2019 WAITSBURG GENIE + ODYSSEY
2-ROW SPRING BARLEYS

CROP NOTES

GROWER: Warren Farms
GRAIN: LCS Genie, 2-Row Spring Barley (100 ac); LCS Odyssey, 2-Row Spring Barley (100 ac)
SUSTY: Salmon-Safe; Dry-Farmed
PLANTED: April 24, 2019
HARVESTED: August 22, 2019

We were thrilled to welcome the Warren family to the grower team this year. They started off on a high note with a generous planting of Genie and Odyssey barley, perched side-by-side on a ridge crest in the foothills above Waitsburg, WA. This part of their farm drains into Whiskey Creek, a tributary of the Touchet River. As of 2019, all of this acreage is now enrolled in Salmon-Safe, highlighting the Warrens’ commitment to regional salmon recovery efforts.

This growing season’s temperature was cool, the moisture came in steady supply, and the elevation was on the high end of where we work. All of these factors combined to give the barley a prolonged and favorable upbringing. The only real drama came when a massive thunderstorm rolled through on August 10th, with the nearly-cured crop standing in the field. The storm delivered golf ball sized hail and near-total losses as close as 2 miles away, but was kind enough to spare our barley. From there, harvest went smoothly and we ended up with some beautiful barley in the bins. Phenomenal plumps, protein, and intact hulls.

We expect some supremely high quality malts to come from these grain lots. It’s also our first time playing with the Odyssey varietal. We’re excited to do some side-by-side comparisons with these two varietals at Waitsburg, and also with the Genie barley across Waitsburg, Walla Walla, and Latah.