Mobile brewery producing beer from Alabama-grown barley malt

Thanks to a collaboration of experts from HudsonAlpha, Auburn University, and Alabama A&M University, a brewery in Mobile is selling and producing the first beer made with barley malt grown and produced within the Yellowhammer State.

“We brewed a fresh and floral pale ale, which we call Harvest Ale,” David Nelson, brewmaster at Braided River Brewing Company, said. “The malt tastes great and is the same quality as any other malt we’ve ever used. Most of our malt is usually sourced from the Upper Midwest.”

The barley, according to Nelson, isn’t the only thing found in the beer that was grown in Alabama.

“Harvest Ale is extra special because it also incorporates Alabama-grown hops,” he said.

Nelson discussed why he and his company are excited to have the opportunity to sell and produce the beer.

“We certainly like to support our local economy. We also recognize that using in-state ingredients like HudsonAlpha’s barley lessens our environmental impact, which is very important to our company,” he said. “Braided River was founded on the banks of the Mobile-Tensaw River Delta, known as ‘American’s Amazon’ for its biodiversity, and we take our duty to preserve this unique natural resource seriously. We hope to celebrate it and help preserve it — while connecting with each other over delicious beer — for generations to come.”

Barley Project Manager Kaitlyn Williams said the barley was grown in North Alabama.

“We harvested 30,000 pounds of barley from an eight-acre field trial in North Alabama,” said Williams. “The barley developed well and had low disease and insect pressure. It met the protein levels and the toxicity levels required by the industry. We sent it to Riverbend Malting in Asheville, N.C., where they confirmed it met the malting standard and had a great color and germination rate.”

She is also appreciative of what all the “barley project” offers.

“It’s rewarding to see a local guy making local products for local folks. The whole barley project gives back in many different ways,” said Williams.”Everyone benefits from that local product, whether you’re enjoying a nice beer, profiting from the beer, or incorporating a new, lucrative crop into your farm’s rotation.”

More than 50 barley varieties were planted at field stations across Alabama in the fall of 2021. The varieties that grew best were then planted in one of four larger field trials in the fall of 2022 at Martin Farms in Courtland.

Austen Shipley is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News.