Climate Change Threatens Your Favourite Pilsner, Lager and Pale Ale
Key Highlights :
Climate change is a rapidly growing threat to the world, with its effects becoming more and more visible in our everyday lives. Now, experts from the Czech Academy of Sciences have warned that our favourite beers could be at risk too.
The study suggests that some of Europe’s most prominent beer-producing regions are expected to experience a large reduction in both the amount of hops they produce, and their quality. This could lead to price increases or even supply shortages, scientists said.
Beer is made from water, barley, yeast and hops. Hops, which are used for flavour, contain compounds called alpha acids that give beer its unique bitter aroma and also affect its quality. Researchers collected data on beer hop yield and alpha content between 1971 and 2018 from 90 per cent of the European beer hop growing regions in Germany, Czechia and Slovenia.
They discovered that compared to before 1994, hops now start ripening 20 days earlier. This shifts the critical ripening period towards the warmer part of the season, which has a negative impact on the alpha acid content. Analysis also reveals that hop production has declined by almost 0.2 tonnes per hectare per year, and the alpha bitter content has decreased by about 0.6 per cent.
By combining past data with climate models, the researchers estimate that beer hops yield could be reduced by up to 18 per cent, and alpha acid content could be reduced by up to 31 per cent, by 2050. The largest declines are expected to occur in the southern hop growing regions such as Tettnag in southern Germany and Celje in Slovenia.
Dr Martin Mozny, who worked on the study, explained that if the alpha content of aromatic hops drops, more hop heads are then needed for production. 'This means more expensive inputs for beer production,' he said. 'The taste is not affected, only the price. 'The availability of hops to brewers is already a problem due to more frequent crop failures. Our simulations show that the situation will worsen, hence the risk of a shortage on the market. 'Production of some premium or craft beers would have to be curtailed due to shortages.'
The authors, from the Czech Academy of Sciences, said traditional beer hop farming practices need to adapt to alleviate the negative effects of climate change. They said that in addition to water, malting barley and yeast, a much more expensive hop is needed to give beer its incomparable taste. Changes in alpha bitter acids affect the quality of hops, and there has been a recent change in consumer preference towards beer aromas and flavours that heavily depend on high-quality hops.
Climate change is a real and present threat to our favourite beers, and it’s up to us to ensure that we take the necessary steps to protect them. Traditional beer hop farming practices need to be adapted and improved to ensure that our favourite Pilsner, Lager and Pale Ale beers remain available and of the highest quality.
