Spring sowing conditions for the 2025 malting barley crop were excellent. Subsequently, however, the weather turned extremely variable with a severe drought in April, a cool May, and above-average rainfall in June, followed by a brief heat wave and persistent rains in July. These weather fluctuations had very different regional effects on crop development, mostly...

The jury of beer sommeliers has made its decision, and the winners of the BestBrewChallenge 2025 were announced during the festive online award ceremony: They come from Lithuania, the Czech Republic, and Germany.The winners:1st place: Tomas Sirtautas from the Relaxed Man brewery in Lithuania with his beer Out for Delivery2nd place: Tomáš Kuzník from Domácí...

A professional jury of beer sommeliers was invited to judge the Oatmeal Stouts in Heidelberg. Read a review of the tasting and find out where the winnig beers were brewed.

Based on seed sales and early estimates by Germany’s state malting barley associations, the Braugersten-Gemeinschaft (German Malting Barley Association) estimates that this year’s spring barley acreage is roughly 315,000 hectares. This includes about 16,000 hectares of spring barley sown in the fall. In addition, German farmers have planted about 30,000 hectares of winter barley intended...

From March 28 to 30, 2025, brewers around the world brewed an Oatmeal Stout for the BestBrewChallenge 2025. Leading in the number of participants is Lithuania with 60 registrations, followed by Germany (42) and Czechia (34).

This style is known for its deep black, opaque color and entices with intense aromas of malt, coffee, and dark chocolate on the palate. The finish is marked by a characteristic roasted flavor created by the use of roasted malt. Depending on the brewing approach, the taste range can vary from dry and bitter to...