Just what is/are Klages?

[jpuf]

Hi,
This is my first post. I've brewed about a hundred extract batches of various types over the years, but I'm fairly new to all grain. Is Klages some sort of generic term for american 2 row? or is it something more specific.

Thanks

 

[david_42]

"Good malting barley has a relatively low protein content and yields a high extract, or "wort" - the sugary liquid that comes from mashed malt and water. Those characteristics made Klages barley an industry favorite.

Klages was cooperatively released in 1972 by ARS and the Idaho and Oregon Experiment Stations under the direction of Darrell Wesenberg, of the ARS Small Grains and Potato Germplasm Research Unit.

Today, nearly 20 years later, Klages remains the industry standard to which all other two-rowed malting barleys are compared. "

Agricultural Research, Sept, 1991 by Julie Corliss

 

[Mikey]

Klages is no longer available AFAIK to homebrewers or anywhere else. It was the best of the best back in '91 when that article was written, but the species has long been supersceded by better types.

Some people still call all types of two row Klages the same way all tissues get called Kleenex.

 

[david_42]

Interesting, Rogue and about 20 other breweries around here think they are buying Klages. Great Western Harrington & Klages are the basis of most of Rogue's ales. Just because all tissues are called Kleenex, doesn't mean there isn't any Kleenex being sold.

 

[jpuf]

Wow, thanks... you guys really know your sh_t!

If a bear sh_ts in the woods, does it make a sound?

 

[Mikey]

From a recent article in BYO:

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, Sans-Serif]"North American barley farmers grow both 2- and 6-row varieties. Examples of 2-row varieties include Klages, Harrington, B1202 (avariety developed by Anheuser-Busch) and numerous varieties of Coors’ Moravian barley (for example, Moravian III). Six-row varieties include Morex, Russell, Excel, Robust and Stander. These are all spring barley varieties, which is the norm for North American malting barley varieties. The Europeans only grow 2-row barley. Examples of European spring barley include Chariot, Alexis, Hana, Ferment, Steffi, Krona and Sissi. Winter varieties, mainly grown in England, include Maris Otter, Halcyon and Pipkin.

Of the varieties listed in this short listing, there are only a few we as brewers ever hear mentioned. Klages is arguably the most noted American variety among home and craft brewers. It was a very prominent variety grown in the West, especially in Idaho, and was prized by maltsters for its excellent malting properties. Harrington and B1202 have largely replaced Klages acreage because these varieties have better agronomic properties. Maris Otter is prized for its excellent malting and brewing properties in England and Hana is one the prized varieties used in the production of the lightly modified Czech malts.

So how does the homebrewer use this information when it comes to buying malt? For starters, I would not worry too much about hunting down a certain barely variety for a given recipe unless the variety is readily available as a "straight" malt. Most maltsers blend varieties after malting in order to produce a consistent product for the brewer. The only malt widely marketed by barley variety is Maris Otter. The U.K. maltsters who produce and sell floor-malted Maris Otter also sell "floor-malted ale malt" that is a blend of Maris Otter, Pipkin and Halcyon. To convince me that a bag of malt is made exclusively from Klages, for example, I would require papers from the maltser in addition to the vendor’s description because Klages acreage is very, very low. "

I've never seen it for sale anywhere in quantity as bonafide Klages, so still believe the Kleenex analogy is probable.
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[BitterRat]

I have to agree. I haven't seen Klages in years. Mostly the bags say 2-Row. In fact, I think the blending thing is dead on for domestic malt, having never seen Harrinton listed on a bag or any other particular type labeled on the pkg. But you can order MO or Halcyon or Pipkin if you want it and will get the analysis with the bag.

 

[Jaybird]

Dah... What did he say?
JJ

 

[david_42]

I really doubt Rogue would advertise that they use "50% Great Western Harrington and 50% Klages", if that wasn't exactly what they were using. They take pride in using it because it is rare. Klages isn't available in the homebrew market any more than Harrington or several dozen other barleys. Homebrewers are sold blends that have been taylored for the market. [Although here is a site that sells the same blend http://www.homebeerwinecheese.com/malts.htm. ]

If I go to the local Wilco (a farmer's supply store), I find items that just don't exist in consumer stores. Try and find a herbicide called "Crossbow" at a Home Depot. You won't.

BYO is a good magazine, but it no more represents the commercial side of brewing than BJCP determines commercial beer styles.

 

[Dr Malt]

Gentleman:

Klages is a barley variety that is long gone as a production malting variety. It was replaced by other varieties of which one is Harrington. Klages was an excellent 2 rowed malting barley and it has been used extensively in the development of current varieties as a parent in breeding programs. There are no commerical volumes of Klages barley being grown so no one can be using it in their commercial beers. I don't care what the labelling and advertising says.

Dr Malt

 

[keuma2]

I was looking in the EC Krauss catalog and they advertize that they have Klages Two-Row barley in 50 lb sacks. So what you guys are saying is that to order this you really don't know what you're getting..right?

 

[terrapinj]

from Rogue's website

Malts: Pale malt is always a 2-row blend of #1 Harrington and the rare Klages from carefully selected gene strains, grown on fertilizer-limited, volcanic rich Northwest lands, carefully graded for plump and protein. Speciality grains are generally from small European maltsters.

 

[Klages]

Hello,

Alan Klages here. I may be able to provide some insight on the history of Klages barley.

This barley was realeased in 1972. It was named after my grandfather's brother Karl Klages who was the head of the aronomy department and a cereals breeder at the University of Idaho during the 1950's and early 1960's.

We grew Klages barley on our farm in Wallowa County, Oregon for a decade. Although it has a great malt profile it is difficult to grow primarily because it is tall and lodges easily. It grew out of favor due to this issue in high rainfall and irrigated areas. It has been used in breeding programs to develop new varieties.

I have been approached by two small breweries to grow Klages barley for them. With my connections to Oregon State University and my son's recent graduation from the U of I we will sweet talk them into letting use have some seed from their germplasm bank to have a small crop in 2015 for the brewers to experiment with and to also give us a seed source as well as giving the universities some newer germplasm.

 

[day_trippr]

Ok, ^that^ was pretty cool.

Cheers! And thanks for the post