Stop by Insight Brewing on Saturday, September 30 to learn about and savor the results of path-breaking barley research from the University of Minnesota’s College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences (CFANS). The event will be held from 1– 4 p.m. and is free to attend.

The Stakman-Borlaug Center and CFANS barley researchers, along with partners Insight Brewing, University of Minnesota Extension, Sprowt Labs, and the Bell Museum of Natural History, will be offering various activities throughout the event including trivia, pollinating your own barley plants, learning how malting occurs and why it’s important, and much more. There will even be a malty and mild English-style beer brewed by Insight from barley researched, developed and harvested right on the U’s St. Paul campus.

There will be two researchers at this event who are available to speak on their work.
Brian Steffenson’s research focuses on disease resistance and utilizing genes from wild species for the enhancement and improvement of barley. Kevin Smith, who is involved with the U of M barley breeding program, focuses on creating high-yielding varieties under different conditions. Both Steffenson and Smith work closely with brewers across the state to give them the research based information they need to brew the beer they want with the taste profile they desire. Working with brewers helps the U of M breeding program understand how they can create barley that can meet particular needs of the brewers.

This event is hosted by the Stakman-Borlaug Center for Sustainable Plant Health.