Beer lovers told to beware of global warming

**Southie** · 09 Apr 08,, 19:54

Beer lovers told to beware of global warming
Growing malting barley is gonna get tougher, expert warns

updated 10:58 a.m. ET, Tues., April. 8, 2008
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," Salinger told the Institute of Brewing and Distilling convention.

Similar effects could be expected worldwide, but 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, 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.

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.

NO...not the beer!!!

Although they are talking about 30 years from now!

**Parihaka** · 09 Apr 08,, 22:11

I'll be surprised if he gets out of the country alive....

**Dreadnought** · 09 Apr 08,, 22:16

We will just have to fire up the still then when times get tough.

)

**glyn** · 09 Apr 08,, 23:01

Climate change affecting Aluminium production?

**Parihaka** · 09 Apr 08,, 23:36

Originally Posted by glyn

Climate change affecting Aluminium production?

Now now Glyn, it's the Aussies that like tinnies, ours is preferred in a glass...
Be careful or I might start referring to you as an Englishman again

**Southie** · 09 Apr 08,, 23:52

Originally Posted by Parihaka

Now now Glyn, it's the Aussies that like tinnies, ours is preferred in a glass...
Be careful or I might start referring to you as an Englishman again

Straight out of the bottle for me!

**Gun Grape** · 10 Apr 08,, 01:15

Not to worry, my Aus/NZ friends. We will send you all the Budweiser and Natural Lite beer you can drink

Good beer deserves to be drank from a glass. One of the things I get kidded about, now that I've started drinking beer again.

I drink 1 beer a day. Dr told me it would help keep the kidney stones away.

Let me tell you, that first beer, after a 10 year hiatus, was damn good. Forgot just how good a Sam Adams lager taste

**glyn** · 10 Apr 08,, 13:39

Originally Posted by Parihaka

Now now Glyn, it's the Aussies that like tinnies, ours is preferred in a glass...
Be careful or I might start referring to you as an Englishman again

It's a risk I have to take, but why should climate change in any way affect aluminium production?

**Southie** · 10 Apr 08,, 13:45

Originally Posted by Gun Grape

Not to worry, my Aus/NZ friends. We will send you all the Budweiser and Natural Lite beer you can drink

Good beer deserves to be drank from a glass. One of the things I get kidded about, now that I've started drinking beer again.

I drink 1 beer a day. Dr told me it would help keep the kidney stones away.

Let me tell you, that first beer, after a 10 year hiatus, was damn good. Forgot just how good a Sam Adams lager taste

If it's a nice stout...definitely from a glass. I want to see the rich color and the nice beige foam head.

But if it's your typical Michelob or some other domesticated beer, the bottle does just fine for me!

Although I do have to admit it's been at least 10 years since I actually had a good beer. Sounds real good!!

**Dreadnought** · 10 Apr 08,, 18:21

Originally Posted by Gun Grape

Not to worry, my Aus/NZ friends. We will send you all the Budweiser and Natural Lite beer you can drink

Good beer deserves to be drank from a glass. One of the things I get kidded about, now that I've started drinking beer again.

I drink 1 beer a day. Dr told me it would help keep the kidney stones away.

Let me tell you, that first beer, after a 10 year hiatus, was damn good. Forgot just how good a Sam Adams lager taste

Grape, Something the good doctor should have told you as well that beer thins your blood making your heart able to pump your blood with less effort. Less strain on the heart and the arteries equals good health for you.

My fathers doctor told him just that and he does drink say 6-10 beers a day at age 82. The doctors told him whatever you are doing to reduce the strain on your heart (already had a quad) keep doing it because it seems to work instead of a mass of pills and the possibility of a bad reaction to certain mixes of pills.

**tankie** · 11 Apr 08,, 07:50

Originally Posted by Dreadnought

Grape, Something the good doctor should have told you as well that beer thins your blood making your heart able to pump your blood with less effort. Less strain on the heart and the arteries equals good health for you.

My fathers doctor told him just that and he does drink say 6-10 beers a day at age 82. The doctors told him whatever you are doing to reduce the strain on your heart (already had a quad) keep doing it because it seems to work instead of a mass of pills and the possibility of a bad reaction to certain mixes of pills.

Oh good . So its beer for me then , as if i needed an excuse .

**Ray** · 11 Apr 08,, 09:08

Everything contributes to global warming!

)

I was seeing BBC's Hard Talk with the NZ PM being interviewed.

The interviewer was giving her a hard time about animal faeces releasing methane and how NZ was ruining the world!

But hats off to the NZ PM, she handled the issue very neatly and very intellectually and without political claptrap.

A great leader!