Use barley as a usually uncountable grain word, and specify malted barley, pearl barley, or barley feed when the form matters.
Common mistakes
Three barleys treats the grain as separate countable items, but English usually says barley or gives a measure such as three bags of barley.
Etymology
From Old English bærlic, originally an adjective meaning “of barley” or “barley-like,” from bere, an older word for barley.
FAQ
What is barley?
Barley is a cereal grass and its edible grain, used for food, malt, and animal feed.
Is barley the same as wheat?
No. Barley and wheat are different cereal grains with different uses, texture, and processing.
What is barley used for?
Barley is used in soups, porridges, breads, brewing malt, whisky production, and livestock feed.
What is malted barley?
Malted barley is grain that has been germinated and dried so its starches can help make fermentable sugars.
Is barley countable?
Usually no. Say barley for the grain in general, or use measures such as a bag of barley.
Does barley contain gluten?
Yes. Barley contains gluten and is not suitable for people who must avoid gluten.
Comments & contributions
Know this word from another angle? Add a correction, a nuance, or a usage note. New posts go public after a quick review.
Newest
Top
Active
Sandy Kiwi
yesterday
my family only ever said pearl barley, never just barley. maybe because it was always going into soup?
1
Reply
Midnight Macaw
2 days ago
В русском ячмень is also a stye on the eye. useful to remember, mildly cursed lol
0
Reply
Quirky Raven
2 days ago
In Singapore, barley water is just normal drink-stall stuff. Usually sweet, sometimes lemon or pandan, very cold if youre lucky
0
Reply
Dusty Penguin
6 days ago
mugicha in summer is the best barley thing imo. roasted, cold, no caffeine, tastes like someone turned toast into tea
1
Reply
Contribution
Marble Ferret
Jul 7
Small old-word rabbit hole: a barleycorn can mean a single grain, but it was also a length measure, about a third of an inch. Same image, totally different use.
1
Reply
Contribution
Dapper Lynx
Jul 1
Barleywine confused me for years. It is beer, a strong ale, not grape wine, so you find it next to stouts and old ales, not in the wine aisle.
2
Reply
Contribution
Neat Yak
Jun 30
Two-row and six-row are literal rows on the barley head, not grades of quality. Beer people argue about them because six-row often has more enzyme power for adjunct heavy mashes.
3
Reply
Contribution
Olive Camel
Jun 29
Brewers use flaked barley differently from malted barley. In stout recipes it is there for foam, body, mouthfeel, not really to behave like another pale malt.
4
Reply
Contribution
Glad Ferret
Jun 27
For celiac people, the sneaky word is malt. Malt vinegar, malt extract, malted milk, even brewer's yeast on some lists can point back to barley, not only wheat.
7
Reply
Contribution
Hazel Dingo
Jun 21
barley flour is not a straight wheat flour replacement for bread. It has gluten, yes, but it doesnt build a tall loaf the way wheat gluten does, so bakers normally mix it with wheat flour
5
Reply
Contribution
Smoky Nightingale
Jun 19
In a lot of US supermarkets, a bag just called barley is usually pearl barley. If you want the whole grain version, look for hulled or hulless on the label.
6
Reply
Contribution
Swift Tapir
Jun 19
If a recipe says hulled barley, dont swap in pearl and expect the same timing. Pearl is polished and quicker, hulled stays chewy for ages, more like a wheat berry.