Appaloosa barley is a potential malter
Only one spring barley variety, Appaloosa (Advanta Seeds), joins the 2006 HGCA list.
A potential distilling malter, it is specially recommended for the north-east region, where it has comfortably outyielded Troon and Oxbridge – by 9% and 4% respectively in treated trials.
“It’s a low GN variety, like Oxbridge and Troon, and its diastatic power is similar to Troon’s,” says CEL’s Peter Hanson.
“Which means it would fit as a replacement for Troon rather than Decanter.”
It’s still under test by the Scottish system but it is unlikely to be suitable for brewing.
It resists most diseases well, but rates only four against rhynchosporium compared with Oxbridge’s seven, notes Mr Hanson.
“That could be a problem.”
