Via Insty, news of a looming beer shortage:
Beer drinkers across the US are staring glumly into their pints, knowing the costs are likely to rise due to a nationwide shortage of carbon dioxide – thanks in part to issues at a Mississippi volcano.
The extinct volcano, the Jackson Dome, has since 1977 provided carbon dioxide to the food industry, among others.
Yet in recent months the supply has become contaminated due to raw gas from a mine seeping in, meaning it cannot be used in food.
You know what this means, right?
Or we’ll just have to get used to less-fizzy beer, e.g.:
And I, for one, think this would be a Good Thing.
This should only affect the dispensing of beer from a keg. Anyone who has ever brewed beer (or toured a brewery) should know that carbon dioxide in beer is a natural byproduct of fermentation (save for the “Champagne of Beers” aka Miller High Life).
Correct. Only shitty commericial beer needs to be artificially carbonated. A liitle yeast added after the fermentation compltes is what carbonates home made and craft beers.
US beers are heavy CO2. They could stand a bit of reduction, say….. 70%. But, that cuts away from the optics of a fluffy white head (oddly shaving off 1-2oz ) for the image.
They could make up the loss with an increase of flavor and a touch of alcohol – US 3.2 standard is old – the craft-beers are far better than the Big Beer offerings. As one Brit told me “US Budweiser – like making love in a canoe – f*%king near water…”
Only during the Bai-Dan administration could they be pushing to lower CO2 emissions, since it’s a pollutant, while simultaneously running out of it.
Whiskey drinkers will continue blithely on, and never miss the carbon dioxide.
Yup, though I won’t turn up my dainty nose when offered a good beer.
Flammable, explosive beer?
TAKE MY MONEY!!!
Born and raised elsewhere than here, I was not even aware that CO2 was injected into beer. Beers in S. America and UK and even Germany always seemed perfectly palatable and moderately fizzy without resorting to “enhancement”.
I’m all in for the movement to bring more normal dark and blonde beers to market without excess fizz.
The best part of England back in the 70’s was when I was asked if I wanted it cold, to which I said yes (as a recently minted Yank), only to find out that that was from the barrel down in the cellar while the normal stuff was on the floor behind the bar. Fun times.
Somewhere in their parent’s basements there are climate thinking…..
OMG Those Evil Capitalists have been harvesting CO2 long sequestered in a Volcano???? and then adding it back into the atmosphere?? Do they not understand the source of Climate Chane?? We must start a protest to boycott beer at roadhouses, bars and pubs all over the country. !!!!! We.re all going to die.!!!
That prophecy might come true sooner than they expect.
I have completely switched to craft brews. The usual Canadian big brewery beer has always been garbage and it seems the big name imports are no longer pleasing me. The young punks running the new breweries are doing an outstanding job.
Not every beer they brew is great but they do produce a great diversity – every colour of beer possible, with only the best ones becoming successful.
While in the UK and Ireland last year I found similar changes afoot there. Lots of new small breweries and actual active brew pubs serving fresh cask ales. My cousin took us to Johnnie Fox’s Pub, Glencullen, in the Dublin Mountains. Fantastic.
No worry in USA.
Jean Fukkin Querri can supply all we need from his mansions and stable of polluting luxury transportation.
According to my back of the envelope calculations, there are about 10^12 tons of CO2 in the atmosphere. All breweries need to do is to start extracting it. This will be a win-win – no more climate change, and beer goes on.
Carbonated soda uses carbon dioxide, too. Does this mean we should expect the prices of Coca-Cola, Mountain Dew, and Dr. Pepper to quadruple?