Summary
The worldwide hops shortage and record increases in malt barley prices first hit NH brewers last fall, and not only are brewers scrambling to secure key ingredients, in some cases they are actually changing recipes to adapt to the new market realities. The crop shortages and price hikes have mostly affected small breweries (those producing fewer than 2 million barrels), microbreweries (those producing fewer than 15,000 barrels) and brewpubs (establishments selling more than 25 percent of their beer on site), all of which use more hops and barley for flavor and aroma than large breweries, says Paul Gotta, director of the Brewers Association. A number of factors have contributed to the worldwide hops shortage, according to brewers, including severe weather conditions worldwide, and farmers switching from hops and barley crops to growing more profitable agricultural products like corn for ethanol.
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Extract
Trouble Brewing
New Hampshire brewers are being forced to swallow a bitter pilsner as prices for two of the main ingredients of beer - hops and barley malt - are rising as they become scarce. The worldwide hops shortage and record increases in malt barley prices first hit NH brewers last fall, and not only are brewers scrambling to secure key ingredients, in some cases they are actually changing recipes to adapt to the new market realities.
For beer drinkers, kicking back with a frosty one on a hot summer day will cost them 30 to 50 cents more a pint, or a buck mo...See the full content of this document
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