Briess | Black Barley | per lb

Briess Black Barley is an intensely roasted, unmalted barley that adds deep black color and bold, sharp roasted flavor to beer. Unlike smoother dark grains such as Blackprinz® or Midnight Wheat, Black Barley is intended to contribute noticeable roast character, making it particularly useful in Stouts and robust Porters.

At approximately 550° Lovibond, Black Barley is an extremely dark brewing grain capable of making a significant contribution to beer color even at relatively low usage rates. Its flavor is intensely roasted, with prominent dark coffee, burnt, and deeply toasted grain notes followed by a dry, assertive roasted finish.

Black Barley is especially useful in Stout, where its powerful roast character can be layered with Chocolate Malt, caramel malts, and other dark grains to create more complex flavors of coffee, cocoa, toast, and roast. It can also be used in Porter and other dark beers when a sharper roasted edge is desired.

Because Black Barley is unmalted roasted barley, it is used primarily for its intense color and flavor rather than as a base malt. Recommended usage is approximately 3–7% of the grain bill, depending on how prominent you want the roasted character to be.

Why Brew With Briess Black Barley?

• Intensely roasted unmalted barley
• Approximately 550°L
• Bold roasted and dark coffee character
• Burnt and deeply toasted grain notes
• Adds a dry, sharp roasted finish
• Produces intense deep brown-to-black color
• Much more assertive than Blackprinz® or Midnight Wheat
• Excellent for layering with Chocolate Malt and other roasted grains
• Recommended at approximately 3–7% of the grain bill
• Excellent for Stout, Irish Stout, Foreign Extra Stout, Imperial Stout, robust Porter, and other intensely dark beers

For brewers looking for deep black color and powerful roasted flavor, Briess Black Barley is a classic specialty grain. Use it when you want roast to be a noticeable part of the finished beer, or combine it with Chocolate Malt and other dark grains to build layers of coffee, cocoa, toast, and intense roasted complexity.