page_title: Barley
section_title: Alcoholic beverages
hierarchical_section_title: Barley / Beverages / Alcoholic beverages
caption_attribution_description: English: An employee of the Springbank distillery turning the barley on the floor malting
context_page_description: Barley, 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.
  In 2017, barley was ranked fourth among grains in quantity produced behind maize, rice and wheat.
context_section_description: Barley is a key ingredient in beer and whisky production. Two-row barley is traditionally used in German and English beers. Six-row barley was traditionally used in US beers, but both varieties are in common usage now. Distilled from green beer, whiskey has been made primarily from barley in Ireland and Scotland, while other countries have used more diverse sources of alcohol, such as the more common corn, rye and wheat in the USA. In the US, a grain type may be identified on a whisky label if that type of grain constitutes 51% or more of the ingredients and certain other conditions are satisfied.  About 25% of the United States' production of barley is used for malting, for which barley is the best-suited grain.
  Barley wine is a style of strong beer from the English brewing tradition.  Another alcoholic drink known by the same name, enjoyed in the 18th century,  was prepared by boiling barley in water, then mixing the barley water with white wine and other ingredients, such as borage, lemon and sugar. In the 19th century, a different barley wine was made prepared from recipes of ancient Greek origin.
caption: An employee of the Springbank distillery turning the barley on the floor malting
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