USA: American Malting Barley Association publishes list of recommended malting barley varieties for the 2021 crop year

The American Malting Barley Association (AMBA) board of directors has developed a list of recommended malting barley varieties for U.S. growers for the 2021 crop year.

AMBA is a nonprofit trade association of 58 brewing, distilling and malting companies that are end-users of U.S. malting barley. The list is meant to inform U.S. producers which malting barley varieties the industry intends to use in the upcoming year. Some varieties will be used in large quantities and many others are only utilized is niche markets, so producers are encouraged to contact their local elevator, grain handler or processor to gauge market demand for any variety grown in their region prior to seeding.

Changes from the previous year include dropping Scarlett, and the addition of Flavia, Mayflower and Moravian 179. Flavia is a winter variety developed by Ackermann Saatzucht in Germany. It has done well in the mid-Atlantic and other areas of the eastern United States. Mayflower came out of the Malteurop breeding program. It has good yields in the northern plains and intermountain west. Mayflower has lower protein and moderate enzyme levels desired for use in making all malt beers. Molson Coors developed and released Moravian 179. It has demonstrated higher yields, kernel plumpness and test weight compared to Moravian 69 and lower lodging.

With these changes from last year, the list of recommended malting barley varieties for 2021 is as follows:

Two-Rows

AAC Connect
AAC Synergy
ABI Eagle
ABI Growler
ABI Voyager
AC Metcalfe
Bill Coors 100
CDC Copeland
Charles*
Conlon
Conrad
Endeavor*
Expedition
Explorer
Flavia*
Hockett
LCS Genie
LCS Odyssey
LCS Violetta*
Mayflower
Merit 57
Moravian 37
Moravian 69
Moravian 164
Moravian 165
Moravian 170
Moravian 179
ND Genesis
Newdale
Pinnacle
Puffin*
Thunder*
Wintmalt*

Six-Rows

Celebration
Innovation
Lacey
Legacy
Quest
Tradition
Thoroughbred*

*Winter variety

26 January, 2021