Roasted barley is also appreciated in Italy prepared like an espresso (Caffe d'Orzo), and in Peru as a kind of cappuccino with brown sugar (Pinol).
I've somehow not come across these preparations. I like barley tea and have made it via other coffee methods. (cold brew/french press.) So I guess espresso makes some sense.
(Also thank you doodlebugging for the other link. I love sora news. I don't know if it's the cadence or playful sincerity or what.)
Instead, most barley coffee is sold in instant coffee form. Most coffee bars will do it with instant barley coffee pods and a pod adapter portafilter.
You can find actual roasted barley coffee (kernels) in supermarkets though, and make it in a moka pot or a french press
Us weaklings can’t handle espresso after lunch, or we don’t sleep.
I’m tempted to try roasting some barley myself.
That was the only practical thing I learned from my 23andme test results and it explained crappy night sleep quality when drinking coffee after 3 pm. Switching to decaf beans helped.
During fascism Italy was under embargo and couldn't import coffee.
So barley became a surrogate.
But I would not call it "appreciated", the only people drinking it do it to avoid caffeine in the afternoon, and generally they are very old.
I should avoid caffeine for health reasons and I usually drink milk with barley, it's quite a decent replacement for caffelatte