The presented work examines the rolling shear properties of beech wood for the novel application as cross-layers in hybrid cross-laminated timber. Rolling shear modulus and strength of beech were determined by three different approaches: i) two-plate shear tests on single beech board slabs, and ii) compression shear and iii) bending tests on hybrid CLT specimens based on the test methods defined in EN 16351. The CLT specimens were cut from two industrially manufactured hybrid three-layered CLT-plates with a beech cross-layer and spruce outer layers. The rolling shear modulus results obtained from the single board tests and the bending tests agreed well and were within the range of 350 - 370 N/mm². The characteristic rolling shear strength obtained from the bending tests was determined as 2.6 N/mm², where the failure was often governed by longitudinal shearing of the spruce laminations. Hybrid CLT-plates demonstrate a highly improved strength and deflection behaviour versus homogenous spruce CLT-plates and result in not only a mechanically superior product but also allow for a greatly simplified design approach.