieties for malts that can add new character to their beers—and attract new fans.

Weather conditions in 2021 led to a challenging barley crop—the smallest in the US since 1934—leaving maltsters scrambling while prices climb. How significant was the decline? Here, we plot the past decade of U.S. barley harvests.

A historically poor barley harvest is piling on to supply-chain and cost issues that independent brewers have been facing with raw materials. Here’s what you need to know before placing your next order.

It’s an immensely complex task, but sensory science and chemical analysis are bringing us closer to understanding the relationship between barley genetics and beer flavor.

Efficiency and the needs of industry have dominated North American barley growing, limiting what’s grown and where. However, independent brewers seeking locally grown options are spurring the development of new, distinctive varieties in unusual places.

Why do hop varieties get all the love? With the help of data from the American Malting Barley Association, here’s a glimpse at the varieties that make up the bulk of U.S.-grown malting barley and where those varieties are grown.

Growers, breeders, maltsters, and brewers will need to adapt faster than they have in the past if they’re going to keep up with accelerating change.

No taproom, no distro; you just have to know. Brad Clark’s Private Press is an experiment in membership-only beer sales.