UK: UK-bred spring barley Belter wins full approval for brewing

A malting barley variety developed in the beer-making grain's Norfolk heartland has won full approval for brewing, Eastern Daily Press reported on December 20.

Secobra UK, based at Pentney between Swaffham and King’s Lynn, says the accreditation for its UK-bred spring barley Belter is a "significant step for growers across the East of England", where malting barley is a cornerstone crop.

Belter has achieved full approval for brewing from the Malting Barley Committee (MBC), a cross-sector body which assesses and approves varieties of interest to the malting, brewing and distilling industries.

The variety has also secured a leading position on the 2026 AHDB Spring Barley Recommended List.

Secobra says Belter has been proven to deliver high yields - both treated and untreated - across England’s main barley-growing regions, along with strong grain quality, high extract and good fermentability, stiff straw and high brackling resistance, and "excellent consistency in the increasingly variable climate".

Belter was bred by Secobra barley breeder Paul Bury, whose programme focuses heavily on performance under Eastern counties’ conditions.

Secobra UK commercial manager Tom Barker said: “The East of England is central to the UK’s barley industry. Having Belter achieve full approval for brewing is a significant moment for growers and supply-chain partners across Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Cambridgeshire.

"We are proud to have a variety bred here in the UK, developed at our Norfolk base, and now recognised for the consistency and resilience that this region demands.”

Norfolk and Suffolk are home to some of the UK’s leading malting and brewing supply chain businesses including Simpsons Malt, which has a facility at Tivetshall St Margaret, and said Belter has “consistently been a top performer” over several years.

Secobra says seed from many East of England distributors will be available for harvest 2026 planting, offering growers a "reliable variety bred and trialled with UK and East Anglian conditions in mind".