MALTING QUALITY TRAITS - Canadian Malting Barley Technical ...

Table 1. Development of malting barley varieties in Canada
Year Stage of Development Quality Evaluation - Location
1-4 Make cross - Grow early generations Physical kernel characteristics
5-6 F 8 - Multi-location yield trials BI 1 prediction malting
F 9 - Multi-location yield trials CRC 2 50 to 100 g malting
7 F 10 - Western Canadian Barley Cooperative tests GRL 3 & Industry - 500 g malting
8 F 11 - Western Canadian Barley Cooperative tests GRL & Industry - 500 g malting
8 F 11 - Collaborative pilot-scale malting trials GRL & Industry – 10 to 70 kg malting
9 F 12 - Collaborative pilot-scale malting trials GRL & Industry – 10 to 70 kg malting
9 F 12 - Breeders seed increase Seed company
10 F 14 - Seed increase Plant scale 4 to 6 carlots malting
11 F 15 - Limited commercial production Plant scale 4 to 6 carlots malting
12 F 16 - Regular commercial production Full production
1 BI = Breeding Institution and collaborating labs
2 CRC = Cereal Research Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
3 GRL = Grain Research Laboratory, Canadian Grain Commission
where it is isolated throughout the standard malting processes. The finished malt is forwarded to
a domestic brewery where routine brewing conditions are used to brew the malt. All processing
conditions, in both the malting plant and the brewery, are carefully monitored and any deviations
from normal are noted. Only when a variety receives a commercial acceptable rating from both the
malthouse and the brewery is the variety eligible for recommended status. It should be noted that
foreign maltsters and brewers may also participate and recommend the commercial acceptability of a
variety. Ultimately, for a new Canadian variety to be eligible for recommended status, it must undergo
quality testing for a minimum of eight years. In total, more than ten years will have passed
since the initial cross.
Commercial acceptability is not the final requirement for recommended
status. Any variety, new or old, must also show market potential for the coming crop year.
This information is brought forward each fall to the Malting Barley Industry Group by
the sellers of Canadian malting barley and malt in both Canadian and export markets.
Only when a variety is shown to have adequate market demand for the coming year will
the group vote to have it listed as recommended. At this point, the breeders’ toils come to
fruition with the possibility of seeing full commercial production of their variety.
Summary
In summary, potential malting barley lines are thoroughly tested before they are
registered and given recommended status. Breeders test their lines for eligibility to enter
Co-op tests. Agronomic, disease resistance and malting quality data are collected from the
two years of Co-op testing. Alongside the Co-op tests, potential varieties are placed in a
Collaborative program where barley is grown in larger plots and the malting properties
investigated using pilot-scale equipment. Lines receive registration after testing in both
the Co-op and Collaborative programs indicate their agronomics, disease resistance and
quality is equal to, or better than, check varieties such as Harrington, AC Metcalfe
and Excel. Recommended status is then granted by the Malting Barley Industry Group
after commercial acceptability and marketability of the registered malting barley variety
has been demonstrated.
52 Chapter Seven