These grains are no longer commercially interesting, other grain types give a higher yield. Or they have to go through a longer process before you can use it. “For example, we have einkorn or emmer wheat and there is a husk around it,” says Wieland. “Then you first have to remove it with a special peeling machine before you can use it.”
At the Historical Crops Naturally Zeeuws foundation they don’t find this a problem and they now even make beer from it: the Zeeland Tern. It is a beer with four different historical grains. The Zeeland white wheat, a grain from 1850, the March barley, an old Dutch barley variety, the Zeeland oats and the Sint-Jans rye. “It is unique that you have four different grains in a beer,” according to Wieland.
And it doesn’t stop at brewing yourself. The foundation invites beer makers to also experiment with the ancient grains. “We really enjoy it when something is made from the grains,” says Wieland. “And if it’s something really nice, we can even market it.” So it may also be something other than brewing beer.
The beer is available at various country stores in Zeeuws-Vlaanderen, but it is only a temporary product with a limited edition. View the points of sale here.
Tags: Zeeland tern inspiration blond beer
