Know Your Malt Barley Specs: What Maltsters Want in 2025
In the malt barley world, quality matters—especially if you’re hoping to get selected for malt. Hitting malt barley specs isn’t just about bragging rights; it’s about premiums, contracts, and getting your crop into a beer can instead of a feed trough. Doug Munro, North American Merchandising Manager at Boortmalt / Prairie Malt in Biggar, SK reviewed the specifications maltsters are looking for in the 2025 malt barley crop in a recent webinar hosted by the Canadian Malting Barley Technical Centre (CMBTC).
Malt Barley Specs:
1. Protein Content: 10-12.5%
Low enough to avoid haze and filter issues in the brewery, but high enough to provide enzymes for malting. Different markets have different ranges, with distilling and craft/all-malt brewing being the lowest, and adjunct being higher. The export market may accept protein levels higher than 12.5%
2. Germination: ≥95%
The absolute non-negotiable. If the kernel doesn’t grow, it can’t malt.
3. Malt Barley Moisture: ≤13.5%
Prevents storage issues and spoilage risk. Dry “low and slow,” keeping grain temperatures under 42°C to meet malt specs.
Read: FAQs on Grain Storage & Drying from PAMI
4. Plumpness: ≥85%
Plump kernels provide more starch for higher malt extract.
5. Peeled & Broken:
Keep damage minimal to ensure malting potential. Peeled and broken kernels absorb moisture differently than sound kernels, resulting in over or under modified malt and an inconsistent product.
6. Green or Immature Kernels: ≤2%
Immature kernels don’t germinate well and can hurt sample quality.
7. Disease Tolerance in Malt Barley:
- Fusarium/DON: Max 0.5 ppm
- Ergot: Max 0.02%
On-Farm Tips to Meet Malt Barley Specs:
- Scout regularly for pests and disease.
- Harvest early if drying is possible.
- Handle grain gently during harvest and transport.
- Store cool and dry, with good aeration.
- Maintain accurate varietal records.
Meeting malt barley specs isn’t luck—it’s the result of targeted management at every step of production. For more on-farm tips and harvest considerations to maintain malt quality, watch the full webinar:
