The Price and Taste of Your Favorite Beer May Be Impacted Soon—Here's Why
Beer
Climate change has been a serious issue on our planet for decades. And as the years go by, the effects of climate change continue to grow immensely. Whether it be through stronger and more frequent storms, record breaking summer heat or ice cold winters, nobody is immune to the wrath of our planet's increasing temperature. Even beer lovers are beginning to suffer the consequences, as the latest victim to climate change appears to be the essential ingredient in craft beer: hops.
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According to a new study conducted by the reputable science journal, Nature, researchers discovered that climate change can affect the quantity and quality of hops, which are strictly harvested in relatively small regions with suitable environmental conditions. Hops are strongly affected by our planet's temperature increases and precipitation decreases, both of which are currently in a state of disarray, effectively impacting both the price and taste of your favorite craft beers.
The study predicts that harvesters will see a 4 to 18 percent decline in hops yields by 2050 and a 20 to 30-percent decline in “alpha content” as well. Alpha content is the measurement of varying levels of alpha acids which depicts the bitterness of the beer being brewed. Low-alpha beers have been on the decline for years since the rise in popularity of craft beer, with many people now preferring the flavors and aromas associated with late-summer, high-quality hops.
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When looking at the high-quality aroma hops that are harvested in Germany, Czechia and Slovenia, researchers noted a major production decrease in European hops from 1971 to 1994 and again from 1995 to 2018. This discovery was accompanied by a decrease in alpha content in addition to the fact that the growing season began 13 days earlier, which does not have a positive impact on the quality of the hops.
As droughts are projected to increase in southern and central Europe, researchers are concerned that the area in which aroma hops grow will have to increase by 20 percent in order to make up for the decrease in alpha content. This means that your favorite beers might see an increase in price and an unwelcome change in taste.
Until then though, enjoy your favorite craft beers while the flavor and aroma are still what you know and love, but you might want to mentally prepare for the impending changes due to our lovely sauna of a planet.
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