Beer may lose its fizz as CO2 supplies go flat during pandemic

Reuters ^ | April 18, 2020 6:08 AM | Stephanie Kelly, Lisa Baertlein

[Olog-hai]

Dwindling supplies of carbon dioxide from ethanol plants is sparking concern about shortages of beer, soda and seltzer water — essentials for many quarantined Americans.

Brewers and soft-drink makers use carbon dioxide, or CO₂, for carbonation, which gives beer and soda fizz. Ethanol producers are a key provider of CO₂ to the food industry, as they capture that gas as a byproduct of ethanol production and sell it in large quantities.

But ethanol, which is blended into the nation’s gasoline supply, has seen production drop sharply due to the drop in gasoline demand as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Gasoline demand is down by more than 30% in the United States.

The lack of ethanol output is disrupting this highly specialized corner of the food industry, as 34 of the 45 U.S. ethanol plants that sell CO₂ have idled or cut production, said Renewable Fuels Association Chief Executive Geoff Cooper. …

[xp38]

home brewing makes an uptick

[ClearCase_guy]

The solution:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Real_ale

[Damifino]

I have some in the fermenter and some finished beer in the fridge. Real beer has no use for CO2.

[PA Engineer]

Air Products and Chemicals?

[Bob434]

[[CO2 supplies go flat during pandemic]]

burn more tires! We’re experiencing CO2 starvation- Everyone do your part- burn all those old tires that are lying around- your country needs you!

[Steely Tom]

No CO₂ supplies? Does anyone see the almost mind-bending contradiction here? Normally the MSM is screaming about too much CO₂, that this essential plant nutrient is going to cause global warming that will turn the world into a burning ball of fire, to quote Al Gore.

Well, actually Rush Limbaugh's comedy version of Al Gore, but you know what I mean.

[rockinqsranch]

“Real beer has no use for CO2.”

Right on.

[xp38]

Greta will chime in with a How Dare You!!!

[Da Coyote]

Oh the huge manatees.

[Yogafist]

Real beer has no use for CO2.

---

There you go. I kegged a lager just at this was starting, but it's getting low. Looking to make something to hold me over and then start another lager since they take so long.

[over3Owithabrain]

We’ve been using a kegerator at home. It’s great! Just went through a keg of Sweetwater 420, now gonna go cheap and get a keg of PBR

[Bob434]

I’ll burn a tire in her honor

[Larry Lucido]

Must be running out of CO, what with all the folks getting “RONA” instead of “CORONA” all of a sudden.

[faithhopecharity]

USA.
we put men on the moon
but we can’t put TP on the shelf

and now
we can’t even put fizz in our beer??
WTF?!

As David lamented over Saul and Jonathan: “The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are the mighty fallen!” 2 Samuel 1:19

[Yogafist]

Out here in Southern California high end craft breweries are selling kegs ridiculously cheap. You can get 1/6 kegs from Golden Road for $60.00.

[JonPreston]

There goes breakfast

[Olog-hai]

What’s with the left and toilet paper shortages?

[jeffc]

So beer in the olden days had no fizz?

[Bommer]

What’s with the left and toilet paper shortages?
Its because they produce so much sh!t, that they cant keep up with themselves! Killing trees to wipe their ideas away!