German Heirloom Pilsner Malt with Rich Malt and Toffee Character

Brew deeply flavourful German lagers with Weyermann Barke® Pilsner Malt. Produced in Bamberg, Germany from the historic two-row Barke® summer barley variety, this premium heirloom base malt delivers pronounced malt aroma, delicate toffee notes and a pleasantly soft, full mouthfeel.

Unlike more neutral modern Pilsner malts, Barke Pilsner Malt provides a richer malt foundation while retaining the very pale colour and high enzymatic activity required for bright lager styles.

Use it at up to 100% of the grain bill for German Pilsner, Munich Helles, Festbier, Kellerbier, Dortmunder Export, Bock and other malt-forward lagers.

Why You’ll Love Weyermann Barke® Pilsner Malt

• Premium German heirloom base malt

• Made from historic two-row Barke® brewing barley

• Produced by Weyermann® in Bamberg, Germany

• Pronounced malt aroma with delicate toffee notes

• Creates a soft, rounded and full mouthfeel

• Provides greater malt depth than a neutral Pilsner malt

• Very pale 2.5–4.5 EBC colour

• High enzymatic activity

• Excellent extract potential

• Suitable for up to 100% of the grain bill

• Ideal for authentic German Pilsner, Helles and Kellerbier

• Freshly packed to order by Border Brewing Supplies

Flavour Profile

Weyermann Barke Pilsner Malt provides a pronounced and distinctive malt aroma with subtle underlying toffee notes. It creates a soft, pleasantly rounded mouthfeel and greater malt depth than many modern high-yield Pilsner malts.

Its character remains clean and elegant enough for pale lager while giving the finished beer a more expressive malt backbone.

Colour: Very pale straw to light gold
Flavour: Rich malt with delicate toffee notes
Aroma: Pronounced fresh malt and grain
Body Contribution: Medium to full
Mouthfeel: Soft, smooth and rounded
Enzyme Activity: High

Typical Beer Styles

Weyermann Barke Pilsner Malt is ideal for brewing:

These styles benefit from Barke Pilsner Malt’s pronounced malt aroma, subtle toffee character and soft, full mouthfeel.

Product Specifications

Brewing Tips

Weyermann Barke Pilsner Malt can comprise up to 100% of the grain bill, making it an excellent foundation for malt-forward Pilsners, Helles, Festbier and Kellerbier.

A single-infusion mash works well, but a stepped mash or traditional decoction mash can further showcase its rich malt flavour and soft mouthfeel.

For a crisp German Pilsner, mash at approximately 64–66°C to encourage attenuation while retaining the characteristic Barke malt flavour.

For a fuller Munich Helles, Festbier or Bock, mash at approximately 66–68°C to create a rounder body and more pronounced malt expression.

Pair it with German noble hops such as Hallertau Mittelfrüh, Tettnang or Spalt to create an authentic continental lager profile.

Because this is a very pale Pilsner malt, use a vigorous boil and maintain healthy fermentation practices when producing delicate lager styles.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Barke Pilsner Malt?

Barke Pilsner Malt is a premium German base malt produced from the historic two-row Barke® brewing-barley variety. It is valued for its pronounced malt aroma, subtle toffee notes and soft, full mouthfeel.

What makes Barke barley special?

Barke is a historic German brewing-barley variety selected for flavour and brewhouse performance. It produces a richer and more distinctive malt character than many modern varieties developed primarily for agricultural yield.

What is the difference between Barke Pilsner Malt and regular Pilsner Malt?

Barke Pilsner Malt has a more pronounced malt aroma, gentle toffee character and fuller mouthfeel. Regular Pilsner malt is generally cleaner and more neutral, making it suitable when the malt should remain less prominent.

What beer styles use Barke Pilsner Malt?

It is especially well suited to German Pilsner, Munich Helles, Festbier, Kellerbier, Dortmunder Export, Bock, Imperial Pilsner and other malt-forward lager styles.

Can Barke Pilsner Malt make up the entire grain bill?

Yes. Weyermann recommends additions of up to 100%, and it has sufficient enzymatic activity to function as the sole base malt in an all-grain recipe.

Does Barke Pilsner Malt taste like caramel malt?

No. It provides subtle toffee notes and rich malt flavour, but it does not deliver the concentrated sweetness or caramel intensity of a crystal or caramel malt.

Is Barke Pilsner Malt suitable for decoction mashing?

Yes. It performs well with single-infusion, step-infusion and decoction mash schedules. Decoction can further emphasise its deep malt character in traditional German lager recipes.

Can I use Barke Pilsner Malt in ales?

Yes. Weyermann recommends it for selected ale styles including Belgian Blond Ale, Trappist Single, British Mild, Session Pale Ale and Scottish Ale.

What can I substitute for Barke Pilsner Malt?

Standard Weyermann Pilsner Malt or Weyermann Bohemian Pilsner Malt can be used, but the finished beer may have a lighter and less pronounced malt character. A small addition of Vienna or Munich Malt may help recreate some of Barke’s additional depth.

Buy Weyermann Barke Pilsner Malt online from Border Brewing Supplies. Available in freshly packed quantities for home brewers throughout Australia, with local collection from our Tweed Heads South home brew shop, conveniently located for customers from the Gold Coast, Brisbane, Northern Rivers and QLD–NSW border region.