The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Austrian r960 rye

degerrum's picture
degerrum

Austrian r960 rye

Hello, I am curious if anyone knows any sourcing info on Austrian Rye seeds.  I’m reading through Modernist Bread and they reference Austrian Rye as having unique properties that can help produce a more open crumb and chewiness similar to wheat.

This is not an indictment of American Rye, breads, or bakers.  I have a farmer looking for a rye seed to plant and over-winter here in Maine and this part of MB piqued my interest.

From what hat I can tell from discussions with other bakers and online research; the name they use, Austrian R960, probably refers to the milling process for light rye (fine ground with the bran and germ sifted).

I would appreciate any suggestions for rye varietals (and where to find them...) that have good bread characteristics: flavor, respectable falling number, and/or good Amolygraph numbers...

best,

Derek 

heino_h's picture
heino_h

Hello Derek,

according to this table

http://www.drax-muehle.de/files/user_files/download/Internationale_Mehltypen.pdf

Austrian R960 rye flour is roughly comparable to German rye flour type 1150 or 997. Maybe something between these both types.

The Austrian Artisan Baker Dietmar Kappl says R960 is like German 1150:

http://www.homebaking.at/vom-getreide-zum-gewuenschten-mehltyp-teil-2/

(scroll down to "Deutsche Mehle")

I found a receipe on this blog

http://theryebaker.com/palanga-rye/

in which a German Type 1150 Light Rye Flour is being used.

Maybe you could contact the guy who is running the rye baker blog, he has some very interesting recipes there, most of them European style and I guess he has a lot of experience with american rye flour.

But even with R960 or German 1150 you won't get an open crumb as you would with wheat, it's simply not possible because of the lack of proper proteins (Gluten).

Hope this helps a bit.

Jochen

PS: Sorry for my English, still trying hard to learn it...

JeremyCherfas's picture
JeremyCherfas

The USDA lists 107 rye cultivars that originated in Austria. https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/search.aspx

I'm not sure that the link will remember the search details, but it is easy enough to do it again. You want to search for Hordeum vulgare, and in advanced choose Country of Origin: Austria and then Improvement level: Cultivar.

Not all will be available, and not all will suit your farmer in Maine, but that's not a bad starting point.

Good luck

Jeremy

degerrum's picture
degerrum

Thanks Jeremy and Jochen! I figure I need to source 50-60lbs to plant an acre (they have 5 gram packets) but that NPGS site is amazing!

 

JeremyCherfas's picture
JeremyCherfas

An acre is an awful lot to commit to. Maybe you should work with your farmer to select, say, 10 different ryes to trial, then plant the 5g and see which ones do best. You'll have enough for an acre at about the same time you decide which one you want to work with.

degerrum's picture
degerrum

good point Jeremy.  As my farmer is planting rye this winter, I guess I was hopeful ng to find something with good bread character to plant right away.  Im a baker, I just want some flour now!  

Getting some varieties, doing tests, and being patient does seem like a worthwhile process...

Mini Oven's picture
Mini Oven

Very interesting! I typed in Roggen Austria.  And got 33 cultivars

https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/search.aspx

also typed in local seed distributors for my area:  

https://www.lagerhaus.at/saatgut-roggen+2500+3181714

The map just shows locations of Lagerhaus stores.  The article is their recommendation for top performers.  Mutterkorn or Ergot is a concern so these seem to be most resistant.  Proper cleaning of the harvested crop is important.