Grain
Six-row Barley
A tier
Six-row barley packs six rows of kernels around the rachis, a morphology common in North American feed and some brewing contexts—grains tend to be thinner with higher protein and enzyme packages useful in adjunct-heavy mashes. As food barley it still yields nutty porridge and soup grain after pearling. Field heads look fuller and more cylindrical than two-row. American lager traditions historically leaned on six-row enzyme power. For pure malt flavour beers, two-row often wins; for diastatic strength in certain recipes, six-row shines. Cooks need not fear six-row food barley—it is simply another H. vulgare form.
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Characteristics
Preparations
Traits
Grading systems
Grades are placed along a shared scale so systems can be compared side by side.
History
Six-row barley types spread with farming into diverse climates.
North American agriculture expanded six-row barley for feed and brewing.
Six-row enzyme levels suited adjunct brewing in industrial lager production.
Craft maltsters still offered six-row for specialty enzyme and heritage uses.