By Blake Jackson
Cornell University’s Small Grains Breeding Program has introduced LakeEffect, the first winter malting barley developed specifically for New York’s growing craft beverage industry.
The new variety boasts high yields, strong disease resistance, and excellent malting characteristics, making it a promising choice for both farmers and brewers.
“We’re excited about LakeEffect because it couples the agronomic performance farmers want with the superior malting qualities brewers and distillers prefer,” said Mark Sorrells, professor of plant breeding and genetics at Cornell’s School of Integrative Plant Science (SIPS). Sorrells led the breeding project and emphasized the rapid development of this new variety.
“What’s truly remarkable is that we took this from first cross to commercial release in just seven years, which is incredibly fast to move a new variety to market,” he added.
LakeEffect outperforms its parent varieties, SY Tepee and Lightning, in grain yield and stands out for its resilience against several major diseases common in New York’s climate.
Gary Bergstrom, SIPS emeritus professor of plant pathology, highlighted its strong resistance to Fusarium head blight and the harmful toxin DON, as well as its ability to resist scald and powdery mildew.
“Among available varieties, LakeEffect has the highest level of resistance to Fusarium head blight and its associated contamination of grain by the fungal toxin DON,” he said. “It also resists scald and powdery mildew – two common leaf diseases that often reduce barley yields in New York.”
In terms of malting quality, LakeEffect meets key industry standards. “It offers strong malt extract potential, high kernel weight, low beta-glucan levels and well-balanced protein levels: all key attributes for quality brewing and distilling,” Siim Sepp, a doctoral student in the Sorrells Lab said. “It hits all the marks for malting quality and performance in the field.”
On-farm trials across New York led by David Benscher, a research support specialist, confirmed its adaptability. “We’re confident it is well-suited to different regions in New York,” he said.
Cornell anticipates harvesting about 100 bushels of foundation seed this summer, with certified growers planting in the fall. The first commercial crops will be available for planting in 2026.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-dleonis
Categories: New York, Crops, Education