The losing joy of liquors

A recent paper published by 'Nature' projects that extreme weather events may cause a decrease in barley yield across the world, and the loss ranges from 3-17 per cent depending on the severity of conditions. Studies have suggested that widespread drought and heat, caused by climate change, will cause considerable disruption to global beer production, prices and consumption.

The global beer consumption was 177 million kilolitres in 2020. China is the largest beer-consuming country followed by the USA, Brazil and Russia. India ranks 23rd on the beer consumption list. A typical brewery requires 7-10 gallons of water to make one gallon of beer. Beers are usually brewed from malted cereal grains, to which hops and water are added. Hops are a form of perennials, with their green cone-shaped flowers giving bitterness, aroma and flavour to the beer. The flower buds of hop plants are expected to decrease as warmer winters lead to earlier and smaller harvests, leading to reduced availability.

Generally, we talk about the impact of climate change on food production, water availability, and biodiversity, but rarely about how climate change could impact liquor. Recently, a few studies have highlighted the adverse impact of climate change on wine, beer and whiskey production. The extreme climatic events indicate a decline in global beer consumption in the range of 4-16 per cent and beer prices could increase by 15 per cent. There is an average decrease in barley production of 18 per cent over the last five-year period, indicating a direct effect on beer production in India. Unseasonal rainfall is also an important factor in barley production in northern and central India.

According to a recent study, for a 2-degree centigrade warming, the regions of the world suitable for growing wine grapes could shrink by as much as 56 per cent, and with a 4-degree centigrade warming, 85 per cent of the land would no longer be suitable to produce good wines. Climate change and its erratic weather patterns will change the world’s wine map. Regions will disappear and others will emerge. Lack of water, high temperatures, droughts, delays in fruit ripening, and low yields will have a negative impact on wine production and quality. This also disturbs the grape growing cycle. Other effects on wine include elevated sugar content, reduction in acidity, modification in taste, and loss of colour and intensity. Wine is made from the fermented juice of grapes. According to the International State of Vine and Wine report, the world’s wine consumption in 2021 was estimated at 236 million hectolitres. Italy, Spain, France and the United States are the top wine-producing countries in the world. Wine grape production in India has evolved since the 1980s. The global value of wine export is estimated at nearly 40 billion dollars. Wine production and consumption in India are low as compared to other countries; this may change with the rise of the middle class.

According to a study from the University College London, the projected increase in temperature and changing rainfall patterns due to global warming will be a serious threat to distillery production over the next 50 years. In particular, these changes will directly impact the three main key ingredients of Scotch whiskey: water, barley and yeast. Whiskey distilleries use approximately 61 billion litres of water annually, with a single litre of whiskey requiring 47 litres. Increasing drought conditions directly affect whiskey distilleries. It will impact the volume and quality of spring barley. Climate change will also affect the flavour of whiskey and may alter its character and composition. Whiskey is made from fermented grain mash. Many grains such as barley, corn, rye and wheat are used to make it. Scotland is the biggest producer of whiskey, followed by Ireland, the United States, Japan, Sweden, and India. Whiskey production has grown over the past decade in India, and we are among the top whiskey-consuming countries in the world.

Projected climate change will adversely impact the quality, quantity and price of wine, beer, whisky and other liquors. Very little knowledge exists on such impacts in India. In fact, there is little knowledge even about the impact of climate change on food grains, fruit and vegetable crops in India. There is a need for serious research on the impact of climate change on crops and food processing industries.

Views expressed are personal