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| Seedbed Preparation Different varieties of barley have different characteristics - some desirable for the farmer but not brewer and some the opposite. For top quality ales, grain which is low in nitrogen is the most desirable. For the lager styles of beer higher nitrogen containing seed is acceptable. Normally the barley is planted Between February and April, this depends on soil conditions at the time. The rate of seed we sow per acre depends on those conditions. Ideally relatively dry with the soil temperature warming up after the winter. Spring Barley (March planting) Planting early in the season allows the crop to develop especially the roots. This aids plant development even in a possible drought situation. At this stage a small amount of fertiliser is given to feed the crop.Too much and the grain may not be suitable for brewing, also making the stems weak. Too little and the yield would be somewhat reduced. |
Hops (Growing) Hops have been grown in the UK for centuries. Over the last couple of hundred years varieties have been developed mainly at the Hop Research Institute which are more suited to English growing conditions. As with the barley different hop varieties have different characteristics . Different flavours and aroma’s give the beer a very complex mixture of sensations. Bitterness of the brew is entirely due to the hops. All the hops used at Ramsbury are sourced from the Welsh borders. Crop showing “ ears” emerged In June the seed heads (ears) emerge at the top of the plant with their characteristic whiskers (awns).Grain swelling takes place after flowering and usually takes a month. This stage of growth is when the plant is at it’s most vulnerable. Top heavy with moist grain and the stems still quite lush, heavy rain, possibly thunderstorms can literally flatten the crop. This may have a detrimental effect on quality, but would certainly impede subsequent harvesting operations. |
Harvest Cutting the barley takes place in mid-August. We use two German built combine harvesters can easily harvest each 120 acres per day. A far cry from the horse and binder. When ripe the barley straw is golden in colour and crisp to the touch. The straw is either chopped into 50mm lengths and incorporated into the soil to add extra humus or laid in rows to be baled for use in winter as animal feed or bedding. Between 6.5 and 7.0 tonnes per hectare is normally harvested. Transport and Storage The barley after harvesting is transported to the bulk storage buildings, where it is cleaned (separated from chaff, straw stones etc.) and conditioned. Safe storage means dry… approximately 14.5% moisture. Here it stays until required by the maltsters. |
