Barley Blog

Evidence indicates that barley was domesticated 10,000 years ago in the Fertile Crescent from the plant Hordeum spontaneum. It was one of the first crops of the Neolithic farming communities of the Middle East and helped lead to a sedentary lifestyle.  It was also the basis of one of the first alcoholic drinks developed and was later used as currency. Barley is utilized for many purposes including animal feed, human consumption, and malting. The crop can be given to livestock and acts as a good source of protein. Barley can also be turned into flour and be used for eating. Barley water has been used for various medicinal purposes, including lowering cholesterol. Today it is the fourth largest grain in the world.

http://www.bh24.co.zw/barley-production-set-to-decline/

And one of the most important and influential uses of barley is for the business of beer. The earliest brewing was in Mesopotamia and began with barley bread from sprouted grains. The process of making barley malt begins by soaking the whole barley seeds for several days until they sprout. During this time, the proteins in the bran become converted into enzymes that work to change the starches into sugars. Hops are added for the familiar beer flavor.

http://www.coloribus.com/adsarchive/outdoor/carlsberg-beer-banana-9310855/

Barley is one of the few ingredients that the Carlsberg Group uses for beer brewing. The Carlsberg Laboratory prides themselves on the quality of their barley, as it is central for the quality of the beer. The company does not genetically modify their crops, which I found very interesting. Instead, they chemically treat the barley to identify advantageous traits in mutants and different varieties of barley. Carlsberg focuses on researching varieties with low energy and water requirements during the malting and brewing process. I was truly impressed with the lab’s innovative brewing techniques and beer production. And at the end of the day we learned that, without barley, there would be no beer!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlsberg_Laboratory#mediaviewer/File:Carlsberg_Laboratory.jpg

interesting facts on barley plus recipes!

http://www.vegparadise.com/highestperch410.html