What is the difference between 2-row and 6-row barley?

On a 2-row barley ear, only the central floret at each node is fertile, so it produces one large, plump grain per node. On a 6-row ear, three florets are fertile on alternating sides, giving six rows of smaller grains. 2-row barley yields plumper, lower-protein grain with a better starch-to-husk ratio, which is why it is preferred for premium malting and brewing.

Why do brewers prefer 2-row barley?

2-row barley produces more fermentable sugars and contains less protein, with a better starch-to-husk ratio than 6-row. That gives higher extract, cleaner flavour and better brewing performance, making 2-row the standard for premium beer.

What is the difference between malting barley and feed barley?

Malting barley is selected, low-protein, high-germination grain destined to be malted and brewed into beer. Feed barley is used for animal feed and has looser quality requirements. Only specific malting varieties can be used to make malt for beer.

What is the difference between covered and hulless barley?

Covered (hulled) barley keeps its husk (lemma and palea) and is used for beer and animal feed; the husk acts as a natural filter bed during brewing. Hulless (naked) barley has no adhering husk and is used mainly for human food such as bread and pasta.

2-Row vs 6-Row Barley: Types of Barley Explained

Knowledge › 2-row vs 6-row barley

Not all barley is created equal. The way grains are arranged on the ear, whether the grain keeps its husk, and when the crop is sown all determine what a given barley is good for — and, above all, whether it can become malt for beer. Here's how the main types of barley differ, and why brewers and maltsters care.

2-row vs 6-row barley: the core difference

A barley ear is built from nodes, and at each node sit florets that can become grains. The number that actually develops is what separates the two great families of barley:

2-row barley (Hordeum distichum): only the central floret at each node is fertile, so the ear carries two rows of large, plump grains. It is the older type, closest to wild barley, and the gold standard for malting.
6-row barley (Hordeum hexastichum): three florets are fertile on alternating sides of each node, producing six rows of smaller grains. It is more modern and yields more grains per ear, but of lower individual quality for brewing.

(A rarer intermediate form, 4-row Hordeum tetrastichum, also exists.) Here is how the two compare:

Feature	2-row (distichous)	6-row (hexastichous)
Grains per node	1 (central floret fertile)	3 on alternating sides
Typical ear	5–10 cm, ~16 nodes, ~27 grains	7–10 cm, ~15 nodes, ~50 grains
Grain	Larger, plumper, thinner/tighter husk	Smaller
Protein	Lower	Higher
Main use	Malting / premium beer	Feed; some traditional beer styles
Also called	Malting barley, hulled barley	Common barley, horse barley

Why brewers prefer 2-row barley

2-row barley is the most suitable for beer for several connected reasons. It produces more fermentable sugars and contains less protein, and it offers a better starch-to-husk ratio than 6-row. More starch relative to husk means more extract (sugar) per tonne; lower protein means a cleaner, less hazy beer and fewer off-flavours. In short, 2-row delivers better brewing properties — which is why it commands a premium and dominates the world's malting-barley trade.

In one line: 2-row barley = plumper, lower-protein grain with more extract → the standard for premium malt and beer. 6-row = more grains but smaller and higher-protein → mostly feed and some traditional styles.

Malting barley vs feed barley

Cutting across the 2-row/6-row split is the most commercially important distinction of all: what the grain is destined for.

Malting barley is carefully selected grain — low protein, plump, with very high germination — grown from specific malting varieties and intended to be malted and brewed. Only malting varieties can legally and practically be turned into brewer's malt.
Feed barley (also "caballine" or horse barley) goes to animal nutrition and has looser specifications. Roughly half of some countries' crops (including Argentina's) is feed barley and half malting.

The same field can yield either: a malting crop that fails to meet protein or germination specs is simply downgraded and sold as feed.

Covered vs hulless barley

Barley is also classified by whether the grain keeps its husk:

Covered (hulled) barley keeps the husk (lemma and palea) fused to the grain. The husk is essential in brewing — it forms a natural filter bed during lautering — so covered barley is what's used for beer (and for animal feed).
Hulless (naked) barley threshes free of its husk and is used mainly for human food: bread, pasta and other products.

Winter vs spring barley

Finally, barley is grouped by its growth cycle:

Winter barley is sown in autumn (often late September/October) and harvested the following summer. Winter barleys dominate in countries such as France.
Spring barley (called tremesina in some regions) is sown in spring for a shorter cycle. Much of the world's finest malting barley — including classic UK spring varieties — is spring-sown.

A quick history of the two types

2-row barley is the older form, appearing around 9,000 years ago in the Near East and closely resembling wild barley (Hordeum spontaneum). 6-row barley emerged later, roughly 6,000–7,000 years ago, with finds in Egypt and Mesopotamia. Both are diploid (2n = 14 chromosomes). For the full story, see our guide to malting barley.

→ Malting barley varieties by country → How barley becomes malt → Where the world's barley grows