10.01.2023
New Malt made from the old BREUN variety ALEXIS
The Heidelberg-based family business Palatia Malz GmbH, in a joint effort with Saatzucht Josef Breun GmbH & Co. KG, has revived the traditional German malting barley variety Alexis. The malt produced exclusively by Palatia from this time-honored barley variety will now be marketed under the brand name “BEST A-XL”. The A in the name of the malt stands for “Alexis” and the XL (“extra large”) for the exceptional foam stability of a beer brewed with BEST A-XL.
The ALEXIS variety was developed in 1975 by Josef Breun, the father of the company owner Martin Breun, through crossbreeding and was approved in 1986. ALEXIS was the standard malting barley in Europe until 2005. With its first-ever combination of high yield, short straw, mildew resistance and its exceptional brewing performance, ALEXIS is a milestone or a “rock star” in the breeding of spring malting barley. With this combination of traits, the variety was granted conservation status in August 2016 as a significant genetic resource.
BESTMALZ searched for something special. The decisive factor was the outstanding foam properties that convinced BESTMALZ to have the variety grown again by a select group of farmers.
In October 2022, the first batches of malt were produced and delivered to customers. BEST A-XL imparts a malty flavor to the beer, ensures a full body as well as a golden yellow color. An increased content of free amino nitrogen (FAN) suitably supplies yeast during fermentation. BEST A-XL shows up to 30 percent more foam stability in the beer glass in tests compared to conventional standard malts due to its well-balanced proteolytic and cytolytic properties.
Source: Press Release Palatia Malz GmbH, 10 January 2022
More Information BESTMALZ and BEST A-XL:
https://bestmalz.de/en/blog/best-a-xl-rock-star-alexis-barley-back-on-the-malt-stage/
