Six-rowed barley
| Title | Info |
|---|---|
| Common name | Barley, Six-rowed |
| Scientific name | Hordeum vulgare |
| Taxonomic group | Poaceae |
| Source | Dan L. Perlman |
| Economic botany | Food plants; Fermented products |
| Food plants | Grains and cereals |
| Keywords | Gramineae; Hordeum hexastichon according to some botanists |
Barley. One of the oldest cultivated plants, barley was first domesticated about 10,000 years ago in southwestern Asia, in the Fertile Crescent. It is used for feeding animals, for creating malt, and for human food. To create malt, the seeds are allowed to germinate, then dried and cooked a bit. When water is added, the mixture can ferment. To create beer one adds hops; otherwise, fermented barley can be distilled into vodka, gin, or whiskey. Both six- and two-rowed forms of barley exist; this is the six-rowed form.
