Maris Otter

Maris Otter is a two-row, autumn sown[1] variety of barley commonly used in the production of malt for the brewing industry.

It was introduced in 1966 and quickly became a dominant variety in the 1970s due to its low nitrogen and superior malting characteristics.

By the late-1980s the variety had become unpopular with large breweries and it was removed from the UK National List in 1989.

[3] In the 1980s Maris Otter usage began to decline for a number of reasons, including: compromised genetic purity caused by cross pollination and improved competition from other varieties.

It is very popular both in homebrewing circles and among traditional real ale breweries, many of whom note their exclusive use of Maris Otter in their promotional literature.