Brewing trouble: Beer on a path to become less flavourful and more expensive, thanks to climate change

After water and tea, beer ranks as one of the most widely consumed beverages globally, a fact evident through the bellies of countless beer enthusiasts. Nonetheless, popularity doesn't shield it from challenges.

A recent study has revealed that climate change is jeopardising the worldwide cultivation of aromatic hops, a crucial ingredient that imparts bitterness and a spectrum of flavours to beer. Hops are indispensable to many craft beer producers.

Hops are the green flowers of the Humulus lupulus plant, a climbing vine. Beneath the cone-shaped flowers lie sticky yellow pods, used in brewing to add aroma, flavour, and most notably, the bitterness that counterbalances the natural sweetness of malt.

There exists a multitude of hop varieties worldwide, and brewers select and combine them to achieve their desired flavour and aroma profiles. Some even use hops in cooking, albeit sparingly.

This vital component of beer is now confronting significant challenges due to the changing climate. Escalating temperatures and reduced rainfall are not only diminishing hop yields across the globe but are also diminishing the intensity of the compounds within hops.

An analysis of data from five locations in the Czech Republic, Germany, Slovakia, and Poland demonstrated that hop yields had decreased by 9.5-19.4% in most of these key hop-growing regions in Europe. Additionally, the concentration of the bitter compound, known as alpha acids, has declined in the plants.

This isn't just a transient trend; by 2050, yields are predicted to be 4-18% lower than the levels observed between 1989 and 2019. Alpha acids are also projected to drop significantly by 20-31% as temperatures rise, and droughts become more frequent and severe in the region.

Given that this crop heavily relies on a stable and moderate climate for effective growth, the research team is advocating for rapid remedial actions to aid the plant and industry in adapting. Nevertheless, if the current trend continues, it may become necessary to increase the area allocated to aroma hops by 20% to offset the anticipated declines in potency and yields, a situation the authors express concern about.

Furthermore, to maintain the same quality and flavours, hop growers will need to make additional investments in cultivation. Experts believe that this, coupled with the rising energy costs due to soaring fossil fuel prices, could lead to an increase in beer prices in the foreseeable future.