Beer is one of the oldest and most widely consumed alcoholic beverages in the world. According to Statista, the global beer production amounted to about 1.86 billion hectoliters in 2021.
As such it is only normal that companies will panic when they find themselves running short of carbon dioxide that puts the fizz in beers. Carbon dioxide is a key ingredient in beer production and the food industry. One of the ways carbon dioxide is produced is as a byproduct of ammonia and bioethanol production. But as ammonia plants are working to complete backlogs, it means that there is a shortage of carbon dioxide that can be used in soft drinks and alcoholic beverages. A few years back, Europe had rationed beer due to carbon dioxide shortages.
An extinct volcano would have been the answer to everyone’s prayers, but studies showed that it is set to negatively impact beer production.
So, how can an extinct volcano affect beer production?
The oldest known volcanic structure in the US, the Jackson Volcano, also called the Jackson Dome, last erupted about 66 million years ago. It currently lies beneath the city of Jackson, under the Mississippi Coliseum.
Beer companies feel that the Jackson Dome could be the answer to their prayers because it is a treasure trove of carbon dioxide. However, according to Gasworld, the reserves have been contaminated by benzene and other hydrocarbons that make it unfit for human consumption.
Experts opine that filters used by good industries are not capable of removing impurities. Contaminants like benzene can cause people to suffer from headaches, nausea, and even give them an irregular heartbeat. According to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, benzene quickly evaporates from water or soil. As such, the entire reservoir of carbon dioxide is unusable and exacerbates fears of a beer shortage.
The carbon dioxide shortage has forced beer companies to consider other options, like using nitrogen while some others are just paying three or four times the usual rate for supplies.
Companies might even explore cask-conditioned beer that is naturally carbonated. Inflation and supply chain issues have also raised concerns about a beer shortage.
As prices of raw materials and costs to ship them have increased, some breweries have shut down due to rising costs. Experts predict a beer shortage in the near future, as manufacturers are making far less on products, compared to pre-pandemic levels and it is not sustainable in the long run.
Is beer consumption healthy?
Light to moderate intake of beer is said to be healthy as it contains some minerals and vitamins. Most types of beer contain 4% to 6% alcohol, but it can range anywhere between 0.5% to 40%.
Beer contains various B vitamins as it is made from cereal grains and yeast. A 12-week study in 36 overweight adults found that moderate beer intake — one drink for women, two drinks for men per day — improved their good cholesterol while also improving the body’s ability to get rid of cholesterol. Another review found that low to moderate beer intake can lower risk of heart disease similar to wine.
Drinking beer could help reduce your risk of developing kidney stones by nearly 41%.
Meanwhile, heavy and binge drinking can be extremely harmful and can even result in early death. Research suggests that heavy drinkers are at increased risk of depression, liver disease, and weight gain.
Beer production and drinking around the world
Beer is the third most popular drink after water and tea. The country that drinks the most beer per capita is the Czech Republic. Czechs have topped the list continuously since 1993. The Czechs drink on average 181.7 liters of beer per year per person. They are closely followed by the Austrians and the Polish.
Most alcoholic beverages are said to have some health benefits. Both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beer segments have witnessed explosive growth in the past few years, although beer sales went down a little during the pandemic.
The countries leading in beer production are China, Brazil, and the US. Revenue from the segment touched $563.90 billion in 2022 and the industry is expected to grow at an annual CAGR of 10.32%.
