Kaksirivisellä

Kaksirivisellä is a Finnish term that translates to "double-rowed" or "two-rowed" in English. It is primarily used in agricultural contexts, particularly when referring to barley varieties. Barley, a cereal grain, is classified by the number of rows of grains on its spike. Kaksirivisellä barley, or two-rowed barley, has two distinct rows of kernels arranged symmetrically along the ear. This is in contrast to kuusirivisellä (six-rowed) barley, which has six rows.

The distinction between two-rowed and six-rowed barley is significant for agricultural purposes and for the characteristics of the resulting grain. Two-rowed barley typically has larger, plumper grains and a lower protein content compared to six-rowed varieties. This makes it generally preferred for malting, the process used to produce malt for brewing beer and distilling spirits. The larger grains and lower protein contribute to a higher yield of fermentable sugars during the malting process.

In Finland and other Nordic countries, two-rowed barley varieties have historically been important crops, adapted to the shorter growing seasons. The term "kaksirivisellä" is thus a common descriptor in discussions about barley cultivation, brewing, and agricultural research in these regions. It signifies a specific botanical characteristic with direct implications for crop quality and its end uses.