Shortage of beer ingredients may mean higher prices

The Seattle Times ^ | 11-09-2007 | Shannon Dininny

[BigTex5]

Small brewers from Australia to Oregon face the daunting prospect of tweaking their recipes or experimenting less with new brews thanks to a worldwide shortage of one key beer ingredient and rising prices for others.

[Yo-Yo]

It can be done, but I'm not sure you'd like the results.

[Clint N. Suhks]

Speaking of beer, have you tried the new Heineken Draft Mini Keg?

It is SO good I'll never go back to any other beer ever!

[stevem]

This is a conspiracy, I tell you, on the part of Big Beer.

[knews_hound]

This is serious knews indeed.

I am getting ready to brew my Christmas Stout and am curious what the cost of nearly 50 pounds of grain will be up to.

The IPA I made a few weeks ago was about the same price as it has always been.

Has anyone noticed an actual increase in price yet?

I suspect that the specialty grains homebrwewers use are already jacked up in price compared to volume users that we may get a pass on most of the increase.

I did notice however that Hops went up in price a bit.  That IPA used almost 14 ounces and it was pricey, but oh so worth it.

On or off the Homebrewers Ping List let me know.

Cheers,

knewshound

Brew Your Own

[BOBTHENAILER]

Ethanol strikes again. The glow-bull warming scam will bury us all, early.

The only upside to Ethanol, is that the Eth-heads and beer drinkers can now mix a little PURE shine and make the kool-aid and beer go a little further.

[TenthAmendmentChampion]

Courtesy GW ping

[ErnBatavia]

My bro runs My Brew Heaven (home brewery and winemaking supplies) in Georgia...mailed him the link to this thread, and here's his reply:

Yep, it's all true. I've been seeing a whole lot of price escalation from our various wholesalers. My order for Hops this week was virtually unfilled because of shortages. Beer will be gettin' more 'spensive for Joe Sixpack!

[TenthAmendmentChampion]

It wasn’t a pun, it was a metaphor, and your username is very appropos.

[evets]

All the hops went here:

[Tarpon]

Aye, hadn’t thought of that ... LOL

[RightWhale]

The last time I drank beer it was $2 a case, plus deposit. Guess it’s been a while. But your generic PX beer is giving me the creeps just looking at the picture.

[ErnBatavia]

see my 47 also...

[A. Morgan]

Sorry, I haven’t... I only drink O’doul’s Amber due to all of the medications I’m taking.

[50mm]

Courtesy GW ping

Maybe we should start a Global Warming Hysteria Consequences ping list. ;-)

[TenthAmendmentChampion]

That list would probably fit every thread on FR!

[Paladin2]

There’s always rice.

[TenthAmendmentChampion]

Is it cheaper to brew your own? I can see that it would be a lot better quality if you knew what you were doing.

[Swiss]

Ethanol is Evil Hysteria

**Since less corn is available for livestock feed, meat and dairy prices will soon be skyrocketing.**

There is a surplus of corn, I think even the soybean crop (the crop most farmers would switch to producing corn) is coming in strong last time I heard the farm report. If the price of wheat and barley is good then next year more farmers will grow wheat and barley instead of corn

[knews_hound]

I noticed that selection was sparse to say the least.

My supplier had zero loose leaf hops, only pellets and the selection was iffy at best.

I may have to break down and grow my own this year.

Thats what I need, another hobby; Hop Grower.

My wife is gonna kill me.

Cheers,

knewshound

[BigTex5]

Yes. I just started with a simple Mr. Beer brewing kit. For about $13 you can make 8 liters of beer. I have a double set up, so every 3 weeks I rotate things out. You also don’t just have to brew beer, they got a killer root beer receipe and users are always posting their favorites in the forum.