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Barley Milk

Rare

Limited commercial production

A grain-based plant beverage made by processing barley with water. It is considerably less common commercially than oat, soy, almond, or rice beverages.

About Barley Milk

Barley milk is a plant-based beverage made from barley (Hordeum vulgare), one of the world's oldest cultivated cereal grains. Barley has been grown and used as a food staple for at least 10,000 years across the Middle East, Europe, and Asia. As a grain-based plant milk, barley milk sits in a similar category to oat milk, with a mild, slightly malty flavour that reflects the grain's characteristic taste.

Barley milk is produced by soaking barley grains or barley flour in water, blending, and straining the resulting liquid. Some production methods use malted barley, which has been germinated and dried to activate enzymes that break down starches into simpler sugars, producing a naturally sweeter flavour. The resulting milk is creamy, slightly sweet, and has a subtle earthiness distinct from oat or rice milk.

Barley milk has attracted growing interest due to barley's nutritional properties — particularly its beta-glucan content, a soluble dietary fibre associated with cholesterol management and heart health. Beta-glucan is present in barley grain, and some carries through into beverages depending on processing method and how much grain material is retained. However, barley milk is a less-studied beverage than oat milk, and beverage-specific beta-glucan data for barley milk are limited. Controlled research has also shown that barley and oat beta-glucan can have different metabolic effects even at similar doses, so oat milk research should not be assumed to apply equally to barley milk. Like oat milk, barley milk is not suitable for people with coeliac disease or gluten sensitivity due to barley's gluten content.

Sources & Further Reading

USDA FoodData Central — Barley, Pearled, Cooked (current search) — Current USDA database search for the named food; select the matching product/data type because formulations and database records can change.
PubMed — Cavallero et al. 2002: Oat and Barley Beta-Glucan Effects Compared — Controlled study showing oat and barley beta-glucan produce different metabolic responses even at similar doses; evidence base for oat beta-glucan claims should not be assumed to apply equally to barley milk

Nutrition

Nutritional content varies by preparation and barley concentration. Barley grain is notably high in beta-glucan fibre, and some carries through to the beverage depending on processing; no standardised beverage figures are established. Typical barley milk characteristics:

CaloriesModerate (varies)

FatLow

ProteinLow to moderate

Beta-glucanPresent

GlutenContains gluten

CalciumLow unless fortified

Barley milk contains gluten and is not suitable for people with coeliac disease or non-coeliac gluten sensitivity. Beta-glucan, a soluble fibre found in barley grain, has been associated with reduced LDL cholesterol levels. The US FDA and EFSA have approved beta-glucan health claims for barley-based products at 3g per day — however, these approvals are primarily for wholegrain barley foods rather than strained barley milk beverages, where beta-glucan content is lower and less studied.

Common Uses

◌ Plant milk drink◌ Coffee & tea◌ Smoothies◌ Baking◌ Porridge

Barley milk can be used similarly to oat milk — in coffee, tea, smoothies, and baking. Its mild malty flavour works particularly well in porridge, overnight oats, and grain-based baked goods. Malted barley milk has a naturally sweeter taste suitable for drinking on its own or adding to hot drinks. It is less neutral than oat milk and may impart subtle flavour to delicate recipes.

Interesting Facts

Barley is one of the earliest cultivated grains, with evidence of its domestication dating back approximately 10,000 years in the Fertile Crescent of the Middle East.
Beta-glucan, a soluble fibre found in barley and oats, has been approved by the US FDA and EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) for health claims related to reducing LDL cholesterol when consumed at levels of 3g per day. This claim applies to wholegrain barley foods; how much beta-glucan carries through to strained barley milk is less studied and lower than in wholegrain products.
Malted barley — barley that has been germinated and then dried — is used in beer brewing, whisky production, and malted milk drinks like Horlicks and Ovaltine.
Barley milk contains gluten, unlike most other plant milks (almond, oat is sometimes cross-contaminated, rice, coconut are naturally gluten-free).
Barley is more drought-resistant than wheat and grows in a wider range of climates, making it an important food security crop in arid regions of Africa and Asia.