Climate change is posing challenges to the production of beer crops such as hops and barley, with extreme heat, drought, and unpredictable growing seasons impacting yields. Researchers are working with farmers to develop improved hop varieties that can withstand drought and are exploring the use of winter barley as a more resilient crop. A recent study projected that hop yields in Europe could decrease by 4-18% by 2050 due to climate change. The beer industry is also concerned about the potential scarcity of water, a crucial resource for brewing. While efforts are being made to adapt and find solutions, the impact of climate change on beer production may lead to higher prices and limited availability in the future.
Researchers and farmers are working together to develop strategies to safeguard beer production against the impacts of climate change. Extreme heat, drought, and unpredictable growing seasons are already affecting hops and barley crops, key ingredients in beer. Researchers are developing improved hop varieties that can withstand drought and experimenting with winter barley, which can be grown as a cover crop and provide local ingredients for craft breweries. However, the challenges posed by climate change may make it increasingly difficult to develop new varieties that can withstand its volatile effects, potentially impacting the availability and cost of beer in the future.
The climate crisis is impacting the production of hops, a key ingredient in beer, with major beer-producing European countries experiencing earlier ripening and reduced yields since 1994. A study warns that hop yields could decline by up to 18% by 2050, while their bitter component could decrease by up to 31% due to hotter and drier conditions. Climate change threatens the taste of beer and other commodities critical for production. The study also highlights the vulnerability of other beer ingredients, including water, barley, and yeast, to global warming. The effects of climate change on hops are likely to impact beer production in regions such as the US Pacific Northwest as well.
A new study led by the Leibniz Institute for Food Systems Biology has disproven a 20-year-old assumption about the influence of linalool, an important hop odorant, on beer aroma. The study found that the difference in odor threshold concentrations between the two molecular variants of linalool, (R)- and (S)-linalool, is only about eight to tenfold, refuting the previous assumption of an extreme difference. The research provides a better understanding of changes in beer bouquet during the brewing process and aging.
