Organic Spring Barley Tolstefix

• Long, stiff straw.
• Well proven variety for organic and low input systems.
• Good lodging and brackling resistance.
• High specific weight and low sieving losses.
• High resistance to fungal disease, especially brown rust

After the first prototype Odilia, Tolstefix is ​​the second summer brewing barley approved based on the organic value test of the German Federal Plant Variety Office . Tolstefix was developed for organic cultivation. Compared to Odilia, Tolstefix has a higher proportion of whole barley and is around 10% higher in terms of yield.

Tolstefix is ​​more suitable for craft beer production and naturally cloudy beers than for industrially produced ones, as the ß-glucan content has not yet been reduced to the absolute minimum. Tolstefix has good ground cover, which contributes to good weed competition.

Barley (Hordeum vulgare), a member of the grass family, is a major cereal grain grown in temperate climates globally. It was one of the first cultivated grains, particularly in Eurasia as early as 10,000 years ago. Barley has been used as animal fodder, as a source of fermentable material for beer and certain distilled beverages, and as a component of various health foods. It is used in soups and stews, and in barley bread of various cultures.

Barley grains are commonly made into malt in a traditional and ancient method of preparation. Malt is germinated cereal grains that have been dried in a process known as "malting". The grains are made to germinate by soaking in water, and are then halted from germinating further by drying with hot air.  Malting grains develops the enzymes required for modifying the grain's starches into various types of sugar. Depending on when the malting process is stopped one gets a preferred starch enzyme ratio and partly converted starch into fermentable sugars.

Barley can flourish in mild winter climates where it takes advantage of autumn and winter rains to help set its roots. Extended cold winter locations may experience winter kill, but the newer varieties of winter barley are more cold tolerant. The advantage of winter barley is that it will mature earlier than winter wheat and spring planted barley, and winter barley is an improvement over rye for animal forage.

Can also be used for Barley grass:

• Barley grass is a broader and thicker blade of grass than wheat with a lighter green colour and a great juice yield.
• Many people find the flavour of barley grass is more palatable than wheatgrass while possessing similar benefits.
• Barley is the oldest cultivated grain and has been in use for thousands of years.

Sprouted Barley is also very good for cattle. Please click here for more information.