New Malting Barley Lines Aim to Extend Beer Shelf Life

The Prairie Recommending Committee for Oats and Barley is reviewing malting barley lines including LOX-less types that reduce flavour staling in beer.
Beer drinkers may never think about the barley behind their pint — but new varieties now under review could help keep beer fresher for longer.

A new lineup of barley candidates being assessed by the Prairie Recommending Committee for Oats and Barley (PRCOB) at this week’s Prairie Grain Development Committee (PGDC) meeting in Banff, Alta., includes malting lines designed specifically to improve beer flavour stability.

One of the most notable is a LOX-less malting barley, a type that lacks the lipoxygenase enzyme linked to flavour deterioration in beer during storage.

“It’s a fresher flavour profile, improved flavour stability, because LOX-less lines have reduced staling during storage of beer,” said PRCOB chair Marta Izydorczyk. “So it ultimately extends the shelf life of a product. So this is quite exciting.”

For brewers, particularly those shipping beer long distances or exporting, that added stability can be critical to maintaining consistent flavour on store shelves.

The LOX-less candidate is part of a broader group of new malting barley lines being considered by PRCOB this year.