AB Dram - 2 row malt barley & distilling barley
AB Dram is the first Canadian bred low gn malt and distilling barley and is licensed to SeedNet.
FCDC is excited to be able to develop and register the first non glycosidic nitrile (Non-GN) malt barley in Canada.
Glycosidic nitrile (GN) can produce a carcinogenic compound during fermentation, which can further increase during distillation to undesirable levels. The Non GN trait is of particular interest to the craft brewing/distilling industry.
This variety has yield levels similar to other malting varieties and a desirable agronomic package. https://www.oldscollege.ca/olds-college-smart-farm/articles/new-varieties-from-fcdc-at-olds-college.html
Glycosidic nitrile is a precursor to ethyl carbamate is a chemical that can form from naturally present compounds in certain food and drinks during the fermentation process
Link to a 2025 GrainsWest article on AB Dram https://grainswest.com/2025/01/good-to-the-last-drop-2/
AB Dram is the first Canadian bred low gn malt and distilling barley and is licensed to SeedNet.
- Yields should be similar to CDC Copeland
- Stand ability is rated as better vs CDC Copeland but similar to AAC Synergy
- Early maturity (-1 day vs CDC Copeland)
- % plump better vs check's and % thins typically better vs checks
- Good malting traits with: fine extract equal to checks
- Enzymes falling between the checks
- Percent plump greater than AC Metcalfe and CDC Copeland and equal to AAC Synergy, peeling less than checks, malt peeled and broken less than checks, friability greater than or equal to checks, viscosity equal to checks, and FAN equal to checks.
- Resistant to the surface-borne and loose smuts, and moderately resistant to the spot-form of net blotch.
- Intermediate resistance to scald and FHB with DON levels similar to, or lower than, the best of the checks, AC Metcalfe.
- Soluble protein content is similar to the checks, however the Kolbach index was lower than the checks.
- Wort beta-glucan is similar to AC Metcalfe and greater than CDC Copeland and AAC Synergy
- Moderately susceptible to the net-form of net blotch and spot blotch. Susceptible to stem rust.
- Protein was slightly higher than checks.
- AB Dram malt barley is a great fit for malt and distilling because of the uniqueness of being a non GN barley
FCDC is excited to be able to develop and register the first non glycosidic nitrile (Non-GN) malt barley in Canada.
Glycosidic nitrile (GN) can produce a carcinogenic compound during fermentation, which can further increase during distillation to undesirable levels. The Non GN trait is of particular interest to the craft brewing/distilling industry.
This variety has yield levels similar to other malting varieties and a desirable agronomic package. https://www.oldscollege.ca/olds-college-smart-farm/articles/new-varieties-from-fcdc-at-olds-college.html
Glycosidic nitrile is a precursor to ethyl carbamate is a chemical that can form from naturally present compounds in certain food and drinks during the fermentation process
Link to a 2025 GrainsWest article on AB Dram https://grainswest.com/2025/01/good-to-the-last-drop-2/
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Article on how non GN barley has a fit from Top Crop Manager:
https://www.topcropmanager.com/new-barley-traits-for-better-malt-beer-and-malt-whisky/
Canada’s first non-GN variety
The FCDC’s TR14617 is the first Canadian malting barley variety that is non-glycosidic nitrile (non-GN), a trait in high demand by the malt beverage industry these days.
Glycosidic nitrile can be produced by germinating barley seeds during the malting process. Zantinge explains that GN is an issue because it is a precursor to ethyl carbamate, a carcinogen. It is particularly a concern in malt whisky production. Malt with GN present will produce low levels of ethyl carbamate during fermentation, and if that is followed with distilling, the ethyl carbamate levels will be driven even higher.
“Alcoholic beverages may contain variable levels of ethyl carbamate. Out of concern for public safety, the ethyl carbamate level in alcoholic beverages is regulated in various countries and jurisdictions around the world, including Canada,” Zantinge says.
“With the increasing diversification of the North American malt beverage industry, ethyl carbamate has become an important issue here, especially for malts intended for the production of
single malt whisky.”
Some countries with long histories of producing these types of beverages already have non-GN barley varieties.
She notes, “In the UK, ethyl carbamate in single malt Scotch whisky has been effectively controlled by using non-GN barley varieties. Current European varieties that are non-GN were developed by introducing a naturally occurring genetic variation. This non-GN gene variant was first discovered in the late 1990s, in European varieties registered in the late 1960s.”
The FCDC’s interest in the non-GN trait was sparked about five years ago. “At the time, Canada Malting Co. (GrainCorp) was already testing for GN. And Dr. Richard Joy, Canada Malting’s director of malting and technical services for North America, asked us if we had non-GN barley varieties,” Capettini says. “So we started looking for the trait in our germplasm.”
As it turned out, the centre already had some non-GN barley lines.
“After reviewing FCDC barley pedigrees, we found that FCDC breeders had already incorporated varieties with the non-GN genotype as parents. Our biotechnology lab then identified advanced
barley lines with a parent carrying that non-GN gene variant. Then we used genetic sequence information to design and apply molecular markers to screen those lines for the variant. Once we had identified the lines with that variant, we did a chemistry test to confirm that GN was not produced in the germinating seeds,” Zantinge explains.
“We found several of the FCDC’s advanced barley lines that are non-GN and that have good malt quality and the potential to serve as new dual brewing and distilling non-GN varieties.”
One of those lines is TR14617, a two-row, hulled malting barley. TR14617 has many good traits and was approved for registration even before it was known to be non-GN.
“TR14617 is early maturing. It has higher yields similar to CDC Copeland. It has good straw strength, so it has good lodging resistance. It has intermediate resistance to Fusarium head blight and good resistance to smuts and the spot form of net blotch,” Zantinge says. Plus, TR14617 has a set of good malting quality characteristics that are similar to those in CDC Copeland and AC Metcalfe.
“Now, with the discovery of this non-GN trait, we are increasing seed for TR14617 for a commercial malt house plant-scale testing in collaboration with the industry. We expect to have that line offered for commercialization soon,” Capettini notes.
“The whole industry is interested in this trait.”
Zantinge agrees. “Worldwide, the direction for breeding for malt varieties is turning away from GN-producing varieties. In the UK, no more GN varieties are being approved for malt.”
The FCDC’s breeding pipeline has several other advanced non-GN malting lines, so enhanced varieties with the non-GN trait could be on the way after TR14617.
https://www.topcropmanager.com/new-barley-traits-for-better-malt-beer-and-malt-whisky/
Canada’s first non-GN variety
The FCDC’s TR14617 is the first Canadian malting barley variety that is non-glycosidic nitrile (non-GN), a trait in high demand by the malt beverage industry these days.
Glycosidic nitrile can be produced by germinating barley seeds during the malting process. Zantinge explains that GN is an issue because it is a precursor to ethyl carbamate, a carcinogen. It is particularly a concern in malt whisky production. Malt with GN present will produce low levels of ethyl carbamate during fermentation, and if that is followed with distilling, the ethyl carbamate levels will be driven even higher.
“Alcoholic beverages may contain variable levels of ethyl carbamate. Out of concern for public safety, the ethyl carbamate level in alcoholic beverages is regulated in various countries and jurisdictions around the world, including Canada,” Zantinge says.
“With the increasing diversification of the North American malt beverage industry, ethyl carbamate has become an important issue here, especially for malts intended for the production of
single malt whisky.”
Some countries with long histories of producing these types of beverages already have non-GN barley varieties.
She notes, “In the UK, ethyl carbamate in single malt Scotch whisky has been effectively controlled by using non-GN barley varieties. Current European varieties that are non-GN were developed by introducing a naturally occurring genetic variation. This non-GN gene variant was first discovered in the late 1990s, in European varieties registered in the late 1960s.”
The FCDC’s interest in the non-GN trait was sparked about five years ago. “At the time, Canada Malting Co. (GrainCorp) was already testing for GN. And Dr. Richard Joy, Canada Malting’s director of malting and technical services for North America, asked us if we had non-GN barley varieties,” Capettini says. “So we started looking for the trait in our germplasm.”
As it turned out, the centre already had some non-GN barley lines.
“After reviewing FCDC barley pedigrees, we found that FCDC breeders had already incorporated varieties with the non-GN genotype as parents. Our biotechnology lab then identified advanced
barley lines with a parent carrying that non-GN gene variant. Then we used genetic sequence information to design and apply molecular markers to screen those lines for the variant. Once we had identified the lines with that variant, we did a chemistry test to confirm that GN was not produced in the germinating seeds,” Zantinge explains.
“We found several of the FCDC’s advanced barley lines that are non-GN and that have good malt quality and the potential to serve as new dual brewing and distilling non-GN varieties.”
One of those lines is TR14617, a two-row, hulled malting barley. TR14617 has many good traits and was approved for registration even before it was known to be non-GN.
“TR14617 is early maturing. It has higher yields similar to CDC Copeland. It has good straw strength, so it has good lodging resistance. It has intermediate resistance to Fusarium head blight and good resistance to smuts and the spot form of net blotch,” Zantinge says. Plus, TR14617 has a set of good malting quality characteristics that are similar to those in CDC Copeland and AC Metcalfe.
“Now, with the discovery of this non-GN trait, we are increasing seed for TR14617 for a commercial malt house plant-scale testing in collaboration with the industry. We expect to have that line offered for commercialization soon,” Capettini notes.
“The whole industry is interested in this trait.”
Zantinge agrees. “Worldwide, the direction for breeding for malt varieties is turning away from GN-producing varieties. In the UK, no more GN varieties are being approved for malt.”
The FCDC’s breeding pipeline has several other advanced non-GN malting lines, so enhanced varieties with the non-GN trait could be on the way after TR14617.
Barley
Malt Barley:
Malt - Bill Coors 100 Malt Barley - Malt barley contracts with Molson Coors
Malt - AB Dram Malt Barley - 2 row - non GN distilling barley & malting barley
Malt- SY Stanza - 2 row European style - (non GN distilling and malting) malt & feed
Malt - Fraser Malt Barley
Malt - Churchill Malt Barley
Malt - Synergy Malt Barley
Malt - Connect Malt Barley
Malt - Copeland Malt Barley
Malt - AB BrewNet - 2 row malt
Feed & Forage Barley
2 Row Feed - SY Stanza - 2 row European style - malt & feed
2 Row Feed - Esma - 2 row European style
2 Row Feed - Sirish - 2 row European style
2 Row Feed - Durango - New!
2 Row Smooth Awn - CDC Renegade Feed & Forage
6 Row Feed - AB Tofield Feed & Forage Barley
6 Row Feed - AB Fortify Feed & Forage Barley - New!
Malt Barley:
Malt - Bill Coors 100 Malt Barley - Malt barley contracts with Molson Coors
Malt - AB Dram Malt Barley - 2 row - non GN distilling barley & malting barley
Malt- SY Stanza - 2 row European style - (non GN distilling and malting) malt & feed
Malt - Fraser Malt Barley
Malt - Churchill Malt Barley
Malt - Synergy Malt Barley
Malt - Connect Malt Barley
Malt - Copeland Malt Barley
Malt - AB BrewNet - 2 row malt
Feed & Forage Barley
2 Row Feed - SY Stanza - 2 row European style - malt & feed
2 Row Feed - Esma - 2 row European style
2 Row Feed - Sirish - 2 row European style
2 Row Feed - Durango - New!
2 Row Smooth Awn - CDC Renegade Feed & Forage
6 Row Feed - AB Tofield Feed & Forage Barley
6 Row Feed - AB Fortify Feed & Forage Barley - New!