With the year drawing to a close, here are some malt varieties likely to enter the market as we head into 2026 and beyond.

Earlier this summer the Malting Barley Committee completed the Spring 2025 round of meetings to evaluate the potential of new malting barley varieties. And this  guide, the MBC approved malting barley list for 2026 harvest gives brewers insight and also helps growers of malting barley identify varieties most likely to meet the needs of the market in the year ahead.

Here are some changes to the MBC approved list. Diviner stays at Provisional Approval 2 for malt distilling use. LG Aquarius and Bounty were moved to Provisional Approval 2 for brewing use. Belter and Olsen were moved to Provisional Approval 2 for Brewing and Malt Distilling use. Firecracker, Ptarmigan, KWS Enduris and SY Arrow were moved to Provisional Approval 1 for Brewing and Malt Distilling use.

Winter variety profiles

Elsewhere in its update, SY Signet was removed from the Approved List for Brewing use – withdrawn by breeder while Electrum was removed from the Approved List for Brewing use.

Flagon (Syngenta) continues to hold its’ market share, retaining 11% of the total UK winter malting barley market in 2024. It has high resistance to brown rust but is susceptible to net blotch. Craft (Syngenta) secured 48% of the UK winter malting barley purchased in 2024. This variety has given consistent treated yields throughout the UK. It has high resistance to brown rust and is resistant to the common strains of barley mosaic viruses.

Buccaneer (Saaten Union) is a newly approved for 2025 crop, for brewing. Buccaneer has shown its best relative performance in the East region and on heavier soils. It shows no major weaknesses in disease resistance and has given high yields in untreated UK trials. It has high resistance to brown rust and is resistant to the common strains of barley mosaic viruses. SY Vessel (Syngenta) approved by the MBC as Special Use for malt distilling, for 2025 crop. Growers were advised to speak to their merchants about end markets.

Spring variety profiles

Laureate (Syngenta) continues to dominate the UK spring barley market, with 63% market share in 2024. It has given high treated yields in the West region. It has high resistance to mildew, rhynchosporium and net blotch and has given high yields in untreated UK trials. Moderate resistance to brackling.

RGT Planet (RAGT Seeds) continues to hold its share of the spring barley market, at around 11% in 2024. Has high resistance to mildew but is susceptible to brown rust. A relatively stiffstrawed variety with moderate resistance to brackling. LG Diablo (Limagrain) continues to hold its share of the UK spring barley market at around 10% in 2024. Has given its best relative performance in the East and North regions. High resistance to mildew but is susceptible to brown rust. A late maturing and relatively stiff-strawed variety with moderate resistance to brackling.

Skyway (Agrii) is a newly-approved for brewing in 2024, Skway has given high treated yields in the West region. Has high resistance to mildew and rhynchosporium but is susceptible to brown rust. A relatively stiff-strawed variety with moderate resistance to brackling.

SY Tennyson (Syngenta) is fully-approved by the MBC for brewing and malt distilling for 2025 crop, SY Tennyson has given high treated yields in the East region. High resistance to mildew but susceptible to brown rust. A late maturing and relatively stiff-strawed variety with moderate resistance to brackling.

Other profiles of note LG Aquarius (Limagrain) which is under test by the MBC for brewing, with completion due spring 2026. LG Aquarius has given high treated yields in the West region and has very high treated yield potential in the East region. High resistance to mildew but susceptible to brown rust. A stiff-strawed variety with moderate resistance to brackling.

Firecracker (Agrii) is under test by the MBC for brewing and malt distilling, earliest completion due spring 2026. Firecracker has given high treated yields in both the East & North regions and has very high treated yield potential in the West region. High resistance to mildew and net blotch and has given high yields in untreated UK trials. A relatively stiff-strawed variety with moderate resistance to brackling. While Ptarmigan (Agrii) is also under test by the MBC for brewing and malt distilling, earliest completion due spring 2026. Ptarmigan has a high yield potential in both the West & North regions. High resistance to mildew and net blotch.

The Maltsters’ Association of Great Britain formed in 1827. Its membership still represents more than 98% of the UK malting industry, buying around 2 million tonnes of choice UK malting barley, to make about 1.6 million tonnes of malt.