Looming Worldwide Beer Shortage Another Effect of Global Warming
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 04.10.08
Photo credit: dyobmit
A perfect storm is brewing, coming together with the potential to create a shortage in the world's beer supply. In addition to an ongoing hops shortage, which we first reported last year, failed barley crops are causing further concern in the beer brewing industry, and we can chalk it up to the effects of global warming.
According to Jim Salinger, a climate scientist at New Zealand's National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, the warming globe will likely cause a decline in the production of malting barley, which, when combined with the scarcity of hops right now, stands to have a profound and negative impact on the world's beer supply starting now, and for decades to come.
"It will mean either there will be pubs without beer or the cost of beer will go up," Salinger told the Institute of Brewing and Distilling convention. Though Salinger spoke only of the direct effects on Australia and New Zealand, similar effects could be expected worldwide. He said climate change could cause a drop in beer production within 30 years, especially in parts of Australia, as dry areas become drier and water shortages worsen.
"It will provide a lot of challenges for the brewing industry," even forcing breweries to look at new varieties of malt barley as a direct result of climate change, Salinger said.
Yikes. Beer drinkers are already paying for it, in places like Portland, Oregon, and beer brewers like the Boston Beer Company are changing their brewing practices and even selling off some of their hops to other small breweries.
Though there's been at least one case of global warming helping beer production in a small (and kind of silly) way, the warming globe is also negatively affecting whiskey production and could yield explosive results elsewhere; in short, as Salinger said, “It’s already happening and will get worse." So savor your next pint and read more at ::Beverage World and the ::Daily Star
See also: ::German Biofuels Incentives Drive Up the Price of Beer, ::Microbreweries Hopping Mad Over Biofuels and ::Global Warming Beer: Greenland Brews with Melting Ice Cap
No not my beer...i gave up soda for beer (for the health benefits of course)...what can i give beer up for...o the conundrum of global warming
Not the beeeerrrr. Look, we are going to fry or not. You don’t have to believe in Global Warming to do something about it. I am a social scientist – I believe in wonky science. But even if we don’t know all the facts yet – do we really want to take the chance of doing nothing? I’ll play it safe thanks. But what about a few ideas on what to do if it heats up beyond what we can handle? Can something like the polar cities idea work? http://angryafrican.net/2008/04/09/heating-up-time-to-worry/
Looks like people will have to chose between drinking or driving. I expect the automobile will get the worst of that battle,
Drink something else.
Maybe this will finally hit close enough to home to motivate Joe Sixpack into some kind of climate-related action.
Beer is on my "cheat list" for non-local food/beverages! So's wine!
!!!!!!!
We Belgians will go to war if our beer supply is threatened. You've been warned. One of the things I like about being Belgian is that I can drink any kind of beer you can imagine, and it still being a local product!
"Drink something else."
Ha..............Ha, ha, ha, ha..........ROFLMAO!!!!!!
Drink something else?
It's the source of all my calories.
Well that's a buzz kill in every sense of the term.
This definitely motivates me into some kind of climate related action.
I'm devoting half my acreage to hops and barley.
Climate and beer have little to do with each other.
other than if its cold you drink it dark and strong
if it's hot outside something lighter is better.
If its real hot drink water. If all possible homebrew
and save money.
If someone can tell me how to homebrew a Guinness, I'd looooove to know! (really!)
Seriously though, this should be a wakeup call for those who aren't awake yet. It's not as if barley would be the only crop that will face reduced yields.
i'm glad someone made the buzzkill joke.
i hate hoppy beers, but i will not be reduced to drinking bathtub miller lite.
www.homesweethomebrew.com has great starter kits
I make my own guiness. I have been making beer since I was 17! (screw waiting till I am 21, I make my own booze)
Thanks for posting that link Donato. I always thought it would be too difficult to brew your own Guinness. Very intriguing. I'll have to read up and give it a try!
IIRC, guinness gets that slight tang by having a small amount of the last batch added after it's allowed to go sour (and pasteurized).
but regular homebrewing of a similar stout produces a fine brew.