Malting Barley

California had a long history of growing malting barley and hops before and after prohibition. The recent growth of the craft brewing industry in California has spurred a renewed interest in malting barley in the state. Malting barley is a robust grain that has relatively low water and fertilizer requirements, making it a sustainable option for various crop rotations. However, grain quality requirements are narrower for this crop than other small grain options in California.
Regional Variety Summaries
Fall Planted Rainfed (PDF | Excel)
For a broader set of small grain variety information visit our Variety Selection page.
Seeding Rate Calculator
The University of California Small Grain Seeding Rate Calculator is a tool that helps determine seeding rates depending on the planting conditions and the average seed weights of different small grain varieties.
Presentation Videos
Nitrogen Management for California Malting Barley
Web Resources for Small Grain Variety Selection
Blog Posts
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THIS THURSDAY: UC Alfalfa/ Forages and Small Grains Field Day:
If you haven't seen the announcements on the UC Small Grains blog, you should be subscribed to the UC Small Grains blog. Additionally, a friendly reminder to stop by this Thursday for the UC Alfalfa/ Forages and Small Grains Field Day from 7:30 a.m....
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May 11th: 2023 UC Davis Small Grains and Alfalfa/Forages Field Day
2023 UC Davis Small Grains and Alfalfa/Forages Field Day May 11th, 7:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Supported by the California Crop Improvement Association (CCIA) Department of Plant Sciences Field Facility, UC...
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Save the Dates! Upcoming UC Field Days in April (4/18) and May (5/11)
Please join us for upcoming field events hosted by University of California Cooperative Extension: Nutrient Management Alternatives in Small Grains: Research Updates 4/18/2023 from 8:40 to 10:30 On-farm in Solano County Click here for...
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Date Change: Nutrient Management Alternatives in Small Grains Grower Meeting moved to 4.18.23
A previous blog post advertised the Nutrient Management Alternatives meeting for later this month, but given the weather conditions and the high likelihood that the field and the parking around the field will likely still be wet, the meeting has...
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Grower Meeting Next Month 3/22/23: Nutrient Management Alternatives in Small Grains, Research Updates
Nitrogen (N) management in small grains has recently managed to capture more attention than usual due to the high cost of N fertilizers. Several researchers from UC and UCCE have been working on projects that can provide growers with some valuable...