A Norfolk brewery is set to revive an ancient East Anglian folk tradition as it looks to grow and malt its own barley.
Grain Brewery, based in Alburgh, South Norfolk, is nestled in the heart of barley growing country and will host the Blessing of the Barley Queen, a Waveney Valley tradition that crowns a Barley Queen to bless the spring crops.
According to local folklore, The Blessing of the Barley Queen took place after the spring equinox when a local lady ‘mature in years and wisdom’ was chosen as the Barley Queen to bestow her blessings on the crops, calling on the four elements of nature. As is often the case, the event was followed by a drinking celebration.
In line with this tradition, Grain Brewery will host it’s very first Blessing of the Barley Queen event – the first in decades – on Saturday 27th April.
Jennifer Mead, who lives in Alburgh, has been chosen as this year’s Barley Queen. She will bless the brewery’s first crop of homegrown barley in a field by the village church before a celebration back at the brewery.
Brewery owner Phil Halls said: “We’re reviving the ‘Blessing of the Barley Queen’, to have a bit of fun at the brewery, but also to celebrate the farming community of the area and the fact that later this year we will malt our own barley to produce a born in Alburgh, brewed in Alburgh beer.
“Barley has been grown at South Farm, where we are based, for many years, but with our own malting equipment, we will for the first time be able to brew beer from the farm’s barley.
“The Bond family, who have worked South Farm for generations, are very excited by the idea, and have dedicated a half-acre of crop, growing in front of Alburgh Church, for the project – and it sits on the St Michael and St Mary ley line. To grow the barley, brew the beer, and then enjoy a pint of it at the Taproom, all within a mile of each other will be a special experience.
“To make sure the barley grows to its very best, we are reviving this medieval tradition that we understand took place in the Waveney Valley, according to historian Walter Rye, in his series of essays on Norfolk.”
The first beer from the brewery’s micro malting will be ready in the summer.
Halls said: “Our micro malting is being built from an old beer tank and will allow us to take raw barley and other grains and malt it ourselves, ready for brewing.
“The process involves us steeping the grain over time, to trick it into germinating, which releases the starch which we can then turn into sugars during the brewing process. It will be small scale, but we’ll be able to brew a few good size batches of beer from it.
“We will have to wait until after the summer harvest before we can malt our own barley and make beer from it, but in the meantime we are talking to local farmers with interesting grains that we can work with, to brew something special.”
The Blessing of the Barley Queen will take place on Saturday 27th April. Grain Brewery’s Taproom will be open from 12noon until 7pm, with the Blessing of the Barley Queen in the fields by Alburgh church at 2.30pm. The Barley Queen will arrive back at the Brewery around 3pm when the celebrations will begin.
Earlier this month, Grain Brewery’s Lignum Vitae was named CAMRA’s Champion Beer of Norfolk for 2024 and their smoked porter Slate won Silver in the Overall Champion Keg Beer of the UK awards. Both will be on tap on the day.
