April 22, 2008
Global Warming and Bad Harvests Raise Cost of Beer
First devastating weather patterns and destroyed coral reefs, then lousy harvests and global food shortages, now this: soaring beer prices. In an increasingly warmer world, precious, life-sustaining beer is becoming a luxury item. The past year has seen a drought in Australia, flooding in Germany, hailstorms in the Pacific Northwest, and lower crop yields throughout Europe – all resulting in a dramatic spike in the cost of grains and hops.
Climate scientist Dr Jim Salinger blames the drought in Australia on global warming and says rising temperatures will continue to deplete barley yields. In the U.S., a decrease in hops production has been especially damaging to microbreweries that don’t have the same leverage as major beer producers. Shane Welch, brewmaster at Six Point Craft Ales in Red Hook, predicts the cost of the most sought-after hops will skyrocket “50, 70, 120, 200 percent” in the next few years. And Kelly Taylor, brewmaster for Kelso of Brooklyn beers in Clinton Hill, tells the Post that his malt prices shot up 50 percent in one year.
In the shorter term, industry professionals are predicting a 10-15 percent price jump for the consumer. But a group of activists in Queens are getting off their duffs to try and do something about it before it’s too late. Last night the Queens County Young Democrats held a “Save the Ales” forum at the Sly Fox Inn in Fresh Meadows. They even got City Councilman James Gennaro to be the keynote speaker, though it’s unclear exactly how much ale they were able to save last night.
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Seems like the only thing going down is the dollar.
Thank you George W. Bush.
More like thank you world for consuming beyond means.
The Sly Fox is in Fresh Meadows, not Flushing Meadows.
I bet if Bush was still an alcoholic the price of beer wouldn't be a problem. Next thing you know coke prices will go through the roof as well.
BTW, is there any doubt left in anyone's mind about whether the democrats or republicans are better stewards of the economy?
Can these microbreweries hedge the price of these commodities, or that beyond the capacity of these smaller operations?
Thank you world?
Um, America has been consuming beyond it's means for 100+ years. Are you telling me that other countries don't get to consume beyond their means now that it is their time for growth?
Perhaps if Americans could stop consuming beyond their means first, the rest of the world would follow?
Ladies first of course.
Perhaps now we all have a reason to give a shit about climate change. The question is, are most people going to start doing something about it? Go on, you know you want to. Nobody hates this planet THAT much.
Lisa: Mr. Gumble, this is a girl scout meeting.
Barney: Is it? Or is it that you girl scouts can't admit that you have a problem?
Global warming, global cooling, climate change, ethanol... pick the reasons. Weather impacting crops is a pain, but it's nothing new.
The fact that world population has grown from 2.5 billion in 1950 to 6.6 billion today, and is projected to grow to 9 billion by 2050, probably isn't helping any.
Humans need to stop reproducing like crazy. The problem is not as much over consumption, as it is OVERPOPULATION.
Some countries where people can't even feed themselves are popping out too many children they can't even feed.
As a race humans we need to address the issue of uncontrolled reproduction. That too is an environmental responsibility these days.
It is time to enlighten more people with the concept of birth control.
If you can't feed yourself, you should not have children.
We can also thank the misguided religions that denounce birth control.
I am tired of seeing the TV infomercials of poor little children in 3rd world countries with flies buzzing around them starving, and some christian group telling me to send money to feed them.
Wake up christian groups... If you really want to make a difference, it is time to accept birth control as a responsible way to battle starvation. (I am not talking about abortion).
We need long term solutions.
Lowering consumption will help but, only so much when the world population is expanding at a constantly increasing rate.
Pizza_Time is totally right about this. well said!
You make very valid points Pizza_Time, but try telling the Christians that they can no longer go forth and multiply, as the Good Lord intended. Take a look at the population dynamics of Predator & Prey and that is how things will solve itself.
Perhaps China's one child policy is a solution, but that creates other problems. I'd rather not live in a society where men outnumber women 10:7. Its way too much of a sausage fest as it is.
The first sign of the Apocalypse... and so it begins.
glass half full: more expensive beer definitely has the potential to grab the attention of those who may otherwise not give a crap about global warming.
2008 Nobel Prize in Economics goes to Reality Czech. The dollar's fall is entirely the fault of George W. Bush. So I guess by 2010 Barack Obama should have 1 dollar buying three Euros. I can't wait.
has raised the cost of everything.
Well, Pizza Time, there actually was a time when overpopulation was discussed at schools. Elemetary schools, middle schools, high schools. Obviously, that is not the case today. Why? Well, the whole US economy is based on population growth (thus the immigration problem).
And who is the government to tell people how they should live their lives?
You want to sto overpopulation? Just try and convince people to stop having sex, that should do it.
If it were called "global cooling", we'd all be a-scurry to reverse it.
C'mon.
We need to overpopulate the world so we can continue to have 1. producers, 2. consumers, and 3. bodies to send to the front.
I have a tremendous vested interest in the perpetuation of human drones who will be contributing one day to my social security when I'm an old bat. And they've gotta keep buying the widgets that now pay my salary. And it's important that we have a steady supply of naifs to protect me from the "enemy".
Let's hear it for the "Keep Building, Keep Breeding Initiative"!
vhemt.org
Usually the low income families are the ones popping out with a baby every few months even though they are unable to support the child.
The price of beer is skyrocketing for a number of reasons, but to cite global warming as the primary justification is just wrong. Consider the role of corporate breweries like Anheuser Busch, who have been suppressing the price of hops for years, making the farming of such a crop entirely unsustainable. When the demand far exceeded the yield as it did last year, the prices shot up. Sure, there have been devastating droughts in the Hallertau and hailstorms in the Pacific Northwest, but take a minute to consider what corporate brewing is doing to your happy hour.