From Field to Glass: Why We Stick with the “Lead Guitarist” of Beer

If beer were a four-piece rock band, hops would undoubtedly be the flashy frontman taking centre stage. But every great frontman needs a powerhouse backing them up. Enter malting barley—the lead guitarist of the band.

It’s the barley that provides the driving rhythm, the heavy lifting, and the deep, rich soul that holds the whole track together. Without it, you’ve just got a lot of noise and no substance.

Recently, Hook Norton’s own Dave and Ed were invited by our long-standing partners, Simpsons Malt, to a Maris Otter Day in Cambridgeshire. They headed out into the East Anglian countryside to visit two farms dedicated to growing this premium barley, getting a firsthand look at the passion—and the challenges—behind our favourite ingredient.

The Modern Battle for Premium Barley

Glancing out over a beautiful field of British barley, it’s easy to forget how tough modern farming has become. Our agricultural partners are facing a perfect storm of challenges:

• Unpredictable Weather: Shifting climates are narrowing harvest windows.

• Skyrocketing Costs: Fertiliser prices have spiked by well over 25% this year alone.

• Strict Regulations: The 21st-century regulatory landscape makes licensing new, effective insecticides incredibly difficult.

Because of this, many farmers are looking away from traditional brewing grains. Some are turning their land over to solar farms, while others are shifting to Anaerobic Digestion (AD) crops like maize, grass, and oilseeds to fuel green energy.

It makes the dedicated farmers who stick with malting barley true heroes in our book.

Why Hooky Chooses Maris Otter

Premium beer demands premium ingredients. That is why Hook Norton Brewery proudly sticks with Maris Otter barley.

To be fair to modern, high-yield barley varieties, Maris Otter actually produces slightly lower extract yields per tonne. But honestly? We will gladly trade a bit of volume for the legendary, premium flavour our customers expect when they order a pint of Hooky.

“We’ll gladly trade a lower yield for the premium flavour our customers recognise in our beers.” James Clarke, Managing Director, Hook Norton Brewery

Here is exactly what Maris Otter brings to your glass:

• Superior Flavour & Body: Unlike modern, neutral pale malts, Maris Otter delivers a robust, mid-mouth body, a lingering malt sweetness, and distinct, complex biscuit or cracker-like notes.

• Exceptional Clarity: It boasts an excellent husk volume, which creates a brilliant natural filter bed during the brewing process (lautering). This makes wort separation smooth and helps our finished beers clear up quickly—a non-negotiable trait for top-tier cask ale.

• Reliable Consistency: Thanks to carefully controlled growing and seed reselection in the UK, this heritage variety is prevented from degrading, ensuring reliable performance harvest after harvest.

A Partnership Built to Last

After a fascinating day talking shop in the fields, Dave and Ed headed back to Simpsons Malt for a tour of their state-of-the-art maltings site at Tivetshall—one of their two premier locations in the UK.

Hook Norton Brewery has been proudly sourcing from Simpsons Malt since 1992. Seeing the care they put into their craft only reinforces why we do what we do. We’ve shared over three decades of brewing history together, and we thoroughly look forward to our continued association, ensuring the next pint of Hooky you pour is just as exceptional as the last.

Cheers to the farmers, the maltsters, and the lead guitarist of great British beer!