Recent research has demonstrated contributions of barley genotype to beer flavor based on the progeny of a cross between an heirloom and a more contemporary barley variety. To advance this line of research, the current study used two independent sets of barley germplasm to address the contributions of different barley genotypes to beer flavor. Pedigree, quality of malt and beer, and beer metabolomic profiles were compared within and between the two sets. Utilizing both laboratory and consumer panels, differences in sensory attributes of malt hot steeps and lager beers that are attributable to barley genotype were investigated. Genotype, in this context, is defined in the broadest sense to include experimental germplasm and released varieties. Results concur with previous studies: the two sets of barley germplasm were found to have, both within and between, distinct but subtle differences in flavor profiles of malt hot steeps and finished lager beers. Distinct metabolomic profiles, attributable to barley genotype, were detected. Further, covariation of metabolomic profiles and sensory attributes were identified using data from both sensory panels. These observations lead to the conclusion that the variable metabolites observed among the two sets of barley germplasm are a direct result of genetic differences that lead to differential chemical responses within the malting and brewing processes.

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Malted grains—principally barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) —are essential raw materials for brewing. There is an increasing demand for more sustainable crop production practices. At the same time, climate change makes it imperative to identify new production zones, systems, and crops. These demands and imperatives have stimulated interest in converting staple cereal crops, including barley, from annual to perennial growth habit. Most effort has been devoted to wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), and the most progress made in domesticating a perennial relative of wheat. These results prompt the questions: what are the prospects for developing perennial malting barley and is developing perennial malting barley the most direct path to sustainability? Malting barley is a challenge for growth habit conversion due to stringent quality parameters and the extensive infrastructure required for production, processing, and distribution. We discuss four possible paths to achieving the conversion from annual to perennial growth habit while maintaining expected levels of malting quality and agronomic performance: direct domestication, wide hybridization, manipulation of the vernalization and photoperiod sensitivity genes, and mapping annual and perennial forms of ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum L., and L. perenne. L, respectively) as a basis to identify genes conferring perenniality. We conclude that any one of these approaches would require significant, long‐term investment. Until such investment is forthcoming, we conclude that there are more cost‐effective, short‐term solutions—notably no‐till, multiple cropping, and increased emphasis on fall‐seeded barley—that could enhance the sustainability and viability of annual malting barley production.