AT ST. JAMES’S GATE WE TAKE IN OVER 3300 TONNES OF IRISH BARLEY EVERY WEEK

Beer brewing can be traced all the way back to Mesopotamia, known as present-day Iraq and Iran, over five thousand years ago, when they found that barley was especially suitable for brewing. The word beer is thought to originate from the Anglo-Saxon word ‘baere’, meaning Barley. Today, Guinness purchase around two-thirds of the malting barley grown on the island of Ireland each year. Only the highest quality crop is used as its standard can greatly affect the taste of the beer.

OUR BARLEY: DID YOU KNOW?

Guinness is brewed using a combination of malted, unmalted, and roasted barley.

Our barley contains starches which need to be broken down before it can be used for brewing. To achieve this, the barley is immersed in water until it begins to sprout. These small sprouts are then allowed to grow for a few days before the grain is dried in a kiln to halt the growing process.

Malted barley provides the basic raw ingredient for fermentation, contributing to the balanced flavour and unique taste of Guinness.

EUGENE RYAN, BARLEY FARMER

Many of our barley farmers, like Eugene, are multi-generational, so their parents and in sometimes grandparents, supplied barley to Guinness.

“Every harvest, with the barley buyer and head brewers at Guinness, we walk the fields to understand the nature of each year's crop. Ireland is subject to all weather conditions, sometimes daily, which makes barley challenging but amazing to work with because each crop can be very different. It’s our job to understand the barley and work with those differences. With each passing year, we understand something new about our land and the methods we use to grow barley. By rotating crops, we create healthier soil each year. By planting cover crops, we protect and feed the soil and by keeping barley roots and plants healthy we help keep more carbon in the soil. I know that we will continue to adopt more sustainable farming practices to pass onto the next generation and ensure we are playing our part in protecting the planet to the best of our ability.”

HOMEGROWN

In 1903 we partnered with the Department of Agriculture to establish a barley research station at Ballinacurra, Cork. The aim was to ensure the long-term improvement of barley cultivation in Ireland and the prosperity of Irish farmers.

The work carried out at Ballinacurra produced the first-ever collection of detailed data on the Irish barley industry. This pioneering work was critical to the development of barley in later years and the long-term sustainability of the Irish barley industry.

REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE - WHAT WE ARE DOING

We’re brewing the future of Guinness with the most ambitious regenerative farming project in Ireland.

In partnership with Irish barley farmers, we are working to define the most effective regenerative agriculture practices that improve the health of barley, the soil and farmer livelihoods. Regenerative agriculture is an approach to farming that works in harmony with the natural environment meaning the processes used put back more than they take out, reducing the environmental impact.

Today, we have 44 farmers participating in the first phase of the project, representing approximately 1,400 acres across six counties including - Kildare, Laois, Carlow, Kilkenny, Tipperary, and Wexford.