ROSETOWN, Sask. – One of Mexico’s largest breweries is looking at using Canadian malting barley, as a sort of pinch hitter in desperate situations, said the company’s malting plant manager.
“Our crops are not too much. If we have a crop failure we may look north and I can give an opinion to the staff,” said Rosendo Rodrigues Reyes, during a recent Canadian Wheat Board malting barley tour.
Rodrigues Reyes works for Cuerveceria Cuauhetmoc S.A. de C.V., the company which makes Carta Blanca, Superior, Sol, Tecarte and Bohemia.
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Most other countries use two-row barley for their malt, but Mexican breweries want the less-expensive six-row. Rodrigues Reyes was disappointed with the lack of six-row barley in the plots.
The brewing formula at his plant calls for 45 percent malt. Because of that, it uses a barley with high diastatic power and protein levels. In Canada, breweries want low protein.
“The objectives are different,” he said.
Carlos Saux Arispe, chief of Grain Storage with Matleria Lima of Peru, said breweries there haven’t been happy with Canadian malting barley and prefer to get their extra crop from Australia.
Consistency problems
Two years ago his company bought two lots of Harrington barley, but discovered a high amount of thin grain. “This was a problem,” said Saux Arispe.
Last year his company had a problem with the consistency of Australian barley and is now looking for a reliable source.
This year it bought malting barley from Finland, Russia and
Australia.
“We don’t have relations with Canada, but maybe in the future,” he said.
