Western Australia’s new national pilot malting facility a brew for success, Redman
Author: Terry Redman
Published on: 13-May-2011
Agriculture and Food Minister Terry Redman today officially opened a new national pilot malting facility in Perth which will help sell Australian barley to overseas customers.
Mr Redman said the $500,000 state-of-the-art facility, co-located at Edith Cowan University’s (ECU) Malting and Brewing Research and Education Facility in Joondalup, was the first of its kind in Australia.
“Western Australian agriculture is very export focused, and it’s critical that we supply our overseas customers what they want,” he said.
“This new national pilot malting facility will help barley growers achieve that by improving the performance of Australia’s malting varieties and tailoring them to international demands.”
The Minister said another major challenge for barley growers was convincing customers to try new varieties.
“This new national facility is designed to simulate commercial malting practice, but on a smaller scale,” Mr Redman said.
“Its operation will enable a better understanding of technical performance of Australian malting barley varieties and demonstrate to our customers that our barley will suit their needs.
“Canada is one of our major competitors in the malting barley market and has used pilot malting very effectively. We would expect similar success in Perth for our own industry.”
The new national pilot malting facility is an initiative of the Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia, and a joint project with ECU. It will be managed within the university’s brewing science teaching programs.
The facility will also provide technical marketing support for companies selling Australian malting barley and malt and assist with educational opportunities for customers.
Western Australia supplies about one third of Australia’s malting barley and about 80 per cent of this is exported.
