Climate change can significantly affect the taste of European beer

First wine, now beer. Every day we learn about new, devastating effects of climate change, and what is happening now has researchers sounding the alarm about the future of European beer, due to the steady decline in the quality and quantity of the all-important high-quality hop. Since 1994, the amount of alpha acids, which are key to taste, has decreased by 0.6% in hops, and if the plant is not adapted to temperature changes, by 2050 the content of these substances will drop by 31 percent, New Atlas writes. Follow the news in a convenient format: Follow us on Twitter In Europe, high-quality aromatic hops are limited to small regions due to the once ideal climatic and ecological conditions. It is now under threat as warmer and drier seasons are expected to bring unknown changes to the cultivation and flavor profiles of this hop. To find out how the yield and quality of the main ingredient for beer — common hops (Humulus lupulus) — changes, researchers of the Czech Academy of ...