Developing Quality Analysis Protocols for Non-Barley Grains Used in Craft Beverages

Research Date
2025
Authors
James DeDecker, Harmonie Bettenhausen
Priorities
Crop Quality
Crop Categories
Grain, Malt
Beverage Categories
Beer, Spirits

Increasingly, non-barley grains are in demand by maltsters, brewers, and distillers seeking to create innovative, differentiated products that appeal to a wider base of consumers. Application of grain and malt quality testing protocols designed for malting barley to non-barley grains can generate misleading results. We adapted seven different ASBC quality analysis protocols to five different non-barley grain species of interest to the Michigan craft beverage industries. Our results suggest that ASBC barley methods are applicable to non-barley grains in some limited cases, but they generally require special handing to generate accurate quality assessments that maximize beverage yield, quality and marketability.

View: CBC Final Technical Report Non barley Grain Quality De Decker Bettenhausen GG23 2216 (PDF)

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