[Mefustae]

http://slashdot.org/articles/08/04/09/1243224.shtml

Climate change to impact beer: scientist

Associated Press

April 8, 2008 at 4:43 AM EDT

WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND — The price of beer is likely to rise in coming decades because climate change will hamper the production of a key grain needed for the brew — especially in Australia, a scientist warned Tuesday.

Jim Salinger, a climate scientist at New Zealand's National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, said climate change likely will cause a decline in the production of malting barley in parts of New Zealand and Australia. Malting barley is a key ingredient of beer.

“It will mean either there will be pubs without beer or the cost of beer will go up,” Mr. Salinger told the Institute of Brewing and Distilling convention.

Similar effects could be expected worldwide, but Mr. Salinger spoke only of the effects on Australia and New Zealand. He said climate change could cause a drop in beer production within 30 years, especially in parts of Australia, as dry areas become drier and water shortages worsen.

Barley growing parts of Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales would likely be harder hit than growing areas in New Zealand's South Island.

“It will provide a lot of challenges for the brewing industry,” even forcing breweries to look at new varieties of malt barley as a direct result of climate change, Mr. Salinger said.

New Zealand and Australian brewer Lion Nathan's corporate affairs director Liz Read said climate change already was forcing up the price of malted barley, sugar, aluminum and sugar.

Ms. Read said that in addition to climate change, barley growers are grappling with competition from other forms or land use, such as the dairy industry.

Today it's the beer, next time it could be the bloody footy. We're looking at a threat to our very way of life, is this not enough for us to pull together as a species and show a united front against climate change?

[Jeff Vader]

"What?! Three whole weeks with only wine? I'll go crazy!"

Srsly, though. This ought to get people concerned about these climate things.

[WeatherOp]

Reason for me to keep pumping junk into the atmosphere. 

I can see it now, "Global Warming's good side."

[Nuke]

meh, let it burn

[Rand al Thor]

Sadly/happily (as a reflection on the priorities of the human race/as a reflection on my liking for beer) it's probably going to be stuff like this that'll make people actually take individual action to prevent further globabl warming.

We like our comforts.

[SadisticSid]

"New Zealand and Australian brewer Lion Nathan's corporate affairs director Liz Read said climate change already was forcing up the price of malted barley, sugar, aluminum and sugar."

Notwithstanding that sugar is mentioned twice, what does climate change have to do with aluminium production?

[Water]

Notwithstanding that sugar is mentioned twice, what does climate change have to do with aluminium production?

Rain - Hydro power

[haloboy100]

“It will mean either there will be pubs without beer or the cost of beer will go up,”