Variety Overview
End-use group: Full MBC Approval for Brewing and Malt Distilling
Market options: MBC Approval for Brewing and Malt Distilling. Contracts available across England and Scotland.
Regional positioning: Performs well in all regions
Soil preference: Suitable for all soil types
Agronomics: Strong disease profile
Parentage: Sanette x Concerto
Key features: LAUREATE is a high yielding spring barley with full approval for brewing and malt distilling. This non-GN variety was the most widely grown spring malting barley in Scotland and England for harvest 2023. It is the most purchased variety by maltsters with strong contracts available throughout the UK.
Key Performance Statistics
We've compared a few varieties on the AHDB Recommended List 2024 and shared some key statistics we think you'll be interested in. Download the variety sheet for some more in depth information you can carry with you everywhere.
Agronomic features
Resistance to lodging (1-9) | Straw height without PGR | Ripening (days +/- RGT Planet, -ve = earlier) | Resistance to brackling (1-9) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LAUREATE | 6 | 72 | +1 | 8 |
| RGT Planet | 7 | 75 | 0 | 8 |
| LG Diablo | 7 | 73 | +3 | 8 |
Yield
| Untreated Yield* | Treated Yield* | Eastern Yield* | Western Yield* | Northern Yield* | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LAUREATE | 92 | 100.8 | 101 | 102 | 100 |
| RGT Planet | 87 | 96.6 | 97 | 96 | 97 |
| LG Diablo | 88 | 99.1 | 99 | 98 | 100 |
* % treated control
Grain quality
Specific Weight (kg/hl) | Screenings (% through 2.25mm) | Screenings (% through 2.5mm) | Nitrogen Content (%) | Hot Water Extract (l deg/kg) | Predicted Spirit Yield (laa/t) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LAUREATE | 67.2 | 1.3 | 3.2 | 1.49 | 313.4 | 433.5 |
| RGT Planet | 68.7 | 1.2 | 3.3 | 1.52 | 312.7 | [434.0] |
| LG Diablo | 67.7 | 1.4 | 3.5 | 1.50 | 313.4 | 435.0 |
Disease profile
Mildew (1-9) | Brown rust (1-9) | Rhynchosporium (1-9) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| LAUREATE | 9 | 5 | 7 |
| RGT Planet | 8 | 4 | 6 |
| LG Diablo | 8 | 5 | 6 |
Breeding Insight
LAUREATE is the leading spring barley variety in the UK. It has full MBC Approval for both Brewing and Malt Distilling. It is the mainstay of both the malt distilling and brewing industries. LAUREATE has shown outstanding consistency over very different growing seasons and has consistently performed for both growers and end-users. Kathryn Hamlen
The story of LAUREATE
Have you ever wondered how the varieties in your field end up in your whisky or beer? Watch this video to see how the variety LAUREATE was bred and how it finds its way to a drink near you!
Agronomy Insights
Laureate has consistent regional yields
Relatively short variety with good resistance to lodging and brackling
An appropriate PGR programme should be applied in higher risk scenarios such as high seed rates in late drilled situations
Moderate maturity, earlier than LG Diablo
Excellent combination of robust disease resistance against all major foliar diseases and high untreated yield making LAUREATE an easy to manage variety
Source: AHDB RL 2021
LAUREATE for Brewing and Malt Distilling
LAUREATE can be grown for both brewing and malt distilling, but these two markets require a different % grain N in order to make either beer or whisky.
It is important to know which market your grain is going to, so you can tailor your nitrogen inputs and achieve the right specification for the market you are growing for.
