German 2025 harvest report brewing barley
Spring sowing conditions for the 2025 malting barley crop were excellent. Subsequently, however, the weather turned extremely variable with a severe drought in April, a cool May, and above-average rainfall in June, followed by a brief heat wave and persistent rains in July. These weather fluctuations had very different regional effects on crop development, mostly during the kernel filling phase. They also impaired the phytosanitary health of much of the harvested grain. Especially in the south of Germany, where too much rain caused lengthy harvest interruptions, many crops developed outgrowth, sometimes conspicuous and sometimes hidden, which of course, also meant a loss of brewing quality.
In spite of these challenges, the aggregate share of malting-quality barley harvested in Germany this year was still about 1.73 million metric tons (MT); and the plumpness rating (kernels with a diameter of ≥ 2.5 mm) was a respectable 92.4% for malting-quality spring barley and 93.3% for winter barley. The average protein content was 10.4%. These parameters ensured a sufficient supply of new crops to meet the requirements of the German malting industry.
Among the most significant stabilizing factors in this year’s German barley supply was the growing popularity of winter brewing barley cultivation (now roughly 30,000 ha out of a total 2025 brewing barley acreage of 390,000 ha), as well as the planting of spring brewing barley already in the fall (roughly 34,000 ha in 2024/25).
The combination of winter barley, fall-sown spring barley, and spring barley amounts to an emerging three-pillar model that spreads the weather-related risk in brewing barley cultivation across a broader spectrum. In addition, nuanced and well-targeted agronomic measures and the cultivation of new varieties bred specifically for improved pest and disease resistance enhance the reliability of barley supplies in the face of an increasingly fickle climate.
The major brewing-quality spring barley varieties planted in Germany for harvesting in 2025 were Amidala, Caruso, Leandra, and Lexy, all of which are recommended by the Berlin Program. The key brewing-quality winter barley varieties were KWS Donau and KWS Somerset. In addition, smaller amounts of several other varieties have been cultivated mostly under contract.
Dates for future informational events about malting barley cultivation can be found at www.braugerstengemeinschaft.de