Barley Information

Recommended Varieties

The AMBA Recommended Variety List is intended to provide U.S. growers with guidance as to what varieties the industry may be contracting or purchasing in the coming year. It is not intended as a list of approved or certified malting varieties for the use by brewers, distillers, food companies, or maltsters. There may be many suitable malting barley varieties grown domestically or internationally that are not on the list yet have quality characteristics desired by the industry. Some varieties will be used in large quantities and many others are only utilized in 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.


The list is updated and approved each year by the AMBA Board of Directors based on recommendations from the Technical Committee. A benefit of Regular AMBA membership is the ability to request additions to the list given sufficient quality data backs-up the recommendation.

2-Row Recommended Varieties

AAC Connect

(Spring)

AAC Synergy

(Spring)

ABI Cardinal

(Spring)

ABI Eagle

(Spring)

ABI Growler

(Spring)

ABI Voyager

(Spring)

AC Metcalfe

(Spring)

Bill Coors 100

(Spring)

CDC Copeland

(Spring)

CDC Fraser

(Spring)

Conrad

(Spring)

Endeavor

(Winter)

Expedition

(Spring)

Explorer

(Spring)

Flavia

(Winter)

Hockett

(Spring)

KWS Donau

(Winter)

LCS Genie

(Spring)

LCS Odyssey

(Spring)

LCS Violetta

(Winter)

Mayflower

(Spring)

Merit 57

(Spring)

Moravian 164

(Spring)

Moravian 165

(Spring)

Moravian 170

(Spring)

Moravian 179

(Spring)

Moravian 37

(Spring)

Moravian 69

(Spring)

ND Genesis

(Spring)

Newdale

(Spring)

Puffin

(Winter)

Regina

(Winter)

Thunder

(Winter)

Wintmalt

(Winter)

6-Row Recommended Varieties

Celebration

(Spring)

Innovation

(Spring)

Lacey

(Spring)

Legacy

(Spring)

Quest

(Spring)

Thoroughbred

(Winter)

Tradition

(Spring)

AMBA's Recommended Malting Barley Variety List

AMBA's Recommended Variety list is updated and approved each year by the AMBA Board of Directors based on recommendations from the Technical Committee. A benefit of Regular AMBA membership is the ability to request additions to the list given sufficient quality data backs-up the recommendation.


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Quality Evaluation Program Procedures

AMBA's Quality Evaluation Program provides a rigorous vetting process for new malting barley lines, typically developed by public barley breeding programs. This two-step evaluation analyzes both grain and malt quality and approximately 30 lines are reviewed annually by the Technical Committee.


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