Species conservation through the art of brewing: research shows suitability of the rare whiskered brome for beer production

The whiskered brome (Bromus grossus) is an ancient cereal species that is known to have been cultivated and used as a food resource as early as the Bronze Age. Today, however, it is threatened with extinction. In joint research work, the University of Bayreuth, the Bezirkslehrgut Bayreuth and the company IREKS in Kulmbach have investigated whether the grain from this grass species is suitable for brewing beer. The result is two tasty beers: a Farmhouse Ale and a Hefe-Weizen. The beers were sampled on the campus of the University of Bayreuth on July 20, 2023, at the successful conclusion of the project funded by the Upper Franconia Foundation. Beer production could offer a way to preserve the whiskered brome in the future.