A Norfolk brewery is set to revive an ancient East Anglian folk tradition as it looks to grow and malt its own barley.
Grain Brewery owner Phil Halls (left) with farmer Richard Bond. Photograph: Arthur Cragmore-Smyth
Grain Brewery, based in Alburgh, is nestled in the heart of barley growing country and will host the Blessing of the Barley Queen, a Waveney Valley tradition that crowns a Barley Queen to bless the spring crops.
According to local folklore, the Blessing of the Barley Queen took place after the spring equinox when a local lady
‘mature in years and wisdom’ was chosen as the Barley Queen to bestow her blessings on the crops, calling on the
four elements of nature. As is often the case, the event was followed by a drinking celebration.
Grain Brewery will host it first Blessing of the Barley Queen event — the first in decades — on Saturday, 27th April.
Jennifer Mead, who lives in Alburgh, has been chosen as this year’s Barley Queen. She will bless the brewery’s first
crop of home-grown barley in a field by the village church, before a celebration back at the brewery.
“We’re reviving the Blessing of the Barley Queen to have a bit of fun at the brewery, but also to celebrate the farming community of the area and the fact that later this year we will malt our own barley to produce a born in Alburgh, brewed in Alburgh beer,” said brewery owner Phil Halls.
“Barley has been grown at South Farm, where we are based, for many years, but with our own malting equipment, we
will, for the first time, be able to brew beer from the farm’s barley.
The Bond family, who have worked South Farm for generations, are very excited by the idea, and have dedicated a half-acre of crop, growing in front of Alburgh Church, for the project – and it sits on the St Michael and St Mary ley line. To grow the barley, brew the beer, and then enjoy a pint of it at the taproom, all within a mile of each other will be a special experience.
“To make sure the barley grows to its very best, we are reviving this medieval tradition that we understand took place
in the Waveney Valley, according to historian Walter Rye, in his series of essays on Norfolk.”
On the day, the Barley Queen will bless the brewery’s crop of barley before local vicar Christopher Hutton joins her to
provide a Christian blessing. Rev Hutton said: “With the revival of the Barley Queen, it will be lovely to be part of the celebration, and as the local Rector, to add a Christian blessing of prayer for a good crop of Alburgh Barley.
Barley Queen Jennifer Mead. Photograph: Phil Halls
“Beer brewing and the Church have a long history, and it will be great to see a true Alburgh beer, from the field
overlooked by Alburgh Church.”
The newly crowned queen will then be transported from the fields by tractor, and local children are welcome to join
her in the tractor trailer, ready to arrive for an earthy celebration back at the brewery. A big welcome will await the Barley Queen, followed by food, drinks, and traditional folk music provided by the Wicked Hamptons.
Barley Queen Jennifer Mead said: “I’m really honoured to be asked to be the first Grain Brewery Barley Queen! It
should be another great tradition to add to the taproom’s calendar.
“I’ve never done anything like this before, but the team at Grain are always up for some fun whether it’s Halloween,
Christmas carols or their summer beer festival.
“Living in such a rural, spread-out village it’s been great meeting and getting to know a lot of our neighbours at the
Taproom that we may not have met otherwise. We thoroughly enjoy our visits, usually after a nice long dog walk, It’s
great to have somewhere warm and welcoming to enjoy a relaxing (and award-winning) drink or two!”
The first beer from the brewery’s micro malting will be ready in the summer. Phil said: “Our micro malting is being built from an old beer tank and will allow us to take raw barley and other grains and malt it ourselves, ready for brewing.
“The process involves us steeping the grain over time, to trick it into germinating, which releases the starch which we can then turn into sugars during the brewing process. It will be small scale, but we’ll be able to brew a few good size batches of beer from it.
“We will have to wait until after the summer harvest before we can malt our own barley and make beer from it, but in
the meantime we are talking to local farmers with interesting grains that we can work with, to brew something
special.”
The Blessing of the Barley Queen will take place on Saturday, 27th April. Grain Brewery’s taproom will be open from
noon until 7pm, with the Blessing of the Barley Queen in the fields by Alburgh church at 2.30pm. The Barley Queen
will arrive back at the brewery around 3pm, when the celebrations will begin.
