Weyermann Barke Vienna Malt 6-9 EBC
Weyermann BARKE® Vienna is Vienna malt made from a legend: Barke®, the historic German two-row spring barley that once held the highest reputation among German brewers — the variety behind the intensely aromatic, authentic beers of its era. Modern agriculture moved on to higher-yielding varieties (Barke® yields roughly 20% less in the field), but Weyermann refused to let it disappear, contracting farmers to grow it exactly to specification purely because of what it does in the glass. Like Maris Otter in England, Barke® survives for one reason only: brewers keep demanding it.
What the variety delivers is unmistakable from the first sniff of the crushed grain. BARKE® Vienna brings an intense malty-sweet character with gentle notes of honey and nuts — almond and hazelnut — over underlying toffee warmth, with a depth of malt aroma that standard Vienna malt simply doesn't reach at the same 6–9 EBC. In the finished beer that translates to a full, rounded body, a soft mouthfeel, golden colour, and a creamy, stable head — the complete malt presence that a Vienna Lager or Märzen is supposed to be built on. And the variety earns its keep in the brewhouse too: large, homogeneous kernels, superior diastatic power, excellent extract yield, high attenuation, and famously low beta-glucan levels that make lautering and filtration run beautifully. The wort even holds its colour well through the boil.
With high enzyme activity and a recommended addition rate of up to 100%, BARKE® Vienna carries a grain bill single-handedly — and a 100% BARKE® Vienna grist is arguably the purest expression of Vienna Lager there is, a style close to our own heart: we brew our own Vienna Lager here in Alkmaar. Where our standard Weyermann Vienna is the reliable everyday workhorse, BARKE® is the single-variety premium version — the upgrade for the brewer who wants the malt itself to be the story.
Crushed or uncrushed malt
Available crushed or uncrushed. Crushed malt should be used within 2–3 weeks for optimal freshness. Uncrushed malt retains full freshness for significantly longer when stored in a cool, dry environment.
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Flavor & Aroma
- Intense malty-sweet depth (signature of the Barke® variety)
- Honey and nut notes — almond and hazelnut
- Underlying toffee warmth, soft mouthfeel
- Golden colour with a creamy, stable head
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Usage
Lager: Vienna Lager, Märzen, Festbier, Bavarian Dunkel, Kellerbier
Ale: Pale Ale, IPA, Amber Ale, Imperial Red Ale
Dark & Strong: Stout, Strong Ale, English Barleywine
Suitable as the sole base malt — up to 100% of the grain bill. A single-malt BARKE® Vienna grist is the classic route to an authentic Vienna Lager.
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Quick facts
Brand: Weyermann
Type: Base malt — Vienna, Barke® heritage barley variety
Colour: 6–9 EBC (2.7–3.8 °L)
Barley: Barke® — historic German two-row spring barley, contract-grown for Weyermann
Enzyme activity: High — up to 100% of the grain bill
Brewhouse: Excellent lautering and filtration — low beta-glucan, high extract yield
Origin: Germany (Bamberg)
Use: Vienna Lager, Märzen, Festbier, Dunkel, malt-forward ales