Germination Percentage and Germination Index

Fast and even germination during malting is an essential quality parameter of malting barley. Prior to malting, all barley lots are analysed for both germination percentage and germination rate, measured as Germination Index. The method we use at Carlsberg was developed at the Carlsberg Research Laboratory and is now accepted by the European Brewery Convention.

Gemination Capacity

Just after harvest, especially after a cold summer, the barley may exhibit dormancy preventing germination. Dormant barley has to be stored for a certain span of time until it has developed full germination capacity. In order to analyse the germination capacity of a barley lot just after harvest, the dormancy has to be broken. This can be done by treating the barley with hydrogen peroxide using a method developed at Carlsberg Research Laboratory.