UK: Maltsters Association of Great Britain announces new barley varieties approved for brewing and distilling

Fairing and Olympus have been given by the Maltsters Association of Great Britain Full Approval for grain distilling use in the UK, following changes to the approval protocol specific to grain distilling varieties, FG Insight reported on May 25.

Chanson has been moved to Provisional Approval 2 for brewing. Electrum has been given Provisional Approval 1 for brewing. LG Diablo has been given Provisional Approval 1 for brewing and malt distilling. RGT Asteroid has been given Provisional Approval 1 for brewing, malt distilling and grain distilling use.

Talisman has been removed from the list for brewing.

Tracy Creasy, seeds marketing manager for Syngenta said: “The promotion of Craft is significant because Craft offers growers a yield boost over other winter malting barley varieties with Full MBC Approval for brewing use on the current AHDB Recommended List

“At the same time, Craft also offers outstanding grain quality – in particular hot water extract, which is important because it represents a higher alcohol yield for end users.

“Meanwhile, the promotion of spring barley Fairing to Full Approval for grain distilling use on the List is highly significant because, for harvest 2018, there were no varieties that had Full Approval for this use.

“Fairing was bred specifically to meet key requirements of the important grain distilling market in Scotland.

“Among these are its very early maturity: it is the earliest-maturing spring barley on the AHDB Recommended List. This is significant because malting barley for grain distilling is grown right up into the Highlands of Scotland.”

MAGB said the award of Full or Provisional Approval to a variety does not infer immediate acceptance for use by all malting, brewing and distilling companies and that growers are advised to seek further information from their customers before sowing newly listed varieties.

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