Climate change affects beer production too

Beer production, a highly appreciated "food," is directly impacted by climate change. This news might greatly concern beer-loving souls, especially those of the more sensitive kind. In the coming years, climate change will increasingly affect hop growers in the major European regions known for cultivating this essential ingredient in beer production, according to a study. Both the quantity of harvested hops and its alpha acid content, which is crucial for the bitter taste of beer, will be significantly reduced. The international team behind the study, published in the scientific journal Nature Communications, recommends immediate "adaptation measures" and considering the expansion of necessary cultivation areas.

Among the five cultivation areas studied are three cities in southern Germany, as well as two regions in the Czech Republic and Slovenia. Researchers anticipate a one-third reduction in alpha acid per hectare of cultivated land from 2021 to 2050, compared to the period from 1989 to 2018. In Hallertau, Germany - the most important hop cultivation area in Europe - acid levels are expected to decrease by almost 40%. The research team, led by Martin Mozny from the Academy of Sciences in Brno, Czech Republic, has noted significant reductions in recent harvests. They attribute this situation primarily to rising temperatures and reduced precipitation. While the study has received some criticism from local hop cultivation experts, some have observed changes in alpha acid content. "This is in line with our personal experience," said Erich Lehmair of the German Hop Growers Association (HVG Germany). Thomas Raiser, CEO of the world's largest hop merchant, BarthHaas, firmly believes that new varieties and cultivation methods will make it possible to maintain competitiveness in hop cultivation in southern Germany.