Spring barley Diablo gets full approval for malt distilling

Spring barley variety Diablo is now fully approved for malt distilling use, making it the highest-yielding barley on the AHDB Recommended List with this use approval.

The green light comes from the industry’s malting barley committee, and if the variety, from breeder Limagrain, gets full approval for brewing next year, it will be the highest-yielding dual-use spring barley, says Matt Shand, Limagrain arable wholesale sales manager.

The variety’s fungicide-treated yield of 105% is ahead of other dual-use varieties that can be used for malt distilling and brewing, such as Laureate on 103% and Concerto on 94%.Diablo’s untreated fungicide yield also sits at the top of the yield table, alongside Laureate at 94%, and 1% more than brewing variety Planet, showing the variety’s robust disease-resistance profile.

In terms of agronomics, the variety has straw characteristics similar to Planet: Medium in height, with good lodging and brackling resistance, although it is rated slightly later maturing.

It has good grain quality, with a specific weight at 67.6kg/hl, compared with Laureate on 66.8kg/hl.