Posted on 01/04/2015 7:39:36 AM PST by DeaconBenjamin
Problems with the 2014 malt barley crop in the western United States resulted in the worst year for malting production in the nation.
This year, farmers and maltsters scrambled to salvage a large portion of the crop hit by heavy rains in August, especially in Montana and Idaho, the top two barley-growing states in the U.S. Growers in North Dakota and Alberta, Canada, faced similar issues.
Scott Heisel, vice president at the American Malting Barley Association, said "the industry has never had to deal with this issue on this scale before."
Fields with half of Montana's crop and 85 percent of Idaho's were inundated, leading the barley to start germinating in the field, Heisel said. Maltsters want to control the germination under special conditions in their facilities.
When germination begins in the field, the barley kernels die at unpredictable rates. And once it dies, it's useless for malting and brewing, according to Mark Black, manager at Malteurop North America's plant in Great Falls, Montana. Malteurop_with 27 sites in 14 countries— is the leading producer of malt in the world.
"We need to control that germination to get enzymes available and active for brewers," he said. "It has no value other than feed at that point."
The starch in each barley kernel is turned to sugar in the brewing process, head brewer Sean Tobin with Helena-based Lewis and Clark Brewing Company explained. More malt is needed to produce beers with higher alcohol content, such as bocks and hefeweizens, he added.
Nearly 120 million bushels of malt barley was used in 2014 for malting and brewing in the U.S., Heisel said. He added it's too soon to tell how much of the crop will end up as feed because maltsters and farmers are still in the midst of trying to use it.
(Excerpt) Read more at en-maktoob.news.yahoo.com ...
Lisa, I commend your restraint in not blaming the heavy rains on “climate” this or that. Are journalists finally turning a corner?
Friggin’ beer prices have already been sky high before the rains. Even the lesser pee water type American brands are way too pricey whereas a lot of wines are a relatively reasonable price by comparison.
The never ending tax increases on alcoholic products will take care of that.
I live in the bourbon distilling capitol of the world and the state legislators keep raising the taxes on spirits.
Two Buck Chuck is a dollar more here because the state has an additional $1 a bottle tax on all wine not made in Kentucky.
Fear not there is plenty of free range barley.
What do you think the price of beer should be?
I don’t drink beer, but my spoiled rotten cat eats high-end food with barley in it (no corn, soy or wheat). I’m already paying enough for it.
This could be series. !!!!
Details and proof required.
Call me a tad skeptical.
Love your tagline
Maybe this is just weather, but weather trends add up to climate. The University of East Anglia has come clean on the solar influence upon climate. Keep in mind a series of bad harvests led to the French Revolution.
http://stevengoddard.wordpress.com/2014/12/14/greenland-breaks-record-for-one-day-ice-mass-gain/
http://www.businessinsider.com/r-canadian-city-of-calgary-struggles-with-late-summer-snowfall-2014-9
Incredibly ignorant and outright stupid energy policy will probably lead to unrest before food shortages. Of course, FedGov will pay huge sums of “assistance” to Section 8s but the rest of us will be screwed.
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