Cross your fingers and hop for the best: Great British pint at risk due to climate change

Hops, the plant which gives beer its taste, isn’t thriving in the hotter and drier conditions the UK is experiencing due to climate change. As time goes by, the production of our beloved pints is dropping significantly, with little sign of stopping. 

Not only are us Brits partial to a pint in the summer sun, but beer is the third most popular drink in the world, following water and tea. The rapid decrease in the production of the malt-based drink isn’t a recent development – the market for hops has been unpredictable for at least a decade, becoming more and more of a concern for farmers and brewers.  

The problem is occurring across Europe, leading to the very possible outcome of beer becoming even more expensive than it already is

In research conducted last year, it was discovered that in areas once reliable for growing hops, output plummeted by nearly 20%. Not only does this threaten brewing companies, but it calls into question the severity of climate change itself.  The scientists who discovered this denoted the decrease to the drier and hotter weather the UK has experienced in recent years. In addition, the alpha bitter acids found in hops, which contribute towards the distinct beer flavour, have decreased due to skyrocketing temperatures. Unless dramatic changes are made to combat the rapid rate of climate change, the study suggests that the bitter acid count could reduce up to 31% by 2050. 

This isn’t just limited to the UK either, as the problem is occurring across Europe, leading to the very possible outcome of beer becoming even more expensive than it already is. The rise in beer prices became particularly apparent during the pandemic in 2020, increasing by 13% since then, and prices are likely to escalate further.  

This research, co-lead by Dr Helen Cockerton, will be analysing the genetic code of different varieties of hops, aiming to see if genes in existing drought-resistant plants could be used to modify hops.

There is hope though, with some changes being made by hop farmers to restrict the damage done to the market. For example, farmers are altering the location of their farms, moving them to areas where there is more rainfall, as well as putting irrigation systems in place to make this a more sustainable and cost-effective change.  

New research being conducted at the University of Kent could also hold the solution to low hop yields in the midst of drought. This research, co-lead by Dr Helen Cockerton, will be analysing the genetic code of different varieties of hops, aiming to see if genes in existing drought-resistant plants could be used to modify hops. 

Due to the distinct and iconic taste of beer which is produced by bitter acids, it’s important that changes made to the genetics of the plant aren’t so drastic that flavour is affected. Dr Cockerton says “Brewers want good-tasting beer, so they need their hops to produce the flavour their customers want”.  

Whilst there is hope for the Great British pint if both scientists and farmers can work to solve the issues in the hops industry, that’s a very big ask. With the climate changing so dramatically and so rapidly, the industry is truly at significant risk. Unfortunately, if we don’t see a large change in the hop farming industry soon, researchers predict that hop yields could drop by 4-18% by 2050, and the yield of the bitter acids could drop by a further 20-31%. This means that not only will the quantity of beer go south, but so will its taste.  Hopefully, if nothing else, the threat to the pint will convince the public that climate change will leave its mark.