Dr. Pat Hayes at OSU has been working for years on a winter barley to be grown in Oregon (primarily the W. Valley) to take advantage of our rich, well-draining soil and wet winters. The challenge has been to breed a varietal that resists disease associated with the damp. From a research funding perspective, he also needed money and big farming wasn't stepping up. A-B provided funding to the program with the added caveat that the barley be 6-row (much higher yields of grain per acre than 2-row) AND that the 6-row have malting characteristics and flavor profile of the 2-row.

Basically, build a 6-row that malts and tastes like a 2-row AND that won't mildew in the rainy Oregon winters.

Barley varietals OR76 and OR81 may just have these characteristics. John Coleman grew 8 tons of it on two acres (an apparently astounding 8klb+ per acre yield). We're going to buy it.

More to follow.