Heat threatens the quantity and quality of beer hops in Europe

Editorial Science, (EFE).- European beer-producing regions could experience a reduction of 4 to 18% in the yield of traditional aromatic hops between now and 2050, due to increased heat and more frequent droughts, a study suggests. Nature Communications. The research, led by the Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences, also points out that this reduction would be 20 to 31% in terms of hop acids, which are key to the bitter taste of beer, also until 2050. Models indicate that these expected declines will be due to rising temperatures and more frequent and severe droughts, summarizes Nature, and the authors call for urgent adaptation measures to stabilize international market chains. Beer is the third most consumed beverage in the world, after water and tea, and is the most popular alcoholic beverage worldwide. In addition to water, brewing barley and yeast, hops are used to flavor it, which contains compounds called alpha acids that give it its bitter aroma and affect its ...