Grains Australia announces annual malting barley evaluation results – no new malt accreditations, three varieties make it through Stage One

The Grains Australia Malting and Brewing Industry Barley Technical Committee (MBIBTC) recently announced the results of the 2025 malting barley evaluation results.

For the first time in many years there weren’t any new varieties accredited from the 2025 assessments, although there were three varieties making it through the Stage One accreditation phase.

Stage Two accreditation update

Titan AX, an AGT variety, was reported to have had insufficient grain available for full testing and will be evaluated again in 2026

AGT Spirit, another AGT variety, also had insufficient grain and will be evaluated in 2026, and finally

Spinnaker, a variety bred by the French breeder Secobra, will also be evaluated in 2026 on account of insufficient grain available for evaluation in 2025

Stage One accreditation update

AGT Bunyip IA (AGTB0530) successfully completed Stage One and will proceed into Stage Two evaluation trials in 2026

RGT Atlantis will also progress for Stage Two evaluation in 2026

Rocket CL (IGB22023T) completed Stage One accreditation but due to limited seed availability will undertake Stage Two evaluation in 2027

Soldier CL (IGB22117T) has had its assessment announcment delayed until May 2026

There were two new varieties accepted into the classification program for Stage One assessment in 2026:

AGT’s clearfield variety, AGTB0836, and

Intergrain’s IGB24053

It is not unusual for a variety’s accreditation to be delayed because of seed availability, illustrating the difficulty breeders have bulking up new lines, but it is unusual that the total cohort is affected.