Barley for beer, but also for some traditional loaves

Barley is grown in many regions of the world, some with cold and others with more temperate climates. 
In France, malt barley is grown mostly in the center and the northeast. Most of the barley grown in the west is fodder barley, which is fed to livestock.

Winter barley is sown in the fall, and spends the winter months in a vegetative state. 
Barley is grown in many regions of the world, some with cold and others with more temperate climates. 


No matter when it's sown, it's harvested at the start of summer, when the ear is golden yellow. 

The end of an ear of barley is pointed, and its ovular grain is slightly more elongated than that of common wheat. 

In France, there are around 70 barley varieties, and the choice of which kind to grow is made based on how much profit can be made. 

The variety chosen must be well-adapted to the climate and the land so the farmer can get a quality grain from their barley.

Only malt barley varieties can be used to make malt, but any kind of barley can be used to make animal feed.  

Malting is a 4-step process: - Steeping: the grain is soaked in hot water - Germination: the grain is left to air in a hot and humid environment - Kilning: blasting the grain with hot and very dry air - Deculming: the final step in which the rootlets, also known as culms, are removed

Barley malt, water, hops, and yeast are the four ingredients that make up beer. How they're put together will determine the particular characteristics, bitterness, and color that the beer will have.

Barley can be eaten in a number of ways. 

You can find pearl barley, hulled barley, barley flakes, or barley flour in shops.

In northern Africa, barley flour or semolina is often put into traditional bread varieties.